|
الإثنين, 09 أيار/مايو 2011 07:05 |
|
There are no translations available.
As protests lose momentum in Jordan, it once again becomes evident to this observer that Jordanians are a more rational and tolerant sort than can be found elsewhere in the region. Fewer protests and dwindling numbers of protesters have been attributed to several causes including some groups taking a "we have asked and now we will wait for the answer" approach and others taking time out for introspection and reflection on their success and strategies.
Still others might say that as the weather turns more hospitable, fewer young people will take to the streets to protest because they will be consumed with other summer-time activities such as football. I say this last theory is rubbish. If I want to protest what I view as government corruption or oppression then warm and sunny weather is certainly a better environment to do so than is rain and blustery cold. Of the many theories that have been advanced as the reason for the decline in protests and numbers of protesters, certainly the weather is the least plausible.
I rather like the idea that Jordanians on the whole are more reasonable in their demands of the government. Jordanians have taken to the streets to ask the government for more freedoms and to battle corruption that deprives the average citizen the chance of prosperity. And by all accounts, the government has responded in a positive manner.
Task forces and committees have been formed to study opportunities for advancements of democracy. The ACC (Anti-Corruption Commission) continues to focus on investigating corrupt officials and business leaders. Although Jordan ranked 50th worldwide and 6th regionally in terms of corruption perceptions, down from 37th in 2004, more certainly needs to be done. Although corruption is not as rampant as many would suggest and corruption is never tolerable, it also takes time to root out. This drop in the corruption perception index certainly bears witness that King Abdullah's government views this as a serious problem and is taking steps to eliminate this insidious problem.
Media outlets, particularly the local news websites, contributed to the higher ceiling of freedom in covering the corruption cases. It has become normal to see official media outlets like the Jordan News Agency, Petra, and Jordan Television covering major corruption cases involving prominent figures and former officials. Ten years ago this level of media coverage would have been unheard of.
With these positive steps being taken by the authorities, it is incumbent upon the good people of Jordan to step back and let the government respond to their demands. It has become apparent that the Jordanian people are doing just that. To the outside world, this is what separates the people of Jordan from the rest of the Middle East. In an era of regional instability, violent uprisings and religious discord, Jordanians value security, stability and the chance for a better future over all else.
The late King Hussein and now King Abdullah have proven themselves to be trustworthy stewards of the Jordanian people who view modernization and a free society as the key to long-term prosperity. As much as we all want to see more democratic economic freedom, we have to balance these demands with the necessary timetable to implement strategies that can insure these freedoms while protecting the security and stability of the Kingdom.
In my estimation, nothing would be more tragic than violent protests spurred by radical fringe groups that lead to political turmoil. This unrest would certainly destabilize the country and undo decades of progress in the area of democratic, economic and press freedoms. Unrest like that seen in Egypt, Bahrain, Libya, Yemen and Syria would do untold damage to our economy and stability, not to mention our standing in the eyes of the world. As much as Jordanians value their culture and traditions, it is imperative that we allow our leadership to steer us into the 21st century and that we avoid falling into the vicious cycle of political instability that has plagued the region for the past 100 years.
The world is monitoring events in the region and Jordanians should be proud of the image we are portraying. Rather than succumbing to the media sensationalism that has gripped much of the region, the good people of Jordan have made their demands in a public and peaceful manner. Protests continued until the people were certain that their demands had been heard without allowing the fringe groups and radicals to hijack the movement. The King's government has acknowledged the protesters and has responded with good faith measures to meet the demands of the people. And now the people of Jordan have stepped back to watch and wait. And we should all be proud. |
|
الثلاثاء, 03 أيار/مايو 2011 06:24 |
|
There are no translations available.
I am not one who usually prescribes to conspiracy theories, but there seems to be something fishy going on in Pakistan and the Whitehouse.
After September 11, 2001 as the weeks turned to months and the months to years without news of Bin Laden's capture or killing, many theorized he was living in a cave in along the Afghanistan/Pakistan border. I for one was not surprised to hear he was living in a house in Pakistan that was fully 8 times larger than any other building in the neighborhood. Nor do I believe that the Pakistani government could be unaware of his presence in their country for at least the past 5 years.
The fact that bin Laden was killed outside the tribal belt in Pakistan will raise questions about how the six-foot four-inch fugitive, one of the most famous faces in the world, managed to escape justice for so long. Pakistan's intelligence services have largely co-operated with the US in capturing al-Qaida fugitives - some of the most notorious figures seized since 2001 were caught in Pakistan's cities such as the architect of 9/11, Khalid Sheikh Muhammad.
I felt the obligatory sense of relief to hear that he was killed in a raid, and of course the apprehension with knowing that there are probably thousands of fundamentalist nutjobs around the world who want to take revenge for his killing. That is until more details began leaking out.
We are supposed to take the US President's word that OBL was killed in a raid in Pakistan, but are offered no proof. No photos of soldiers flashing peace signs over his dead body. No morgue or autopsy photos. No word from Al Qaeda about his death. Then OBL's body is quickly dumped into the sea to keep in line with Islamic custom. And for good measure, someone burned down the compound where he was allegedly living immediately after his removal.
This is all too convenient for me to accept without looking for more answers. I think there is either a lot more to this story or a lot less. Here are two theories I came up with off the top of my head.
1. Osama Bin Laden has been in US or Pakistani custody for some time. It only makes sense that if they knew the whereabouts of the man responsible for 9-11, they would try to capture him rather than make a plan to kill him. The sheer volume of potential terror information in his head is far too valuable to dismiss with a bullet to the brain. Perhaps they have been questioning him for weeks or months and only diposed of him when little or no information was forthcoming. It could be that he died during interrogation. Either way, it just seems too suspicious that they would dump the body and burn the residence to prevent further investigation by the Pakistanis.
2. Perhaps OBL was killed some time ago, even years maybe, and information just came to light that he was in fact dead. Perhaps there was a body that was found and tested with a positive result for OBL's DNA. With certain knowledge of his death, the US government could concoct any story they want in an effort to reverse Barack Obama's flagging popularity and slow the decline of the US economy. Nothing gets US dollars flowing like patriotism. With a presidential election on the horizon, the hugely unpopular policies of Barack Obama's administration would get swept under the rug with the news of Osama Bin Laden's death. This would also help explain the lack of photos and a proper burial, along with the burning of the residence to mask the lack of evidence.
I am not going so far as to propose that OBL is alive. If the US government announced so publically that he is in fact dead, you can pretty much bank on the fact that he is. It would be a PR disaster if OBL popped up on Al Jazeera with a new video, discounting the US claims of his demise. Americans would burn down the Whitehouse with Barack Obama inside.
What is possible however is that he was not killed under the circumstances that have been reported. Perhaps he has been dead for a long period of time and proof has only surfaced recently, or maybe he died or was killed recently. But there are too many loose ends for this story to be put to rest.
|
|
|
الأربعاء, 27 نيسان/أبريل 2011 06:10 |
|
There are no translations available.
One step forward, two steps back. This is a common saying in the west that is used when a person or a group or a community does something which can only be regarded as so silly that it reverses progress made in other areas. Pro-democracy organizers world-wide should all be doing a collective facepalm over news that a Jordanian court has begun a trial against Danish cartoonist Kurt Westergaard for his depictions of Mohammed in cartoon form.
In my last editorial I espoused the virtues of Jordan's acceptance of religious freedom and praised the good people of Jordan and the leadership of King Abdullah for accepting the public observance of Christian religious holidays. With this latest news of a cartoonist being put on trial however, I can't help but feel this is an embarassing slap in the face for Jordan's image around the world. I was surprised to learn that this trial would be held here. To me it would make sense if it was held in Saudi Arabia or Qatar or even Egypt...but not in Jordan.
AMMAN (AFP) - A Jordanian court on Monday put on trial in absentia Danish artist Kurt Westergaard who is being sued in the kingdom for blasphemy over a controversial cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed.
"A court in Amman began today the trial in absentia of those who insulted the Prophet, including Westergaard and Danish newspapers which published his offensive cartoon," said Tareq Hawamdeh, lawyer for local journalists and activists who brought the suit.
"Judge Nathir Shehadeh adjourned the trial until May 8 to hear the witnesses," Hawamdeh said in a statement.
The court subpoenaed Westergaard on April 14 after accusing him of committing "the crime of blasphemy" for depicting the Prophet Mohammed with a bomb in his turban.
A Jordanian prosecutor summoned Westergaard for questioning that year after 30 independent newspapers, websites and radio stations in Jordan sued him in 2008 over the cartoon. Three years ago, 17 Danish newspapers reprinted the controversial caricature, which was first published in 2005, sparking violent protests across the Muslim world, including Jordan.
Westergaard, 75, who has faced numerous death threats and assassination attempts, told AFP after the subpoena that "I have not heard about this trial and have not been informed. In any case, I have no intention of going even if I am asked to," he said on Friday, pointing out that "I do not want to risk becoming familiar with the Jordanian prisons, which would be hell."
Jordanian MPs have demanded that the government sever ties with Denmark, and Amman has condemned the caricature, warning that it could spark further extremism and harm relations between Denmark and Muslim countries.
Ok, just to summarize: Jordan (and the whole of the Middle East really) has been gripped by the fervor for democratic freedoms for months now. Each week sees larger and larger protests around different areas of Jordan, and His Majesty has agreed that change needs to be made and will be made upon the completion of the National Dialogue Committee's study on the issue.
On that same note, Jordanian newspapers, blogs and radio stations have been clamoring for more freedom of the press for years and rail against any attempt by the government to curb what they see as their fundamental rights. I have read countless articles in the past 5 years regarding what newspaper editors deem restrictions on their rights to print or air opposing viewpoints.
With that in mind,over 30 newspapers and radio stations sued this cartoonist, and Jordan then launches a state-sanctioned trial of a non-Jordanian, non-Muslim cartoonist because he penned cartoons that are offensive to Islam? One of the basic building blocks of democracy is freedom of speech (and freedom of the press) and many of the same citizens that are protesting for more democratic freedoms also are lobbying for the restriction of free speech and press?
How can the Jordanian people justify these opposing stances? In my estimation you either embrace democracy and the freedom of speech that is a prerequisite to a free society or you stop trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the rest of the world.
Why don't we just admit that many of those organizing for a more democratic form of government are actually lobbying for something totally different...the ability to impose their narrow political and or religious viewpoints on the Jordanian people, and they are disguising their true agenda within the wave of popular protests sweeping through the Middle East.
|
|
الإثنين, 25 نيسان/أبريل 2011 09:34 |
|
There are no translations available.
The holiest of Christian holidays has come and gone with the usual multitude of well-wishes from my Muslim friends and colleagues. The major Christian holidays always provide me renewed hope in the future of Jordan as I witness time and time again the openness and hospitality of my Jordanian friends and neighbors. Nice people that I normally would not find occasion to talk to come from all over to congratulate me and wish us happiness and health during times of Christian celebration. Text messages arrive by the dozens and verbal congratulations are non-stop.
Being that Sunday was a normal work day for non-Christians I felt obligated to come to work as usual. Truth be told, I rarely skip a day of work so it seems unusual to miss work as a matter of course, but I digress. As dictated by His Majesty King Abdullah, all Christians throughout the Kingdom are allowed an official holiday in order to observe this holy day. The company that I work for allowed two days for the observance of Easter which did not allow me join my family on their Aqaba holiday, but still provided plenty of time for reflection and contemplation on the rights of non-Muslims in this Muslim country.
Most of you know that Islam does not recognize the resurrection of Jesus Christ and in fact teaches that Jesus was never crucified at all. Despite this fundamental difference in the teachings of Christianity and Islam, Christians in Jordan are not only allowed but encouraged officially to observe and practice their devotion without fear of harrassment or persecution. It is not unusual to find Easter decorations in the windows of local apartments, throughout classrooms in private schools and in Easter displays in all the department stores and toy stores throughout Amman.
In a country that is 97% Muslim, it certainly goes against conventional western wisdom that non-Muslims are free to worship as they please without fear of reprisal. Contrast our religious freedoms with neighboring Egypt. Coptic Christians are regularly persecuted for observing their religious teachings. Several have been killed in the past few years while attending church services. And in yet another indication that the Egypt that will emerge from revolution and upheaval is much more likely to be an Islamic state than a secular democracy (no matter how much the mainstream media fantasizes about the latter) Muslims in Qena broke out into riots because a Christian governor has been appointed for them. Tensions were so high that local Christian residents had to barricade themselves indoors and could not attend church services to celebrate Palm Sunday. Despite the Reuters spin that the protesters were angry about government corruption, on Monday it was noted that a majority of the protesters were from the ultra-conservative Salafi sect of Islam.
Back to Jordan where the government reserves a certain number of parliamentary seats for the Christian minority, and in fact the ratio of reserved seats is actually higher than the number of Christians in the population! Here in Jordan it is not unusual to find churches and mosques within close proximity of one another...something that would indeed be troubling in downtown Cairo. It is not unusual to find Muslims attending Christian ceremonies such as baptisms, etc.
It is this spirit of cooperation between Muslims and Christians in Jordan that gives us hope for a lasting peace throughout the region. As Pope Benedict said on his visit to Jordan in 2009, "Muslims and Christians, precisely because of the burden of our common history, so often marked by misunderstanding, must today strive to be known and recognized as worshippers of God, faithful to prayer, eager to uphold and live by the Almighty decrees." The Pope went on to say that often it is the ideological manipulation of religion, sometimes for political ends, that is a real catalyst for tension and division between faiths.
Most of the moderate, contemporary Muslims that I am acquainted with know it is the responsibility of Muslims from all walks of life to examine the leadership shown by His Majesty King Abdullah in promoting a better understanding of the virtues proclaimed by Islam. The virtues of religious tolerance and acceptance of non-Muslim beliefs is what separates Jordan from the rest of the Middle East, and this can be attributed to the leadership shown by King Abdullah and his father King Hussein before him.
With all that being said, there is still much progress to be made in Jordan. We should not make it seem that there is no tension between Muslims and Christians with the borders of the Kingdom. Of course there are small problems from time to time. But beyond the occasional tensions, there is a mutual respect between the two religions and a commitment to peace and stability that starts with our government. This was demonstrated to me today as Muslim friends and acquaintances greeted me for Easter, using the traditional Arab greeting for any major holiday: كل عام و انتم بالخير
|
|
