Jul
07
2011
The Jordanian public has been mesmerized these past weeks with the casino case debate in parliament, in which senior government officials have been charged with a variety of administrative errors and crimes. The 70-page detailed report faults 33 individuals, including the prime minister, with wrongdoing. But while the parliament and country have been focused on the actions of the first Bakhit government, a much more serious strategic problem was revealed in these findings.
A close read of the report shows a dysfunctional, chaotic system surrounding the prime ministry. The detailed report of the parliamentary committee exposes a haphazard institution which lacks basic checks and balances needed for the proper functioning of a government. It is not clear whether some of the problems present during the first Bakhit government continue today. Continue Reading »
Jun
23
2011
By Daoud Kuttab
I was caught off guard when the call came from the Prime Ministry. The governmental committee set up to design a strategic media plan wanted to hear my opinion. Along with Nidal Mansour, from the Centre for Defending the Freedom of Journalists, and Rana Sabbagh, from Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalists, we met with the committee three times. I met with the committee members a fourth time, when they consulted radio station owners and managers.
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Mar
31
2011
After last Friday’s violent breakup of the Ministry of Interior Circle gathering, the question everyone is asking is where we go next.
Does the atmosphere of confrontation, suspicion about the other, dual narratives and competing claims of loyalty continue in the weeks ahead? Continue Reading »
Mar
28
2011
Any country’s security force system is made up of various apparatuses that are unified at the top. Police, anti riot forces together with intelligence units are networked together to enforce a country’s overall security strategy. Uniformed and civilian dressed professionals are used as are various forms of hand equipment, sophisticated technologies, ground vehicles and air bound helicopters.
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Mar
01
2011
By Daoud Kuttab
1.     Does the Jordanian regime risk falling as has been the case in Tunisia and Egypt?
No demonstrator has  publicly called for the end of the monarachy on the contrary many insist on it. Jordanians are generally supportive of the present monarchy and the King, however demonstrators are requiring reform and more political power to the people. Continue Reading »
Feb
24
2011
By Daoud Kuttab
Freedom of expression and the right to assemble are two basic human rights guaranteed in the Jordanian Constitution and in international treaties signed by Jordan. Naturally the right of expression should be defended irrespective of the content.
The executive branch, namely the police, is entrusted with defending the citizen, whether he is supporting or opposing the government’s point of view. At times, and with all the good intentions, the police are unable to carry out this duty for legitimate reasons. They might be understaffed, under-equipped or lack information. They might simply be caught off guard, just like anybody else.
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Feb
20
2011
(This was published in June 29th, 2010)
By Daoud Kuttab
Ingenuity and media entrepreneurship, helped out by technological changes, provided a rare opportunity for many Jordanians to follow their favorite teams vying for the World Cup.
For the second time in eight years, football fans in Jordan were denied the pleasure of watching the World Cup this year. For sure the games were available to Jordanians, but with a fee. In order to watch the games, you needed to have a satellite dish as well as a special card to be purchased from Al Jazeera Sports Channel, which had bought the exclusive rights for the games to the Arab world. Some relief was provided by Jordan’s crown prince in the form of huge screens that were erected in major locations throughout the country. Anyone who was willing to go to a restaurant or other public locations that served drinks, food and water pipes were also able to watch the games. Continue Reading »
Feb
13
2011
This article appeared in Jo magazine (Â http://bit.ly/hmpZGx )
FEBRUARY 06, 2011
IT DIDN’T TAKE LONG for the new administration to get riled up about the media. Just before the turn of the new year, two deputies got into a verbal exchange of insults over backdoor deals for committee membership and when the media exposed the altercation, the speaker of the Lower House promised angry deputies that the new assembly would find ways to curb the press.
It’s a place we’ve been before.
For a short while after the appointment of HE Prime Minister Samir Rifai’s first administration, it looked like Jordan’s traditionally restrictive attitude toward the local media was about to change. The cabinet issued new guidelines for the government back in January 2010, detailing how it planned to divorce itself from all appearances of soft sponsorship that influence journalist neutrality, public employees who also worked in the media were asked to choose one or the other, and all sorts of rewards given to journalists were to be stopped. And although the Amman-based Center for Defending Freedom of Journalists said in its 2009 annual report that media freedom had regressed, its director was on record saying that the NGO welcomed the new guidelines and was taking a wait-and-see attitude.
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Dec
23
2010
Whatever else one can say about the speaker of the Jordanian Parliament, he is clearly a quick learner.
The 16th Parliament was off to a rocky start a few weeks ago. While the choice of Faisal Fayez was sealed when all competitors withdrew their candidacy for the top spot, all other positions were hotly fought for. Quickly assembled blocs disintegrated as fast, and even members of the same bloc traded verbal insults; some MPs even slipped into the seats of Cabinet ministers once members of the executive branch left the Parliament building.
Fayez quickly laid down the law and has taken control of Parliament since. When the idea of reaching a consensus for the different committees proved problematic, he went back to the book and insisted that elections for every committee be carried out according to Parliament’s by-laws. Continue Reading »
Nov
11
2010
The elections of Jordan’s 16th Parliament held a number of surprises which point to the simple fact that Jordanians are wiser than many give them credit. Much work is still needed to bring about political reform and accountability, but there is no doubt that these elections have shown the political maturity of many citizens.
This growing wisdom can be seen in both the decision to boycott the poll as well as in the choices made by the people who voted. The decision by the largest opposition party, the Islamic Action Front, and a coalition of secular (mostly left wing) smaller parties, to boycott was based largely on the deficiencies of the Elections Law. Continue Reading »