Opposition parties seek unified stand on reforms

By Hani Hazaimeh

AMMAN - The Muslim Brotherhood has launched an initiative to form the “National Panel for Reform”, a task force representing the various political parties and professional associations tasked with forging a unified stand regarding the required reform.

Member of the executive office at the Islamic Action Front Zaki Bani Rsheid said on Saturday that the biggest challenge facing reform is the disagreement among different opposition powers on a unified position, adding that the panel is meant to act as a lobbying tool to bring under its umbrella all powers calling for reform.

"The membership to the initiative is not exclusive to any party or association. It is open to all political spectra in the country and we are open to listen to all voices and receive any constructive suggestion," Bani Rsheid said, adding that so far, the Jordanian Popular Democratic Party (Wihda) and the National Constitutional Party, as well as prominent nationalist figures have responded positively to the initiative.

The goal is to reach common ground between all parties, Bani Rsheid said, adding that the founders intend to present the initiative to the public for broader discussions with all concerned parties in order to build a consensus over what is needed to be done in terms of political and economic reform.

"Lack of a clear vision in the objectives and demands will put opposition parties in a maze and will give the chance to those who have so far aborted all political reform attempts to take advantage of the fragmentation in the ranks of reformists," Wihda Secretary General Said Thiyab said at the meeting, which was attended by media representatives and political activists.

He underlined the importance of sustaining pressure on the government to carry out reform, adding that calls for reform have been raised for the past 15 years but lack of pressuring tools was the reason why successive governments did not take these calls seriously.

14 March 2011

Source: The Jordan Times.
Link: http://www.jordantimes.com/?news=35434.