Jordan Watch
An update and analysis of development and reform challenges in Jordan from a social democratic perspective.

Jordan Elections: what the international media is saying (Part two)
Monday, November 19, 2007

Continuing our journey with the preview by international media of the coming elections.
 
BBC news did not find a more interesting perspective than to mentions "Jordan's struggle with Islamism" as another freaking reminder for the western reader about the potential threat of Islamists which is really exaggerated by such media. BBC reporter attended one IAF gathering and was clearly impressed with the numbers and slogans. Of course there should always be someone quoted as saying "we love Zarqawi". We will never get rid of this image as even respectable media like BBC wants to reinforce it in the eye of the beholder. However Hamza Mansour the IAF candidate says :"Any real democratic elections will produce a majority of Islamists ruling the country and right now the elite will not accept this fact. It will not compromise and give any chance to the Islamic movement to be the majority." So, the gyu has just made a conclusive fact that any elections his party do not win are fraud. So much for scientific thinking and reasoning.
 
The Associated Press focuses on voting by Palestiniann refugees. Jamal Halaby reported from Baq'a Camp where refugees say they are relegated to second-class status in Jordan. The overall reflections are of disappointment, as the main goal of the refugees is to return home and the parliament will not have a say in this dream not supported by the international community.
 
The International Relations and Security Network (ISN), a Zurich-based research institutions posted a n analysis from Tel Aviv focusing on the potential failure of the IAF to secure a good number of candidates due to the strong impact of tribal candidates.
 
Another report from Baqa'a camp is prepared by Reuters' Suliman Khalidi (the biggest two global news agencies reporting from Baqaa in one day). I have the feeling that the international media is least concerned with Jordan's political and economic development conditions and most concerned with the position of the IAF and refugees. This is done to remind the whole world with the "seeds of instability" in Jordan.
 
Again, the Islamists are at the center stage of New York Times' coverage, where the article begin with linkages between Hamas takeover of Gaza and the situation in Jordan. However the article is useful in telling the readers that the mysterious figure of Ahmad Saffadi whose photos are spread all over Amman is a former military officer that currently works for a cell phone company.
 
One of the best features that went beyond the refugee-IAF keywords was this report from Associated Press about difficulties facing women candidates.  A good analysis by Mohammad Ben Hussein for Media Line discusses the electoral law and quotes Reheyyel Gharaibeh and Mahmoud Kharabsheh.
 
We end up with this truely fascinating portrait by New York Times of the campaign by IAF's only women candidate Hayat Mussaimi in Zarqa where we find that her task is much more difficult than men.
 

posted by Batir Wardam in Democracy in Jordan @ 9:59 PM

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(4) comments


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On November, 20, 2007 7:42 AM , masalha1
from Jordan said:

Batir,
BBC and most of western media are bias and they will try to influence their audience with their hidden agenda, the IAF is not Hamas and the Jordanian government is not the palestinians authority, as to the report from Baq'a ref. camp where some people claim to be relegated to 2nd class citizens, well, if you want to be treated like a first class citizen then act and behave like one loyalty is the keyword, people who say crap like this are the seeds of instability, if they only understand that we all in this together and we all wish to liberate palestine, but a weak and unstable Jordan is not in the interest of all Jordanians whether you are east or west of the river.
People going on foreign media and insult Jordan and criticize the government yet they don't want to do any thing to change the current status quo.

On November, 20, 2007 10:12 AM , alurdunialhurr
from United States said:

masalha1,,Can you be more specific to the regard of "loyalty" Inquiring minds want to know.
this is really funny and pathetic at the same time,when I decided to live and reside in America and seek the American citizenship ,I was not asked to show my loyalty to America in order to be treated like normal human bieng,so what's up with this loyalty thing for Jordanians?

On November, 20, 2007 5:33 PM , Ahmad Al Sholi
from Jordan said:

Masalha, I can not agree more with you.. West or East citizens, we are all Jordanians, we are all Palestinians. This is our only way to come over our problems.

On November, 21, 2007 8:10 AM , masalha1
from Jordan said:

Alurdunialhurr,
When you got your American citizenship you stood in a ceremony infront of a judge with your right hand raised and repeated the ( pledge of allegiance) which says:
"I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.".
Now look up the word allegiance in the dictionary it means:
Loyalty or the obligation of loyalty, as to a nation, sovereign, or cause.
So obviously you pledged your loyalty to the U.S. without realizing that.
So to answer your inquiring mind I meant by loyalty is to be loyal to Jordan the (country) not to Fateh or Hamas not to palestine or syria or Iraq, or the U.S. for that matter.



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