Jordanians End Protests but Discontent Continues in Region

UK £2 www.thearabweekly.com Issue 160, Year 4 June 10, 2018 EU €2.50 Call for Russia’s Worsening water readmission crisis in MENA rattles G7 Page 18 Pages 5-6, 21 Jordanians end protests but discontent continues in region ► Jordan’s problems, with both its economy and public trust, are shared to varying degrees by other countries in the Middle East and North Africa. Mamoon Alabbasi concerns of its citizens. Responding to the unrest, Jorda- nian officials blamed external fac- London tors, such the Syrian refugee crisis, the rise in energy prices and the he demonstrations that wider problems of the region. rocked Jordan for more “Jordan has been going through than a week ended after the a very difficult situation that is not T government gave in to pro- due to failure within the country. testers’ main demands but the fac- That is due to the fact that Jordan tors that drove the general discon- has been at the receiving end of tent are likely to remain concerns in every crisis in the region,” Jorda- Jordan and other Arab countries. nian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi Thousands of Jordanians re- told CNN. sponded to a call by leading un- Safadi urged the international ions for a general strike May 30 to community to share Jordan’s bur- protest legislation that would have den, a call that was echoed by the increased income tax. The unprec- International Monetary Fund (IMF). edented size of the demonstrations “Recent events underscore the and protesters’ promise for more need for the international commu- )AFP( strikes led to the resignation of nity, including regional donors, to Lingering woes. Prime Minister Hani al-Mulki, who shoulder more of the burdens of A sign held during a protest against austerity measures in Amman reads,“We are broke.” was replaced by Jordanian King Ab- Jordan’s hosting more than 1 mil- dullah II with Omar Razzaz. lion Syrian refugees and providing especially when parliament and op- countries in the Middle East and insulted the boycotters, calling The protesters were unmoved security in the region, all of which position parties are deemed weak. North Africa. them “morons” or “cattle.” by Mulki’s resignation and stuck to have placed extraordinary strains “A new government is needed Tunisians took to the streets in Algeria, too, has seen strikes in its their key demand that the tax hike on its public finances,” said Gerry to embark on consultation with January to protest a budget pro- health and education sectors over be scrapped, despite calls by some Rice, director of the IMF Communi- stakeholders on a new law. In other posal that included an increase in the past few months, with workers union leaders to give the new gov- cations Department. words, no government should im- fuel prices and additional taxes on citing poor working conditions and ernment a chance. It was only when Saudi Arabia announced plans for pose a law like this depending on a goods. The apparent lack of trust in low salaries. As rising prices begin Razzaz promised to shelve the leg- a summit with King Abdullah and spineless parliament,” wrote Has- the political class could explain why to pinch, many Algerians wonder islation that protesters ended their the leaders of the United Arab Emir- san A. Barari in an opinion article in a significant portion of the coun- if the revenues of their country’s marches and sit-ins. ates and Kuwait to discuss ways to the Jordan Times. try’s population abstained from oil resources are being pocketed by The proposed tax increase was support Jordan but Amman needs This could explain why Razzaz taking part in recent local elections. corrupt officials. viewed as the last straw by a popu- long-term solutions to its economic included the word “dialogue” in In Morocco, an online campaign lation that suffers from high un- problems. three of his first four tweets after to boycott leading consumer brands Mamoon Alabbasi is Deputy employment, reduced subsidies Trust in the state appears to be being designated prime minister. for being too pricey has begun to Managing Editor and Online and increasing cost of living. The scarce on Jordan’s streets. Com- Jordan’s problems, with both show results. Companies and the Editor of The Arab Weekly. government is also widely regarded mentators stressed that the gov- its economy and public trust, are government urged an end to the as corrupt and unresponsive to the ernment must listen to its citizens, shared to varying degrees by other boycott. Some government officials Pages 2-3,6 Saudi women join the ranks of licensed drivers ahead of ban ending Mohammed Alkhereiji was widely carried by Saudi news system, granting women inde- outlets. pendent access to government ser- Ultraconservatives argue that vices, jobs, education and health London women driving is immoral and care without the need for prior con- warned that women doing so sent. audi authorities have begun would be subject to sexual harass- Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed preparations to remove the ment. Four years ago, the country’s bin Salman bin Abdulaziz empha- country’s ban on women top cleric, Grand Mufti Abdulaziz sised that point in an interview S driving, which is to end June al-Sheikh, warned that the ban with CBS News’ “60 Minutes” pro- 24. Saudi officials on June 4 issued “was in the best interest of society,” gramme in March, during which driver’s licences to ten women, as arguing that it protected women he stressed equality of the sexes. a precursor to removing one of the from dealing with the consequenc- “Absolutely,” he said. “We are all most divisive issues in Saudi soci- es of an accident. human beings and there is no dif- ety. Anticipating such concerns, Ri- ference.” “Ten Saudi women made history yadh recently passed a law crimi- The ban on women driving had on [June 4] when they were issued nalising sexual harassment, with been unofficially in place for dec- driver’s licences,” said the Informa- convictions carrying a prison term ades before it was codified into tion Ministry’s Centre for Interna- of up to five years and a fine of up law after 47 female Saudi activists tional Communication (CIC). “Ex- to $80,000. drove in Riyadh to protest the unof- pectations are that, next week, an Ending the women’s driving ban ficial ban in November 1990. They additional 2,000 women will join is part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 were jailed for one day and had )Saudi Information Ministry( the ranks of licensed drivers in the programme, which is to reduce the their passports confiscated. kingdom.” A dream come true. kingdom’s dependence on the en- A royal decree by Saudi King “It’s a dream come true that I A Saudi woman displays her brand new driver’s licence at the ergy sector through diversifying its Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud sig- am about to drive in the kingdom,” General Department of Traffic in Riyadh, on June 4. economy. nalled the reversal of the ban last Rema Jawdat, one of the licence re- Tied to economic changes are September. cipients, was quoted by CIC as say- various social reforms, in which ing. “#first_saudi_female_driving_licence” showing the first Saudi woman, women’s rights feature promi- Mohammed Alkhereiji is the News that women had been become the top trending hashtag Ahlam al-Thenayan, receiving nently. They include an easing of Gulf section editor of The Arab issued driver’s licences saw among Saudi Twitter users. A video her licence also went viral and the kingdom’s male guardianship Weekly. 2 June 10, 2018 Cover Story Jordanian protesters call for ‘change in laws, not faces’ Roufan Nahhas “We need to know the position of the new government regarding the controversial income tax law,” Ali Amman Obous, president of Jordan’s Medi- cal Association and the head of ordan’s newly appointed Professional Associations Council, Prime Minister Omar Razzaz told demonstrators. “In response said the government would to the directives of King Abdullah J withdraw the controversial II, who called for an open dialogue, proposed income tax law, which we are giving the new government had fuelled rare nationwide dem- a chance until it is formed.” onstrations. Many protesters interrupted Razzaz’s announcement came a Obous’s call with boos. They called day after thousands of Jordanians for additional protests in front of participated in a second mass strike prime ministry’s headquarters. to protest the draft income tax law, “What we want is simple. We despite the resignation of Prime need the withdrawal of the in- Minister Hani Mulki and King Ab- come tax law and not the change in dullah II weighing in to resolve the faces. We are happy that our king crisis. listened to us and that he wants The announcement was followed the new government to open a kind by a statement by Senate President of dialogue. This is a big boost to Faisal al-Fayez calling for an end to all those who demonstrate every the strikes and demonstrations. night,” Ahmad Okaily, 33, an engi- neer said. “The situation cannot be delayed Newly appointed Prime and we want action from the new Minister Omar Razzaz government to solve the situation,” said the government he added. would withdraw the Rania Ershaid, 38, a teacher, said controversial proposed the protest was an act of duty to- income tax law. wards the country and people’s liv- New face. Jordan’s designated new Prime Minister Omar Razzaz meets with union leaders ing standards. in Amman, on June 7.

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