Prospects for reform in Jordan depend on attitude of king

Friday, April 1, 2011

The ruling elite is struggling to placate a growing reformist faction, writes MICHAEL JANSEN in Amman.

LOYALISTS TRAVEL in car convoy by night, flying the lone star flag of Jordan while reformers try to choreograph protests offensive to no one.

There is a reformist rising in Jordan but no uprising aimed at toppling the Hashemite monarchy, established nearly a century ago in the wake of the first World War. While the demands of reformists are the same as those in Tunisia and Egypt – free elections, political pluralism and an end to corruption – Jordan’s communal composition and domestic circumstances differ from those of the north African nations blazing a new political path.

The reform movement here was launched before the Egyptian uprising – not by internet activists, as in Egypt, but by tribesmen and workers in the provincial town of Madaba. After demonstrating there, they came to the capital, Amman, so the government might take notice of their complaints and were joined by other disaffected elements.

Last Friday regime loyalists attacked reformers in the center of Amman, where one man died.

Today the March 24th movement is staging another protest calling for national unity and support for King Abullah as well as pressing for other reform demands.

In an attempt to stabilize the situation, Jordan’s 52-strong national dialogue committee began work this week. It is charged with revising electoral legislation, opening the door to political parties, amending the constitution and providing for freedom of expression and assembly. Dr Malek Twal, secretary general of the ministry of political development, said the committee was independent, representing all shades of opinion “from extreme right to extreme left”. Although the Muslim Brotherhood refused to join, other Muslim fundamentalists are participating. “Everything is open to discussion and debate . . . the king gave guarantees that its recommendations will be implemented without manipulation,” he said.

Dr Anis Kassem, a Jordanian of Palestinian origin, warned that “unless the king steps in and takes charge nothing will happen”.

Reforms have been promised before but never implemented.

In informal discussion at his home, former minister of political development Moussa Maaytah insisted the king was determined to effect change. The “crown, [which] remains the umbrella for everybody” is trying to “send a message to all Jordanians – Palestinian Jordanians, Chris- tians, Muslims – that reform is win-win for all elements of the society”. However, he added that, Jordan, unlike Egypt and Tunisia, does not have “modern forms of civil society and political parties. Jordanians still depend on blood ties, tribes and hometowns. You cannot have functioning democracy unless you have real political parties.”

The Israel-Palestine conflict also provides an invasive, uncertain dimension to the drive for reform in Jordan.

Unless there is peace between Israelis and Palestinians, ethnic Jordanians and those of Palestinian origin are unlikely to achieve equality, genuine unity and democracy.

Source: The Irish Times.
Link: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2011/0401/1224293540827.html.