READER COMMENTS

I call upon Jordan’s king and government to cooperate and work sincerely for the sake of improving the economic conditions in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, because the sufferings of its people have become unbearable due to these bad economic circumstances. They have to improve the conditions of the Jordanian citizens so that they would lead a decent and honorable life in their country, Jordan. If they are incapable of doing so, then they must step down.

I do not expect that the reforms that were announced by the Jordanian king or that were suggested regarding the constitutional amendment can benefit us in any way of value.

The need for constitutional amendments that fit the current new situation of Jordanians is one of the main reasons that have triggered troubles in Jordan. In fact, Jordanians were desperately in need of amendments that can alleviate and facilitate life’s hardships for citizens, which resulted from the government’s neglect of the citizens and its clear disregard for political parties, the neglect of their national role in public life and the participation in preparing plans and studies that can develop the country toward the best, which will maintain the comfort of Jordanians. In addition, the government’s tendency to marginalize the role of political parties and neglect citizens foreshadows the danger of the coming stage, if the government will not give up its attitudes of neglecting and marginalizing its most important social and political constituents. In fact, political parties are responsible for making reforms in the country in the first place. Yet, we notice that the current attitude of the Jordanian government is not serious enough to bring about this reform in a way that meets the citizens’ needs in this current critical situation of the Arab world; reform which all Jordanians are longing for and hoping for. In fact, Arab countries have yielded to other parties that do not appreciate reforms and that do not want Jordan to move to real democratic work and efficient political pluralism, which would benefit the sons of Jordan. Given the importance of this critical stage in Jordan’s political history, the King has formed a committee for constitutional reforms whose role is openness on different opinions and interpretations, so as to reach a modern and comprehensive reform. In addition, the King of Jordan has entrusted this Committee with a mission from Jordanians, who wish to witness constitutional reform that fits the requirements in order to achieve the best kind of living conditions for Jordanians. In fact, the Committee is currently facing a difficult mission and a great national responsibility.

I think that the reforms and the constitutional amendments of the Jordanian King will not be useful because they have come too late, especially under these conditions. This has made many Arab leaders use another method of taking an interest in people, due to their fear of popular revolution, especially since these governments have neglected people’s rights. Thus, they have resorted to silencing people’s voices through constitutional reforms or through some other measures. In fact, they have carried out such reforms in order to cling to power. Thus, the reforms and the constitutional amendments of the Jordanian King have been a response to the events taking place in the Arab countries. In fact, this is because of instability. Besides, people have opposed the existence of the dictatorial regimes that have not provided services for people. These governments have also resorted to violence against them and they have neglected people’s rights. Moreover, they have forgotten their duties. Thus, the intentions of the King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan may be good. However, people are in need of more attention and care in order to provide all their requirements. In fact, this must not be temporary, nor just a means to calm people in these events which are taking place in the Arab countries, because then, the situation will deteriorate again.

God bless our King, who works to satisfy his people. He has worked on establishing some reforms after the peaceful demonstrations in which the people of Jordan rallied to express their resentment and anger over some articles of the constitution, which restrict the personal and press freedoms and democracy in the country. King Abdullah gave orders directly for the formation of this committee, to study the constitution and amend some of its paragraphs to provide freedom for the citizens and to achieve the wishes of the people. I think that this committee, being established by the King's orders, will seriously and realistically study a lot of issues that impede the citizens' freedom, because of some paragraphs of the constitution that need to be amended. I think that things will change and Jordan, the government, the people and the king, will be united. This will prevent the occurrence of what happened in Tunisia or Egypt, because our wise leadership has quickly undertaken the achievement of the demands of the protesters. And the reforms that have already been put into effect will certainly change the conditions in the country in general and the citizens' conditions in particular.

Jordan is one of the countries that have adopted the principles of democracy for many years. However, we see that there is a flaw in the application of these principles. Thus, today these principles must be applied in order not to be mere ink on paper. It is also important to develop these principles according to regional events and developments. This is in order to achieve justice and fairness in all aspects and to avoid harming people by making them live in deprivation and need, due to governmental practices. This has led to many popular demonstrations in the recent period. In fact, people have taken to the streets in order to demonstrate against the oppressive practices of the government. It has deprived people of many things, due to the high prices and taxes that have aimed to increase the government’s wealth at the expense of the poor people. Thus, the government must revise the Jordanian constitution by adopting amendments that can improve the political and economic life. This is in order to achieve justice and fairness for the sake of the nation’s balance and future, and in order to achieve the people’s demands by carrying out constitutional amendments. This will achieve a new political era that will suit Jordan and its people.

The winds of change are going to affect many of the countries in the Arab region, including the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, although the Jordanian King, Abdullah Ibn Al Hussein, has started to announce changes and amendments from time to time. In fact, I am confident that the various reforms and changes in the terms of the Jordanian Constitution will be no more than marginal and superficial ones, because I do not believe that they will be real, as he declared. In addition, I do not think that such amendments and committees, which are formed by the Jordanian King in order to amend the constitution, will fit the demands of this phase and the Jordanians’ expectations. They will not satisfy Jordanians. In fact, this committee will not be able to convince the citizens in Jordan or make them feel the process of change. As far as I am concerned, the process of reform and change will not be useful at present, because I am totally confident that such reforms aim to do no more than absorb Jordanian public anger, which has increased in the recent period. Besides, neither the formation of committees nor reform acts, which I think are useless, will do anything at all, since Jordanians have gotten tired of the false promises and the falsified and unreal reforms. In fact, the political change process has affected the entire region. Thus, the reform and change acts which were introduced by the Arab leaders will be in vain, because the time of reforms has gone and has become unimportant in this tense period, which is the case in Jordan. I wonder where the King’s reforms and committees were, which he was keen to form over the previous years. Indeed, actual reforms came to Jordan only after the riots of Arab and Jordanian public opinion. In this respect, Jordanians are sure that the unprecedented reform and advertising process serve to raise voices calling for political change, after their human and living conditions have deteriorated. Indeed, the latter increased the suffering of Jordanians in terms of many internal problems, namely unemployment, low wages and corruption, which is spread in the institutions of the Jordanian regime. Thus, I believe that the reform process is useless, given this tense phase in the history of Jordan.