

Jordan revolution begins as protestors take to the streets - ComputerGuru
http://jordandemocracy.wordpress.com

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ComputerGuru
I'm in Jordan, and things this started up out of nowhere. There have been
failed attempts each and every Friday for 2.5 months now to start true
protests/revolutions, but with no effect. Yesterday people started camping out
on a square near a main road, and today shit hit the fan as pro-government
supporters stormed the square and the gendarmerie hosed down protestors and
unleashed crowd control to try to bring things to and end.

There's a confirmed death from last night as the pro-government supporters
stoned the protesters, and unconfirmed reports of another death today.
Confirmed reports of many in critical condition after today's stampede though.

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tzs
At least based on the Wikipedia article on Jordan, it looks like it is one of
the better Arab countries when it comes to things like freedom of expression,
women's rights, religious tolerance, and so on. Sure, not up to what we expect
in a Western country, but pretty good by regional standards.

That's probably going to make it hard to have a revolution, since a lot of
people will be happy with things the way they are.

~~~
ComputerGuru
In 2010 a new law was passed that greatly restricted freedom of speech online.

[http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/aug/21/jordon-c...](http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/aug/21/jordon-
cyber-law-press-freedom-online)

 _In May, the state security court banned news media from covering corruption
allegations involving the Jordan Petroleum Refinery Company and several
national figures.

This ruling coincided with what many described as a "government-backed media
campaign" against news websites, whose criticism of government policies and
increasing influence among Jordanians seemed to have become intolerable among
thin-skinned, high-ranking officials._

The law makes it a punishable offense to post anything to a website, blog,
chat, or otherwise publish via digital means anything that will "inspire lack
of confidence" in Jordan, it's economy, or the King. It is so vaguely worded
that people have been imprisoned on it from posting political activism to
simply swearing at the King.

The thing about Jordan is that it's suffering from a combination of factors
that make it seem like paradise. Western Media is heavily relied on to make
that things are nice, the King is considered to be a "kindred soul who once
acted on Star Trek" (when he was considered to be the black sheep prince and
not even a remote candidate for the throne). Jordan is a very important
strategic ally for the USA in the region, and only the second country Middle
East nation to acknowledge Israel - perhaps even more important than Egypt
because it plays host to a 60% Palestinian population.

In Jordan, the average monthly income is about 350 USD. Gas is $4.50 a gallon
though, and anything other than traditional falafel (some sort of vegetable
burger) or shawarmah (gyros) is much more expensive than in the States. Sales
tax has been raised to 28% on any electronics or telecommunication, cars are
taxed at 80%, income tax is at 16% and general sales tax another 16%. Does
that change the public perception?

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bioh42_2
I would have thought their government would have been intelligent enough to go
for a slow changes over lots of time and no killing protesters. I guess not. I
wonder if the king will survive and/or throw the rest of the government under
the buss in an attempt to survive?

~~~
maayank
I recently heard on Israeli news that he sacked most/all of the cabinet after
the revolution in Egypt, but that it's almost an annual event in Jordan so
it's not necessarily a direct result of the recent Arab spring of nations

~~~
ComputerGuru
Yep. And to rub salt in the wounds, he appointed a PM that had already served
during a previous period of unprecedented corruption and bad economy :)

------
maayank
Additionally, protests also in neighboring Syria:
[http://www.haaretz.com/news/international/at-
least-23-said-k...](http://www.haaretz.com/news/international/at-
least-23-said-killed-as-protesters-in-syria-clash-with-security-
forces-1.351815)

