Jordan: A new order
The appointment of a former general to head the new Jordanian government has highlighted the concerns of King Abdullah II about security in the aftermath of the November 9th bomb attacks in Amman that left some 60 people dead. The king has also instructed the new prime minister to devote much of his energy to advancing political reforms, indicating that he views the establishment of more effective democratic institutions as an important element in combating security threats.
The decision to change the government has not come as any great surprise, as the outgoing prime minister, Adnan Badran, has had a torrid time since taking on the job in April this year, and the king had been widely expected to make a switch to accompany the recent launch of his National Agenda, a long-term programme for Jordan’s political, social and economic development. However, the Amman bombings are likely to have had the effect of bringing forward the reshuffle, as well as influencing the choice of prime minister.
The man appointed to head the new government is Marouf Bakheet, who retired from the army in 1999, having reached the rank of major-general, after 25 years’ service. He was ambassador to Turkey between 2002-05, and earlier this year became ambassador to Israel. Immediately after the Amman bombings he was recalled to Jordan to take charge of the national security council, attached to the Royal Court.
Dual mission
In his letter of appointment to Mr Bakheet, King Abdullah said that tough measures to root out radical Islamist ideology must be allied with measures that would lead to “democracy, pluralism and equal opportunities”. This dual mission is likely to be a challenging one. The king said that the new government must develop a strategy to counter the “culture of takfir”, a reference to the extreme Islamist doctrine of legitimising attacks on fellow Muslims on the grounds that they have forsaken the true faith, either by adhering to non-orthodox sects or through failing in their duty to oppose impious rulers. He said that a new anti-terrorism law should be passed and that a “war without mercy” must be waged on “the schools of takfir”. This is likely to entail a heavy security crackdown on Islamist groups in Jordan. Widespread revulsion at the Amman attacks, which were claimed by the Jordanian-born Iraqi al-Qaida leader, Abu Musaab al-Zarqawi, means that such measures would enjoy popular support, at least initially. However, mass arrests of Jordanian Islamists and supporters of the principle of resisting the US military presence in Iraq would risk provoking civil unrest.
To support political reform, the king has tasked the new government with drafting new laws on parliamentary elections, political parties and the role of municipalities. He said that such laws would be necessary to carry forward the process of building a democratic system in Jordan. However, any such review of the electoral system would have to address the issue of how much scope Islamist political organisations should be allowed to participate in the political process. The Islamic Action Front, a Jordanian arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, has made clear that it considers that the current electoral law, passed in 2001, has been deliberately framed to inhibit its chances in elections.
Key figures
The make-up of Mr Bakheet’s cabinet will provide some important indicators as to any shift in the balance of power between the palace and the cabinet. The earlier changes that included Mr Bakheet’s recall from the embassy in Israel also entailed appointing another former general, Salem al-Turk, to be the head of the Royal Court, and dispensing with the services of nine advisers to the king. The reshuffle offers an opportunity for the return to public life of Bassem Awadallah, who, despite his very close ties to the king, was obliged to withdraw from his post as finance minister in the Badran government because of strong opposition from parliament. Options for Mr Awadallah include a return to the cabinet or appointment to a senior position in the court. Similar considerations apply to Marwan al-Muasher, a former foreign minister who served as deputy prime minister in the Badran government.
SOURCE: ViewsWire Middle East
The decision to change the government has not come as any great surprise, as the outgoing prime minister, Adnan Badran, has had a torrid time since taking on the job in April this year, and the king had been widely expected to make a switch to accompany the recent launch of his National Agenda, a long-term programme for Jordan’s political, social and economic development. However, the Amman bombings are likely to have had the effect of bringing forward the reshuffle, as well as influencing the choice of prime minister.
The man appointed to head the new government is Marouf Bakheet, who retired from the army in 1999, having reached the rank of major-general, after 25 years’ service. He was ambassador to Turkey between 2002-05, and earlier this year became ambassador to Israel. Immediately after the Amman bombings he was recalled to Jordan to take charge of the national security council, attached to the Royal Court.
Dual mission
In his letter of appointment to Mr Bakheet, King Abdullah said that tough measures to root out radical Islamist ideology must be allied with measures that would lead to “democracy, pluralism and equal opportunities”. This dual mission is likely to be a challenging one. The king said that the new government must develop a strategy to counter the “culture of takfir”, a reference to the extreme Islamist doctrine of legitimising attacks on fellow Muslims on the grounds that they have forsaken the true faith, either by adhering to non-orthodox sects or through failing in their duty to oppose impious rulers. He said that a new anti-terrorism law should be passed and that a “war without mercy” must be waged on “the schools of takfir”. This is likely to entail a heavy security crackdown on Islamist groups in Jordan. Widespread revulsion at the Amman attacks, which were claimed by the Jordanian-born Iraqi al-Qaida leader, Abu Musaab al-Zarqawi, means that such measures would enjoy popular support, at least initially. However, mass arrests of Jordanian Islamists and supporters of the principle of resisting the US military presence in Iraq would risk provoking civil unrest.
To support political reform, the king has tasked the new government with drafting new laws on parliamentary elections, political parties and the role of municipalities. He said that such laws would be necessary to carry forward the process of building a democratic system in Jordan. However, any such review of the electoral system would have to address the issue of how much scope Islamist political organisations should be allowed to participate in the political process. The Islamic Action Front, a Jordanian arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, has made clear that it considers that the current electoral law, passed in 2001, has been deliberately framed to inhibit its chances in elections.
Key figures
The make-up of Mr Bakheet’s cabinet will provide some important indicators as to any shift in the balance of power between the palace and the cabinet. The earlier changes that included Mr Bakheet’s recall from the embassy in Israel also entailed appointing another former general, Salem al-Turk, to be the head of the Royal Court, and dispensing with the services of nine advisers to the king. The reshuffle offers an opportunity for the return to public life of Bassem Awadallah, who, despite his very close ties to the king, was obliged to withdraw from his post as finance minister in the Badran government because of strong opposition from parliament. Options for Mr Awadallah include a return to the cabinet or appointment to a senior position in the court. Similar considerations apply to Marwan al-Muasher, a former foreign minister who served as deputy prime minister in the Badran government.
SOURCE: ViewsWire Middle East
posted by Marko at 11/25/2005 04:52:00 PM
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