Batir Wardam Blog: On Loyalty and Constructive Criticism: Hussein's Father Case

On Loyalty and Constructive Criticism: Hussein's Father Case

Sunday, September 09, 2007

I guess each and every Jordanian blogger did read and contribute to the horrific family ordeal felt by our fellow blogger Who-sane and his family in searching for their missing father for 9 days before knowing that he was being badly treated at Prince Hamza Hospital. If this ordeal was really bad then some of the reactions to the open publishing of the story online and in print media were really heart damaging for me and a lot of my follow bloggers.

I read about Hussein's tragedy the same night I came back from Alexandria and I thought I am obliged to do something about it by writing in my daily column at Addustour. I wrote an article that was not dramatic, the sort of an article that can be published in a daily newspaper describing the case and asking for accountability for anyone responsible for this unbelievable misconduct.

The same morning I received three phone calls and an-email from high ranking officials at the Ministry of Health who all showed high levels of concern for the story and wanted detailed information about the case and the names and contact info of the family. I provided this to the Ministry after I got the info from Hussein. One particular e-mail by a high ranking official made me feel relieved as he showed real and genuine concern about the conditions of healthcare in public health centers and the fact that we need to do more.

I was expecting a contact between the Ministry and the Family which happened by a visit from the Ministry's officials to the Jordan University Hospital room in which Hussein's father was getting treatment after being released from the PHH by his family. The eye wittness description of the encounter was disturbing. Qwaider was there in a perfect timing visiting the family and he describes the meeting, as some of the comments on Hussein's post.

I do not want to go into details but I was very upset with the way Hussein's loyalty was questioned because he wrote this post, which is "damaging to the country and the medical tourism sector" as stated by the officials, who were more concerned with the implications of the story rather than the condition of the patient. The same was encountered through some bad comments on Hussein's post.

Let it be clear to everyone. Hussein and his family are not to be tought about loyalty, nor anyone of the bloggers who have responded to the ordeal. I have been following Hussein's blog for some time now and I can be sure that he is one hell of a patriotic Jordanian as well as his father and mother who have raised him in this spectacular way. He was tought to love the country and respect the constitution and the leadership which is a major indicator of loyalty.

He was right, absolutely right to use his blog as a way to communicate his problem as he was faced with cold shoulders and utmost neglecance and bad attitudes from everyone involved in this case,especially the staff and administration of the PHH. He did not attack the country and was very polite taking into consideration his condition. I am certain If I was in his position I would have written a much harsher post and maybe resolved to violence which I know is wrong but anyone in this situation is vulnerable.

Hussein showed great composure and he should be thanked for that and not crticised. Loyalty, as described by the King is to work hard for the development of the country. One of the main aspects is to show the gaps and shortcomings. We all want Jordan to be a perfect place and one of the main steps is to diagnose problems and hold people accountable if they are wrong and made mistakes that threaten the lives of citizens. If a terrorist blows himself up to hurt people we all curse him and refuse the act, and if the neglecance and bad attitudes of some staff and management in a public hospital threaten the lives of citizens then this is another crime that should be refused and punished.

Loyalty is not sweeping mistakes under the carpet. It is all about putting efforts to develop the functions of this country at all levels.

I was honored with a thank you call from Hussein's mother, who is a great Jordanian lady that has extensive cultural and community activities but her biggest acheivement was raising her children in the true Jordanian spirit of unity, loyalty and refusal of any injustice. I would like to thank her for the great words and great efforts and I wish all health and prosperity to the family.

As for anyone trying to use intimidation and displays about loyalty as they understand it, we all know that the value of humans should be the top priorityt in this country as stated by all leaders and we shall never be intimidated. The investigation should lead to measures that ensure accountability and not cover-up the whole issue under a pile of rhetoric on loyalty. We will be waiting for the results of the investigation.

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(14) comments

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On September, 09, 2007 2:48 PM , Tamara
from Jordan said:

You are so right, they have a very distorted comprehension of loyalty !! and we should all do our best to put the word out about what true loyalty is, and that people who have been through all this should not be intimidated like this!

On September, 09, 2007 4:41 PM , Husain
from United Arab Emirates said:

Thank you for your kind words Batir.

Yes we were taught very well to love our country no matter what and it is sad to see my constructive criticism being referred to by the official who visited us as, and I quote word for word: "hada intima2 hada?".

I resorted to my blog in an attempt to vent, raise awareness and get my voice heard after I contacted a local newspaper to which they said the story would unlikely be carried.

As for the negative comments on my blog, I can't even imagine how heartless and inconsiderate some people can be. No one in his right mind, or heart, would leave such comments, unless his position is threatened.

Yesterday I received more bad comments but this time they were swearing at me, my family and the royal family ... and for the first time since I started blogging I had to turn comment moderation on to save my family more sorrow, knowing that they're reading the comments left on my blog.

Again, thank you for all your efforts Batir. I'll keep you posted on the progress of the investigation, if any.

On September, 09, 2007 5:08 PM , Mohanned said:

Batir,
I am not going to repeat myself and look like an idiot, but I think that we all are doing the wrong thing and moving into a defensive position while we should be attacking them. It is expected that they will protect each other-that's how a bureaucracy works.

Loyalty is not the issue here, and no one on earth can measure loyalty, I don't know what shpuld be done next but something HAS TO BE DONE..

On September, 09, 2007 7:26 PM , Hani Obaid
from Jordan said:

As I see it, this kind of negligence can be caused by one or more of the following:

1. Lack of funding.
(understandable)

2. Poor allocation of funds (mismanagement)

3. Misappropriation of funds (Theft)
4. Incompetent Staff
5. Indifferent Staff

In all cases, the last response should be to question the patient (errrrr make that victim's) loyalty. That would be in itself an indication of either guilt or simply an unwilingness to evolve.

Without criticism, there will be no improvement.

On September, 10, 2007 12:46 AM , M Kilany
from Jordan said:

Well said and great work...

On September, 10, 2007 4:54 AM , Qwaider قويدر
from United States said:

Thank you Batir for supporting this just and worthy cause.
What you said is so true, people's patriotism shouldn't be questioned because of this criticism to one of the nation's institutions. In fact, these need to be applauded and celebrated. People are going out of their way to relay the picture across instead of sweeping it under the carpet

We all hope for better institutions, and we will always be proud of our country and support it regardless of anything, but the way we support it is by being honest, transparent and bring these issues to the awareness of everyone.

On September, 10, 2007 9:01 AM , الاردني الحر
from United States said:

أخي حسين،أنا قلت رأي في الموضوع ،سوف يلفلفوا القصه ولن يحصل شئ وكل واحدراح يكون عند أهله،حكومه هزيله لا تنفع لشئ،لوكان والدك واصل كما بحكوا بلعاميه لطردو مدير المستشفي ونهزت البلد،الله يعينا علي هيك حكومه

On September, 10, 2007 1:22 PM , batir
from Jordan said:

Tamara; I agree with your comment and thanks for passing by.
Husain; what you are suffering from bad comments is a symptom of a society that still did not learn how to debate in a civilised way. Some of the commentators may well be close friends to people fearing accountability. This is my only rational explanation for such savage comments.
Mohannad thanks for the comment. This is not a defensive position but a reflection on the state of loyalty definition that is widespraed in Jordan. For the particular case of Hussein we all know what is wrong and what is right.
Hani I reckon the last explanation is the most relevant here, indifferent staff.
Kilani thanks for the note and the nice words.
Qwaider you were a wittness and I know it hurts to hear such lousy statements from officials about loyalty while a citizen was neglected for 9 days. This is the kind of attitude that erodes our institutions from within.
Urduni, I agree with you this time, for a welcome change!

On September, 10, 2007 5:33 PM , The Observer
from Jordan said:

"Loyalty is not sweeping mistakes under the carpet"

Very right indeed! They should not only be teached a lesson in humanity, but in what loyality means as well!

On September, 11, 2007 1:54 AM , Bint Al Badyah
from United States said:

Hussein,
Your story does move all our 'wataniyyeh' feelings. People who starting bidding against your loyalti are mere cowards so they childeshly attack you personally. Al mutanabbi said it beautifully hundreds of years ago
الرأي قبل شجاعة الشجعان
هو أول وهي المحل الثاني
فإذا هما اجتمعا لنفس حرة
بلغت من العلياء كل مكان

Loyalti is providing a platform for markets of ideas. For those who were tastless to curse Husain's family I say:

الانسان كالاناء... بما فيه ينضح

On September, 11, 2007 1:55 PM , masalha1
from Jordan said:

Batir,
It's amayzing how our so called officials try to cover up their incompetency by making the victim looks like the unpatriotic, unloyal ...etc. when infact if any one who does these type of mistakes or have this much incompetency accompanied with unprofessionalism is and should be labeled as unpatriotic, unloyal to this country and to the kind people of Jordan, these idiots do more damage to the IMAGE of Jordan far exceeds thier little imaginations.
Creticizing a public servant ( which they are ) does not make you in any shape or form less patriotic or less loyal, and since we are the Jordanians who pay these incompetent officials thier big salaries we should not only creticize but rather hold them responsible and accountable for thier poor performance, however complaining alone and or posting on the net will not stop poor performance nor it will make them take thier jobs seriously, but LAWSUITS will.

On September, 11, 2007 5:35 PM , imad
from United Kingdom said:

Thank you Batir for the follow up on this pressing case.
I hope that you and other bloggers keep this story alive by reporting on the progress of the investigation.
For some of us outside Jordan your posts are becoming the best way of keeping us informed.

On October, 06, 2007 4:38 PM , Sereena
from Jordan said:

Well Hussein loyality has nothing to do with this posting !! Loyality is to the people of the country not for the tourism and medical sector on the account of the jordanian people . No one can shut up him he is free to reveal the tragidic facts !! But Still we have a loyality problem in Jordan ! loyality is something directed toward the People of your country not towards your interests in it ! I mean most Jordanians from Jordanians origion are son of Tribes ! I cant imagine that someone loyal to Jordan Is saying we have a problem in the beduin way of thinking or with tribalism you cant be loyal to Jordan and hate Jordanians from Jordanian Origin or have objections on them especially when you are talking about people who lost many of their political rights to make decisions during the previous decades where many took the citizinship and undemocratic basis it was the royal family decisions we did not choose our destiny And this is not a racism its a historical poltical rights that we lost !! but people from other origines who is proud with their dual loyality cannot understand this special case in our Jordan and they insist to have more rights this is not fair Ok ...which is full democracy on undemocratic historical background ! I think people should put themselves in our situation and give honest judgment ! I can question the loyality of at leat 30% of the population in Jordan who rudely critisize the Jordanian tribes their way of thinking their objections on loosing many of their rights ! people in Amman dont care about the catastrophic situationes the other Jordanian cities and villages is facing ! No one care about removing the aides of the Animals food prices from the beduines ! No one care So why we are accused of being racist when we question the loyality and the credibility of these people ! even if they are from Jordanian origin ! why ! Tell me ! we are the only nation in the region who did not have the choice to give its citizinshipe to others ! WE are the o

On October, 06, 2007 4:40 PM , Sereena
from Jordan said:

we are the only nation in this world who is accused of being racism for just asking to stop breaking the demographic voting power equilibruim for the favor of a certain people on our account !! We are a really special case in this whole world and still no one like us unless we pretend to be stupid and do not understand his intentions and support them blindly on our account !only this way we can be a good unracist Jordanians!
I cant say hussein is unloyal because I might find myself doing the same thing to support my nation who is loyal only to Jordan and doesnt support others interst in Jordan under the fake unity claims that we are pushed to it again and again without any respect to our freedom ! I dont know how Dare yu talk about loyality !

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