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Saturday, April 9, 2011

Qur'an in American Sign Language

Zafar Siddiqui
March 8, 2011

The Qur’an has been translated into well over 100 languages; however, American Sign Language (ASL) is not one of them. The Minnesota chapter of Global Deaf Muslim (GDM-MN) is working on a project to translate the Qur’an into American Sign Language (ASL). GDM-MN is holding a fundraiser on March 12 to help raise funds for this project.

According to Mallerie Shirley, an ASL interpreter and GDM-MN board member, the scarcity of Islamic educational material for deaf Muslims is acute. Deaf Muslims do not have access to Islamic educational programming, which puts them at a great disadvantage when it comes to learning about their religion and practicing its tenets.

GDM-MN has also been instrumental in helping mosques in Minnesota initiate interpretation of Friday prayer service into ASL. There are an increasing number of Muslim organizations that now use ASL interpreters at their programs.

Currently deaf people across the United States and in parts of Canada, and other places in the world that use American Sign Language, have no access to the Qur’an. With the translation of the Qur’an into ASL, the deaf and hard of hearing will now have access to the most widely recited book in the world.

The Minnesota chapter of Global Deaf Muslim was started in 2010 and is located at 1821 University Ave. Suite S340 and is open Monday through Friday from 10 A.M. – 5 P.M.

Source: Star Tribune.
Link: http://www.startribune.com/local/yourvoices/117561913.html.

Algeria reforms military service policy

In another concession to youth, the Algerian president eases national service requirements.

By Fidet Mansour for Magharebia in Algiers – 08/03/11

Algerian men over age 30 are no longer required to perform military service.

The measure is the latest in a series of steps "taken for handling youth preoccupations", the National Service Department said Thursday (March 3rd) about the new policy announced by President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. Other initiatives aimed to provide employment, housing and bank loans.

"I am now filled with hope as I contemplate the future," Jamel Marouf, a 32-year-old statistical analyst, said. "I graduated from university seven years ago, and for all these years, I've been unable to get a job with a public-sector body."

Like other Algerian men, Marouf needed a "military card" to land a job. National service is compulsory in the country, and holding a certificate of completion of "this duty" is essential for traveling abroad or securing employment.

Prior to February 28th, Marouf had been on the Military Service Department's "absent without leave" list as he did not reply to any of the call-up notices sent to him.

"For me, there was no way I was going to spend 18 months doing national service. I believe this commitment should be voluntary for the person concerned and not required by law," he added, saying that he had no regrets, not even for the years of unemployment and frustration that he went through as a young person.

Salim Nadjer, 36, was also pleased about the decision. A doctor by training, he paid dearly for his absence without leave as it prevented his career from developing. He knew that those who had not done military service were barred from taking post-graduation exams.

Nadjer explained his refusal to serve state, saying that during the years of the Black Decade "it was a big risk; young soldiers were being killed by terrorists".

"Doing national service was regarded as a major sin by terrorist groups," he said.

The move affects not only men living in Algeria, but also those residing abroad. Thousands of researchers and talented individuals have been unable to return to their home country because of national service.

Aziz Taourit, a journalist by training, has been living in France for seven years. "I burst with happiness and cried for hours when I heard the news," he said. "I don't care about the political motives, I've been exempted from military service, and that will enable me to go back to Algeria and see my family and friends again."

"I was like a prisoner waiting for his fate to be decided. I'm the happiest man in the world," he said.

Meanwhile, experts believe it is now time to reflect in depth on national service instead of resorting to "populist" measures.

It is important to do away with national service as part of the efforts to professionalize the army that have been made over the last ten years, according to political researcher Othman Selini.

Some MPs proposed that the duration of national service be limited to nine months, recalling that until 2002, it lasted for two years. It was later reduced to 18 months. A third option would be to make it voluntary for youths.

Source: Magharebia.com.
Link: http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2011/03/08/feature-02.

Algerian schoolchildren discover M'zab Valley heritage

08-03-2011

A total of 135 pupils from four Algerian schools participating in the EU-funded Montada project (Forum for the promotion of traditional architecture in North Africa) have taken part in a tour of monuments and historical sites of the Algerian M’zab valley.

A press release said the tour, which took place on 1 March under the title “Integrating our heritage in our schools”, is part of the education activities of the Montada project in the M’zab valley, which aims to help pupils of the four schools build ideas and images around all the features of the town of Ghardaïa to use and develop in a sequence of activities to be held at each school in collaboration with the educators.

The main objective of the activity is to show schoolchildren the architectural heritage of their area classified as national and world heritage and the rich heritage of their daily lives, and to involve the four schools in the project in a tangible way.

Funded by the EU under the EuroMed Heritage IV program with a budget of €1.8 million over a period of three years, Montada, which is implemented in Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia, aims to promote traditional built heritage by strengthening its identity through appropriation by the population. EuroMed Heritage IV is a €17 million EU-funded program which contributes to the exchange of experiences on cultural heritage, creates networks and promotes cooperation with the Mediterranean Partner Countries. (ENPI Info Center)

Source: ENPI Info Center.
Link: http://enpi-info.eu/mainmed.php?id=24428&id_type=1&lang_id=450.

Yemen protesters threaten students in south: UNICEF

By Mohammed Ghobari
SANAA | Tue Mar 8, 2011

(Reuters) - Anti-government demonstrators in south Yemen are threatening to burn down schools if teachers and students do not join their protests in the port city of Aden, the U.N. children's fund UNICEF said Tuesday.

Daily protests have swept Yemen for over a month, as tens of thousands of demonstrators demand the end of President Ali Abdullah Saleh's three-decade rule over the impoverished Arabian Peninsula state.

"Yesterday's confirmed reports ... tell of a number of schools in al-Mansoura and al-Mualla (districts in Aden) being attacked by demonstrators," UNICEF said in a statement.

"Reportedly, children and teachers were threatened and told if they would not leave the schools and join the protest, they (the schools) would be burned down. Gun shots were heard in the area."

UNICEF communications officer Mohammed Al Asaadi, who is based in Sanaa, told Reuters he knew of two schools being threatened and said many children in Aden were now being kept at home by their parents.

"Some schools were already closed down because parents did not want their kids to go to school in anticipation of violence or attacks on schools," he said, speaking by phone.

The reported threats on schools were the first of their kind since unrest hit Yemen in January, with protesters galvanized by successful uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia.

But schools have been targeted in previous disturbances in Yemen. Last May, UNICEF reported that gunmen had seized schools in north Yemen despite an uneasy truce between Shi'ite Muslim rebels and the government.

Saleh, a U.S. ally in the fight against al Qaeda's Yemen-based wing, was struggling to maintain stability even before the latest protests broke out. He has been trying to sustain a ceasefire with northern rebels while also seeking to curb a secessionist rebellion in the south.

In Aden, once the capital of an independent southern state, several children have been wounded and killed in this year's troubles, Asaadi said. In all, an estimated 27 people have died across Yemen in the protests.

"UNICEF is concerned about the safety of these children and their access to basic rights such as education and health services," he said.

(Writing by Erika Solomon; editing by Crispian Balmer and Sonya Hepinstall)

Source: Reuters.
Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/08/us-yemen-schools-idUSTRE72720220110308.

Syria frees 80-year-old former judge in amnesty

Tue Mar 8, 2011

(Reuters) - Syrian authorities have released an 80-year-old former judge, one of President Bashar al-Assad's most outspoken critics, under an amnesty marking the anniversary of the 1963 coup which brought the Baath Party to power.

"I am in good shape mentally, which annoys the regime. The march for peaceful democratic change in Syria must continue," Haitham al-Maleh told Reuters after his release Tuesday.

"There are thousands of political prisoners left who have been thrown in jail upon the orders of the security apparatus. One day we will have an independent judiciary," he added.

Khalil Matouk, one Maleh's lawyers said the ex-judge was the only political prisoner included in the amnesty because he was over 70 years old.

Maleh was jailed for three years last July for "weakening national morale" after he criticized corruption in Syria and called on Assad to reveal the fates of tens of thousands of people missing since a government crackdown in the 1980s.

He was one of 13 political prisoners who went on hunger strike to protest against "political detentions and oppression," a Syrian rights group said Monday.

Maleh was freed under a presidential amnesty marking the 48th anniversary of the coup when the Baath Party seized power, banning opposition and imposing emergency laws which are still in place. The amnesty covered those convicted of minor offenses and prisoners over the age of 70.

Mal spent six years as a political prisoner in the 1980s during the rule of the current leader's father, Hafez al-Assad, after he opposed what he called the illegal takeover by the Baath Party of the judiciary and the Lawyers Union.

The United States has led calls for Syria to release Maleh and scores of Syrian writers, journalists, opposition figures and lawyers who have been jailed in the last five years.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights had said Monday that 12 other prisoners went on hunger strike alongside him.

They included lawyer Anwar al-Bunni, jailed for five years in 2007, writer Ali Abdallah, who faces a military trial for criticizing Syria's ally Iran, and Mahmoud Barish, who is also standing trial for criticizing corruption.

"The time has come to end this state of oppression, in line with the winds of democratic change sweeping through the Arab world," the organization quoted the prisoners saying.

They said that rights could not be "legitimate in Egypt and Tunisia and other countries, and not legitimate in Syria."

Syrian authorities have intensified a long-running campaign of arrests of dissidents and opposition figures since mass protests overthrew rulers in Egypt and Tunisia.

(Reporting by Khaled Yacoub Oweis; Editing by Michael Roddy and Paul Taylor)

Source: Reuters.
Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/08/us-syria-rights-idUSTRE7274LC20110308.

Turkey, Iran, Syria and Iraq to issue joint visas

08/03/2011

ANKARA, Turkey -- Turkey, Iran, Syria and Iraq have agreed to issue joint visas in an effort to boost their tourism sectors, local media reported on Monday (March 7th). The measure, proposed by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, would cut tourist costs, allowing them to visit all four countries with one visa. The new document will be called "Shamgen", from "Sham", the Arab name for Syria.

Source: South East Europe Times.
Link: http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/newsbriefs/setimes/newsbriefs/2011/03/08/nb-04.

North Korea jams South's guided missiles

SEOUL, March 8 (UPI) -- Seoul has accused North Korea of using sophisticated jamming systems to block South Korean military signals and disrupt its guided missiles.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency said the strong jamming signals have been transmitting from the northern border city of Keasong since last week.

The purported purpose of the jamming was to disrupt navigational devices using Global Positioning Systems as a major joint military exercise is under way northwest of Seoul.

The jamming is believed to have prevented some U.S and South Korean bombs from hitting their targets during a military drill. The Korea Communications Commission said they caused minor inconvenience last week.

"Intermittent GPS disruptions are still continuing, although signals are weak," the commission said in a statement, adding that it was working with government agencies and security authorities to shield against the jamming.

The defense ministry also confirmed the jamming but refused to afford details citing security reasons.

It is believed that Pyongyang has modified Russian equipment to make its own jammers, which can interfere with GPS up to 50 miles away.

The U.S.-South Korean annual Key Resolve drill kicked off Feb. 28. More than 12,000 U.S. troops are taking part in the drill, alongside 200,000 South Korean soldiers. The exercise, including live drills and computer simulated war games, is expected to run for 11 days.

South Korea and the United States stage regular exercises with their combined forces. The recent drill, though, comes amid heightened tension with North Korea.

Both Seoul and Washington have invited media to cover several of the drills scheduled for the coming weeks, including when railroads are used to move weapons and the air landing of troop reinforcements from other countries.

Relations between North and South have soured since North Korea's suspected sinking of a South Korean war ship last March and Pyongyang's artillery shelling of a South Korean island in November.

GPS jammers work by sending a signal that interferes with the communication between a satellite and GPS receiver.

South Korea is also purported to use French made equipment to disrupt or monitor the North's military communications systems.

Military officials said the jamming coincided with cyberattacks on the Web sites of about 30 key government agencies and financial institutions in South Korea. The origins of those attacks have yet to be determined.

The Korea Communications Commission said that more than 77,200 "zombie" computers were mobilized for the latest attack. The viruses destroyed the hard disks of 114 of them.

Source: United Press International (UPI).
Link: http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Security-Industry/2011/03/08/North-Korea-jams-Souths-guided-missiles/UPI-49341299621609/.

Taliban supports Afghan protest over Quran burning in U.S.

KABUL, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Taliban outfit fighting Afghan and NATO-led troops in Afghanistan supported demonstrations over Quran burning in the United States, a statement of the outfit sent to media on Wednesday said.

"It was a clear violation of the belief of 1.5 billion inhabitants (Muslims) of the world and should have called for a harsh punishment for the perpetrators," the statement said.

The statement added that "the Afghan people in the last few days showed that they would never remain indifferent as regards their sacrosanct but are ready to offer every sacrifice in their defense."

Issued by Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, the name of the ousted Taliban regime, the statement stated, "The Islamic enthusiasm, ideological conscience and resurgence shown by the Afghan people, as a matter of pride and satisfaction and commends the efforts made and the sacrifices offered in the cause of the Holy Quran."

In the demonstrations staged in several Afghan cities including the capital city Kabul since April 1, according to officials, 22 people including seven staff of United Nations have been killed and 143 others including a UN employee sustained injuries.

Some officials including the government of northern Balkh province Atta Mohammad Noor and head of Kandahar's Provincial Council Ahmad Wali Karzai have not ruled out the involvement of Taliban militants, saying the insurgents have exploited the situation to destabilize security.

Source: Xinhua.
Link: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-04/06/c_13815356.htm.

Afghan Taliban calls on Libya to defend itself from intervention

Sun, 20 Mar 2011

Kabul - The Taliban in Afghanistan on Sunday condemned the United Nations-backed military intervention in Libya and urged the North African country to defend itself.

The Taliban said in a statement "strongly condemn" the air strikes by the United States, Britain and French forces as an "adventure of the Western countries in the internal conflict of the people of Libya".

"We believe, the Western colonialists do not want a solution in Libya on the basis of aspirations of the people but rather have plans to weaken the Islamic country in a war of attrition and then occupy its oil reserves through a direct invasion," the Taliban said.

Taliban insurgents have been fighting in Afghanistan since 2001, when the Taliban government was ousted in a US-led military operation.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/372572,calls-libya-defend-intervention.html.

'Jordanian fighters protecting aid mission'

AMMAN (JT) - Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh confirmed on Tuesday that Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF) fighter aircraft landed in a European military base two days ago to protect the Jordanian humanitarian aircraft dispatched to Libya.

During a meeting with chief editors of daily newspapers held at Al Ghad newspaper’s premises, Judeh said His Majesty King Abdullah ordered the dispatch of aircraft, carrying humanitarian aid to assist the Libyan people.

Judeh said the Kingdom is providing logistic support to back the UN Security Council resolution to enforce a no-fly zone over Libya, pointing out that Jordan will pursue efforts at all levels to help the Libyan people resolve the current crisis.

Judeh has participated in various meetings held regarding the situation in Libya, including the Arab League’s ordinary and extraordinary meetings as well as international meetings.

At the meetings, Judeh emphasized the importance of protecting the Libyan people and stopping the bloodshed.

He also stressed the Kingdom’s rejection of any occupation or foreign invasion against Libya and the need to safeguard the unity and the integrity of the Arab country.

Highlighting the developments in the region, he said foreign countries believe the conditions in Jordan are positive, adding that this assessment comes from his participation in international meetings.

On Syria, he said Jordan is following up on the developments there, noting that Syria is a neighboring country and that the Kingdom is concerned about its security and stability.

Regarding Iranian threats to Gulf countries, he said Jordan rejects such threats and called on Tehran to pursue a good neighborhood policy towards Gulf countries.

Judeh highlighted Jordan’s position towards various regional developments and stressed the importance of refocusing on the Palestinian issue as the core regional issue, warning against losing that focus in the midst of the ongoing events in the region.

Meanwhile, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported that a Jordanian RJAF aircraft, carrying relief aid arrived in Benghazi, Libya, late Monday.

In comments, Colonel Eqab Abu Wendi, who is in charge of the mission, said: “As soon as the aircraft landed at Benghazi Airport, Libyan people gathered, commending the step and thanking Jordan’s King, government and people,” according to Petra.

The RJAF aircraft carried 10 tonnes of medical and other humanitarian assistance from Jordan to the people of Libya.

In February, RJAF and Royal Jordanian planes were dispatched, upon King Abdullah’s directives, to bring home Jordanians and Arab nationals who were stranded in Libyan cities.

6 April 2011

Source: The Jordan Times.
Link: http://www.jordantimes.com/?news=36218.

Jordanians continue anti-govt. protests

Fri Apr 1, 2011

Hundreds of Jordanians have turned out for an anti-government protest in the capital, defying heavy government-ordered security measures.

Some 600 youths amassed outside Amman's city hall on Friday, calling for the ouster of the regime, constitutional reforms and trial of the officials suspected of corruption, AFP reported.

"The people want an elected government," the protesters chanted.

"It's up to the regime now to work on reform. We are peaceful, but a government that kills citizens cannot be trusted with reforms and cannot lead the people. We need a national government," said Zaki Bani Rsheid, head of the political office of the Islamic Action Front, a political party in the kingdom.

The rally was offset by a nearly-400-strong security mission and a nearby pro-government demonstration, which was attended by 50 people.

Last week, two people were killed and over 150 others wounded after government loyalists attacked a pro-reform camp near the Interior Ministry's building.

Emboldened by the recent revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt, Jordanians have been staging protests since January.

The demonstrations continue as anti-regime rallies are spreading across Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/172658.html.

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.

Jordan's stubborn regime hangs in the balance

WARNING: Article contains propaganda!

* * * * *

Sean L. Yom
Thursday, March 31, 2011

The Hashemite regime of Jordan is running out of time. Last Friday, a 2,000-strong opposition gathering in Amman dissolved into a spectacle of violence, leaving one dead and over a hundred injured. Although described by the Western media as the country's first repressive crackdown during this winter of discontent, the reality is more complex -- and more unsettling. Opposition activists infused by a new youth movement assembled near the Interior Ministry to vocalize a familiar chorus of democratic demands. Hundreds of armed government loyalists counter-rallied, cursing their fellow citizens and bombarding them with rocks. The street police were complicit in the breakdown of order until special darak riot forces began assaulting activists outright, allegedly using tear gas and then water cannons. Alongside many loyalists, they cheered and marched after "liberating" the circle from the reformist encampment.

This day of violence encapsulated all that has gone wrong since popular protests began three months ago: reform demands falling on deaf ears, apathy by agents of the state, brutality by government proxies. Above all, it exposed the bankruptcy of this authoritarian regime's strategy of coping with the current opposition upsurge by furnishing vague promises of gradual reform while quietly manipulating social divisions from within. It failed in the first but is beginning to succeed in the second, creating a dangerous political climate that could result in further violence. The crisis will end when King Abdullah provides a credible commitment to reform -- one that goes beyond hollow invitations to dialogue and instead furnishes a concrete timetable for change. Yet to do that would require the palace to reverse its stubborn stance, something that might well demand U.S. involvement.

How did Jordan come to this? While Tunisia and Egypt roiled in rage, Western observers insisted that the kingdom would right itself, for citizens here venerated the Hashemite crown and preferred moderate change. But the persistence of public protests has problematized such narratives. Starting in mid-January, weekly demonstrations drew thousands of frustrated Jordanians onto the streets over the rising cost of living, November's toothless parliamentary elections, and political corruption. The protesters represent not only the Muslim Brotherhood, professional associations, and leftist parties -- long-standing groups in which the Palestinian majority is well represented -- but also East Bank tribesmen, military retirees, and civil pensioners, more conservative forces that the palace never predicted it would need to pacify. The youth movement that spearheaded last Friday's assembly, the March 24 Shabab, also reveals profound dissatisfaction within the kingdom's largest demographic: More than two-thirds of the population is under 30.

However, the regime has repeatedly squandered opportunities to defuse such burgeoning criticism. In February, King Abdullah dismissed his unpopular cabinet and charged new Prime Minister Marouf al-Bakhit with formulating democratic reforms. Yet many activists saw the return of Bakhit, a consummate military hand and Hashemite retainer, as an insult, recalling the security restrictions that typified his first premiership in the mid-2000s. Equivocal pledges to review the Elections Law, extirpate corruption, and pursue other changes lacked any benchmark for resolution. In mid-March, the king anointed a 52-member National Dialogue Committee to explore options for restructuring government, but the consultative group excluded representation from youth activists and received no guarantee that its recommendations would be ratified. Sensing a repeat of the ill-fated 2005 National Agenda, 22 members have resigned.

The king and his men have hence miscalculated how to deal with a wave of public dissent that lacks any ideological foundation and instead revolves around a shared understanding that the current autocratic political system is neither transparent nor fair. Months of resistance from above combined with Friday's infighting has catalyzed deepening frustration from various constituencies. Some tribes petitioned the palace to resolve its crisis of governance and make good on its reform vows, pointedly reminding the king that they are abnaa al-watan -- sons of the homeland. Other tribes have embraced the cause of March 24 Shabab, noting that they contributed many of its young activists. Hundreds of political elites, including the king's uncle, Prince Hassan, and former Prime Minister Ahmad Obeidat, demanded that the government take responsibility for the violence. Student activists now insist that the mukhabarat, the ever-present General Intelligence Directorate, halt its inference in civil society. And Islamists and secular activists alike are openly discussing the merits of constitutional monarchy by first removing the king's prerogative of appointing prime ministers -- a radical idea unthinkable just years ago.

That the regime has missed the reform boat is bad enough. However, the current crisis also stems from its equally precarious tactic of exploiting social tensions in hopes of fragmenting popular pressure. Government officials have excavated long-standing fears with their East Bank and tribal allies that rapid political change would allow the Palestinian majority to dominate Jordan's national identity. Similarly, Bakhit incredibly blamed the Islamists for recent disturbances, suggesting that they had been taking orders from Syria.

Further, just days after lifting security restrictions against public gatherings in mid-February, a move presented as a concession, officials idly watched as pro-government protests began shadowing opposition marches. Over the past month, the rapid countermobilization of loyalist demonstrations across the country has not only made public spaces more contentious -- it has destroyed the middle ground. Reformists are portrayed as traitors to Jordan, enemies of the king, and Palestinian to boot -- extreme rhetoric that precipitated Friday's clashes and shows no signs of abating.

In addition, the progressively uncertain domestic security environment reflects official complicity, if not outright manipulation. Activists began complaining about the lack of police protection from knife-wielding, pro-government demonstrators more than a month ago, while the darak riot forces secured their atrocious reputation after Friday. Although Bakhit blamed such acts as failures of errant officers, Obeidat (himself a former GID chief) has countered that given the reach of the mukhabarat, police collaboration with loyalist attacks could not have occurred without government knowledge.

This is state repression by other means, which journalists know all too well. Threatening phone calls, complaints that foreign reporters fabricate stories, critical news websites mysteriously hacked -- these are recent signs that the regime fears that journalists will stop practicing the self-censorship that has long restrained public debate. It has good reason to worry: When over 200 reporters protested for broader press freedoms in early March, leading the charge were staffers from al-Rai newspaper, the state-owned daily.

The Jordanian regime now faces a crucial juncture. Bloggers and journalists warn of the possibility of civil conflict unless the palace shifts course and negotiates with, rather than patronizes, its critics. However, King Abdullah has only offered another open-ended promise for considering reforms through the National Dialogue Committee, whose remaining members are bitterly arguing whether to take the king's word seriously anymore. Bakhit seems to be in little danger of losing his job, and parliament has predictably rejected any initiative to review, much less curtail, the crown's constitutional supremacy. At the same time, pro-government loyalists will assuredly attack opposition groups again, who now have little incentive to moderate their position and put faith in dialogue. The March 24 Shabab have already promised to return to the streets this Friday, heightening social tensions. If they are assaulted once again, tragedy could ensue.

Here, Barack Obama's administration can play a vital role in nudging Abdullah toward a constructive solution, one that begins with demobilizing the more rapacious pro-government thugs and ends with a shared reform timetable that includes major opposition forces and explicitly lays out which, how, and when major political changes will occur. Such credible compromises could convince opposition activists to take dialogue seriously and thereafter achieve immediate progress on issues with broad appeal, such as reconfiguring the Elections Law and reducing state corruption, before tackling thornier issues like the constitutional scope of parliamentary authority.

Washington has both the leverage and interests to make that push. Jordan remains one of the most voracious consumers of American economic and military aid in the world. Key policy principals have visited Amman several times in the past two months; Secretary of Defense Robert Gates's brief visit last week coincidentally overlapped with Friday's violence. Moreover, given that few policymakers would enjoy watching revolutionary paralysis unfold on Israel's strategic East flank, there is universal consensus that the Hashemite Kingdom must remain stable. The next step is realizing that such stability will now only come with meaningful democratic reforms.

Source: Foreign Policy.
Link: http://mideast.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/03/31/jordans_stubborn_regime_hangs_in_the_balance.

تطوير علاج للعقم في الأردن

31/3/2011 م

توفيق عابد-عمان

نجح فريق طبي أردني بتطوير طريقة حديثة لعلاج العقم عند الرجال لأول مرة في العالم باستخدام الخلايا الجذعية الذاتية المسحوبة من نخاع المريض وزراعتها في خصيتيه لتقوم بتصنيع الحيوانات المنوية بطريقة طبيعية، مما يعطي أملا بحل مشكلة العقم كما تشير النتائج الأولية.

وقال الخبير في أبحاث الخلايا الجذعية الدكتور أديب الزعبي للجزيرة نت "إن طريقتنا أردنية بامتياز باستخدام أنواع جديدة ومحددة من الخلايا الجذعية الذاتية القادرة على تكوين أمهات الحيوانات المنوية وخلايا أخرى مساعدة وحقنها في المريض دون أخطار أو أعراض جانبية".

ولفت الزعبي -أستاذ المناعة والخلايا الجذعية بجامعة فيلادلفيا قرب جرش إلى أن جميع العاملين بالمشروع متطوعون ولا يتقاضون أية اتعاب.

نتائج أولية

بدوره قال استشاري أمراض وجراحة النساء والعقم الدكتور نجيب ليوس, إن الطريقة الجديدة أجريت على 44 رجلا ممن ثبت عدم وجود حيوانات منوية في السائل المنوي أو الخصيتين عندهم تراوحت أعمارهم بين 25 وخمسين عاما تم فحص 24 رجلا, وبعد مرور ستة أشهر, بينت النتائج أن ثمانية رجال أظهروا تحسنا في تصنيع الحيوانات المنوية, بينهم أربعة لديهم حيوانات منوية مكتملة النمو, وثلاثة وصلوا للمرحلة الأخيرة قبل الحيوانات المنوية.

وأضاف أن النتائج ما تزال حتى الآن أولية وأن "الطريق طويل لنخرج بخلاصة مؤكدة, وسنمضي قدما لتحقيق الهدف الأسمى وهو حل مشكلة العقم بمتابعة التطورات العلمية وتعديل طريقة البحث".

وقال إن الطريقة غير مقتصرة على الرجال فنحن بانتظار نتائج ما تم عمله للنساء فالأمانة العلمية تقتضي التمهل وعدم التسرع لحين ظهور النتائج.

وكشف ليوس للجزيرة نت عن قيام لجنة أخلاقية مسجلة رسميا بمؤسسة الغذاء والدواء الأردنية بدراسة مشروع استخدام الخلايا الجذعية في معالجة العقم وتفاصيله وسلامته للمرضى والموافقة على مواصلته, شريطة التزام الباحثين بالمعايير الأخلاقية والطبية والدينية.

وتضم اللجنة ثمانية أعضاء من أطباء وصيادلة ورجال قانون وعلماء ورجال دين, إضافة لمؤسسات المجتمع المدني.

إنجاز فريد

ومن وجهة نظر الزعبي رئيس الشبكة العربية للخلايا الجذعية, فإن هذه هي المرة الأولى التي يستطيع بها فريق طبي تقديم نتائج تظهر إنتاج الحيوانات المنوية بشكل طبيعي داخل الخصية, خصيصا لعلاج العقم باستخدام خلايا جذعية ذاتية ودون التأثير عليها بعوامل خارجية قد تؤثر على البنية الأساسية للخلايا المزروعة.

ونقل الزعبي عن استشاري جراحة الأطفال في مستشفى هوب للأطفال في شيكاغو بأميركا البروفيسور مارك هولترمان قوله, إن الطريقة الأردنية الجديدة تقدم صورة حضارية للتطور العلمي النوعي في الأردن وتعتبر إنجازا طبيا فريدا على مستوى العالم وقفزة نوعية, دون الحاجة لتدخل خارجي.

كما نقل عن أستاذ ورئيس قسم المناعة في كلية الطب في جامعة إلينوي في الولايات المتحدة بيلور براكار قوله, إن الأردن سبق دول العالم بإنجازه الطبي المهم بفضل علماء ناشطين يقدمون إنجازات طبية وعلمية رغم تواضع مخصصات البحث العلمي.

ويذكر أن الأردن سباق في استخدام الخلايا الجذعية في علاج الأمراض المستعصية كالسرطان والقلب والأعصاب والكبد والأمراض الوراثية, وتعمل ثمانية مراكز حكومية وأهلية متخصصة بهذا المجال.

المصدر: الجزيرة.
الرابط: http://www.aljazeera.net/NR/EXERES/5F0691D8-01FA-4E12-8C56-9100AB05E50F.htm.

Learning all the wrong lessons in Jordan

King Abdullah's regime is cracking down on protesters who want reforms and, perhaps, a constitutional monarchy.

Lamis Andoni
30 Mar 2011

The Jordanian government, which is a close ally of the US, has learned the wrong lessons from the revolutions sweeping across the Arab world. Instead of opening up, the government has cracked down on an emerging movement of peaceful youth demanding reforms and democratic freedoms.

Jordanian youth emulated their peers, particularly those in Tunisia and Egypt, by calling for an open ended sit-in to put forward their demands and aspirations. It took just 24 hours for the government to unleash its thugs, armed with stones, and riot police to break up the gathering. More than 100 people were injured and one killed as the government announced a ban on sit-ins it said "could disrupt life" in the capital.

In doing so, the Jordanian government has made the same mistake as other regimes that have faced social upheaval: It responded with violence and threats, thus alienating wider segments of society and fueling more anger and frustration.

This reaction is not only a mistake but marks a major misreading of the situation. Unlike in other countries, in Jordan there has been a consensus in support of the continuity of the Hashemite monarchy; for while Jordanians are determinedly demanding change, it is not regime change but rather changes in the regime that they seek.

Conflicting interests

Even the young people who started the March 24th movement, as they call themselves, made it clear that they supported King Abdullah but rejected the security services' domination of the country’s media and political sphere.

The crackdown and subsequent celebrations by self-described "loyalists" clearly signal that some forces within the country oppose change, lest they lose their grip on power.

Jordanians are not calling for the downfall of the regime, merely for freedom and justice. The people's demands are clear: A new electoral law - to replace the archaic law that limits the representation of the opposition - free and fair elections, an end to rampant corruption in the upper echelons of government and a representative and accountable government.

But these demands would require the sort of fundamental changes the regime has signaled are off limits. The Jordanian government is specifically concerned about rising calls for the establishment of a constitutional monarchy, which would entail reducing King Abdullah’s powers so that the king would no longer appoint or dissolve governments or disband parliaments - prerogatives he seems reluctant to give up.

For many young people, empowered by the achievements of youth in other Arab countries, it is difficult to accept that Jordanians should not be able to elect their own government.

The king has already promised a new era and the government has started a national dialogue, even accepting the need to discuss necessary constitutional amendments that could be a prelude to a more representative, if not quite an elected, government.

So the crackdown on protesters came as a surprise and seemed to signal a return to the type of siege mentality that has defined previous Jordanian governments – perhaps motivated by a fear that the sit-in would lead to the creation of a mass movement challenging the king’s executive powers.

Demographics of change

Its accusation that the Muslim Brotherhood, the most influential opposition group in the country, had stirred up the protests appeared to be intended to split the population by appealing to fears of the supposedly Palestinian-dominated Brotherhood among Jordanians of East Bank descent. And in so doing it has succeeded in deepening an already simmering crisis and further undermining social cohesion within the country.

Jordanians of Palestinian origin constitute around half of the country’s six million people and this dynamic partly explains why Jordanians have shied away from calling for regime change; for the Hashemites are widely seen as guarantors of stability in the face of Israeli extremists’ calls for the establishment of a substitute Palestinian state in Jordan.

King Abdullah, unlike many other leaders, has so far not been the target of the Jordanian people’s wrath. The fact that the regime is far more tolerant of dissent than neighboring countries, like Syria, has certainly helped. But Jordanians aspire for better and cannot confine themselves to merely comparing their situation with those worse off.

Last Friday’s bloody showdown has dealt a serious blow to national unity and further undermined the government’s declared commitment to economic and political reforms. A tense and suspicious atmosphere now prevails and threatens an otherwise strong potential for peaceful and democratic reforms.

The Jordanian people have spoken, loudly and unequivocally, but they are no longer sure that they are being heard.

Source: al-Jazeera.
Link: http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/03/2011330165150136333.html.

Ancient Books Uncovered in Jordan May Date to Start of Christianity

March 30, 2011

One of the largest and best-preserved collections of ancient sealed books has been discovered in a cave in Jordan and are believed to be some of the earliest Christian documents, according to the BBC.

The 70 tiny books could date back to the first century. Carbon dating tests found that a piece of leather found with the scrolls was over 2000 years old.

Experts say the books, made of lead and copper and bound by rings, may be more significant than the Dead Sea Scrolls, BBC reports.

The writing featured in the books is a form of archaic Hebrew script with ancient messianic symbols, mixed with some form of a code, according to a news release. The codices show notable references to symbols of the Feast of Tabernacle, and depict images of menorahs and fruiting palm trees.

The books are currently the subject of a dispute between authorities, archeologists and an Israeli Bedouin who smuggled the books into Israel and hid them, claiming they were found by his great-grandfather, The Telegraph reports.

Authorities in Jordan want the books returned, since under Jordanian law, they are property of the Kingdom of Jordan, according to the news release.

Archeologists in Israel claim the books are forgeries, while British archeologists are committed to saving and studying the ancient scrolls.

"It is an enormous privilege to be able to reveal this discovery to the world," David Elkington, leader of the British team, said in a news release, adding in an interview with the Daily Mail, "It is a breathtaking thought that we have held these objects that might have been held by the early saints of the Church."

Source: FOX News.
Link: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/03/30/ancient-books-uncovered-jordan/.

Jordan King condemns violence

March 30, 2011

AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — Jordan's king has condemned his country's unrest and urged the opposition to join a national dialogue on reforms.

These were the first public remarks by King Abdullah II since Friday's violence, when one person was killed and 120 wounded in clashes between competing protesters, the worst flare-up in three months of weekly pro-democracy gatherings.

The King said he supports the freedom of expression but warned that he will not tolerate “vandalism and chaos.”

Abdullah condemned violence and said he did not fear reforms.

He spoke Tuesday to a national dialogue committee drafting laws for greater public freedoms, part of an effort to ease tensions.

The opposition accuses the government of ordering police to use excessive force to disperse last Friday's protest calling for reforms.

Meanwhile in Manama, Bahrain's parliament on Tuesday accepted the resignations of 11 lawmakers from the Shiite opposition, a sign that the political crisis and sectarian divisions are deepening in the tiny Gulf kingdom.

The state-run Bahrain News Agency reported the 40-member house approved the resignations of 11 Al Wefaq legislators. They and seven other lawmakers from the party submitted resignations last month over the deadly crackdown on anti-government protests. BNA said parliament postponed deliberations on the six other resignations.

In a statement Tuesday, the Shiite opposition called on supporters to continue challenging the Sunni monarchy's monopoly on power with acts of disobedience such as public mourning of “the martyrs who died to achieve the legitimate rights for Bahraini people.” Al Wefaq is the largest of seven opposition Shiite parties.

The opposition declared Saturday an official day of mourning. It also urged people to visit the graves of those killed by government forces every Thursday starting March 31.

Bahrain's parliament is the island nation's only elected body. It holds limited authority since all the country's decisions, including appointment of government ministers, rest with the king.

Two weeks ago, Bahrain declared three-months of emergency rule to deal with the demonstrations. Mostly Shiite protesters have been seeking to loosen the grip on power of a Sunni monarchy that has ruled Bahrain for 200 years. The protesters demand a constitutional monarchy that would have an elected government.

Source: Manila Bulletin.
Link: http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/312065/jordan-king-condemns-violence.

Jordan government bans supporters from Amman demos

Mar 29, 2011

AMMAN — Jordan will ban government supporters from demonstrating in the capital, a top official said Tuesday as King Abdullah II vowed to fight attempts to "sabotage" the country's reform drive.

The measures will be implemented after last week's clashes in which one protester died and 160 were injured, as demonstrators calling for reforms and government supporters plan to mobilize again on Friday.

"From now on protests by loyalists can only be held outside Amman to avoid clashes with the opposition," the official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"The opposition can demonstrate in certain areas in Amman," he said without elaborating.

On Friday, a 55-year-old protester died and 160 people were injured when police broke up a pro-reform protest camp following a stone attack by loyalists against young demonstrators near the interior ministry.

"The king condemned the violence on Friday and offenses to national unity," a palace statement said after he met members of a government committee to enhance reforms.

The two sides have vowed to hold fresh protests at a roundabout near the ministry again on Friday, with government loyalists saying one million supporters will join the rally, sparking fears of renewed violence.

Prime Minister Maaruf Bakhit said on Monday the government will "allocate certain places for demonstrations, to protect protesters and avoid obstructing the lives of others."

"Carrying firearms, bats, stones and sharp tools as well as attempts to prevent peaceful demonstrations are condemned. They harm Jordan's image and reform drive," Bakhit told the state-run Petra news agency.

Mustafa Rawashdah, a member of the dialogue committee, told AFP that the king "stressed that Jordan will not allow anybody to 'sabotage' the reform drive".

"He told us that only two percent of Jordanians do not want reforms. He said that 'those who do not want reforms are not loyalist and loyalists must be reformist'."

Fifteen members of the panel quit after Friday's clashes.

"The king called for opening a new chapter and working as one team," Rawashdah said.

"You have a key role in transforming Jordan into a new era of reform, modernization and development. I will be the guarantor of your dialogue results. There is no alternative for dialogue," the palace statement quoted the king as telling panel members.

The powerful Islamist opposition has rejected the commission and called for Bakhit's ouster after the violence.

Copyright © 2011 AFP. All rights reserved.

Jordan king supports constitutional amendments

Tue, 29 Mar 2011

Amman - Jordan's King Abdullah II on Tuesday voiced his support for constitutional amendments and political reforms designed to appease pro-democracy advocates.

"All should realize that in the absence of rational and logical dialogue, people will resort to the street and the room will be open for tension," the king told a National Dialogue Committee (NDC) recently tasked with drafting reforms.

His comments followed the resignation of 16 of the panel's 53 members, who stepped down in protest at the excessive use of force used by security officials to quell a pro-democracy rally in Amman's Nasser Square on Friday.

While most of the 16 attended Tuesday's meeting, three Muslim Brotherhood members failed to show up.

"We do not fear reform and (we) will respect the committee's recommendations regarding any constitutional amendments pertaining to the development of the election law and parliamentary life," the king said.

Officials said one person died and more than 120, including 58 policemen, were injured in Friday's violence.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/373843,king-supports-constitutional-amendments.html.