Thousands protest in Jordan for third week Suha Philip Ma'ayeh
Last Updated: Jan 29, 2011 AMMAN // For the third consecution on Friday, Jordanians poured into the streets after noon prayers to protest against soaring prices and call for a change in government. The Islamist led opposition, professional associations and leftist activists marched yesterday from Al Huesseini Mosque to the capital's centre. They held banners that read "Corruption and normalisation are two faces of the same coin," called for a "national unity government" and called for the prime minister Samir Rifai to step down. Police estimated 3,500 people took part in the protest, one of several demonstrations held this month despite two recent government aid packages to mitigate the impact of soaring prices. The measures included a 20-dinar (Dh100) monthly salary increase for state workers and in pension, while the previous aid package increased subsidies for some commodities, including fuel and food staples such as rice and sugar. Another 2,500 people also took to the streets in six other cities across the country after the noon prayers yesterday. Those protests also called for Mr Rifai's ouster. "The economic situation is very bad," said Khaled al Malti, 25, an engineer who lives in Amman. "We want the government to improve the economic and political condition and to fight corruption. What happened in Tunisia and Cairo have encouraged us to continue with our demands." Ali Ghweri, 41, a taxi driver who took part in the protests, said the recent moves made by the government were more like token gestures. "We are paying lots of taxes. The government measures are only a drop in the ocean." Jordanians blame the government for their eroding living conditions in a country where official figures show 13.3 per cent of its citizens live below the poverty line of 680 dinars a month, while unemployment stands at 12.9 per cent. Last week, the government announced the 300-million-dinar economic package, the second this month, to soften the impact of prices on Jordanians and said it would continue to subsidise gas cylinders. Mr Rifai said last week there would be no new taxes this year, but the measures failed to placate public resentment. King Abdullah II has promised some reforms, particularly on a controversial election law. But many believe it is unlikely he will bow to demands for popular election of the prime minister and Cabinet officials, traditionally appointed by the king. "Things are so bad and the prime minister is not doing anything. We need a decent life," said Basil Ahmad, 45, the owner of a clothes shop in Amman. Members of the Muslim Brotherhood, Jordan's main opposition group, waved their green flags and chanted: "God is great, the government must change," the "Quran is our constitution, Jihad is our way," "Jordanians are on fire, prices are on fire," and called on Mr Rifai to "step away". Ibrahim Alloush, an independent leftist activist, asked for a complete change in the system. "It is more crucial to change the way the country is being run. It's not a question of changing faces," he said. "We have a rubber stamp parliament that was chosen by the executive branch of government. People don't take it very seriously. People are going down to the streets because they don't have venues for venting out how they feel through legal means. "I don't think change can be done with a magic wand. You have to you have to work for it." ------------ The Torture Career of Egypt's New Vice President: Omar Suleiman and the Rendition to Torture Program *By Stephen Soldz (about the author)<http://www.opednews.com/author/author80.html> * Page 1 of 2 page(s) [image: Become a Fan] opednews.com <http://www.opednews.com/> In response to the mass protests of recent days, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has appointed his first Vice President in his over 30 years rule, intelligence chief Omar Suleiman. When Suleiman was first announced, * Aljazeera* commentators were describing him as a "distinguished" and "respected " man. It turns out, however, that he is distinguished for, among other things, his central role in Egyptian torture and in the US rendition to torture program. Further, he is "respected" by US officials for his cooperation with their torture plans, among other initiatives. Katherine Hawkins, an expert<http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=824785>on the US's rendition to torture program, in an email, has sent some critical texts where Suleiman pops up. Thus, Jane Mayer, in *The Dark Side<http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Side-Inside-Terror-American/dp/0385526393/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1296347655&sr=8-1> *, pointed to Suleiman's role in the rendition program: Each rendition was authorized at the very top levels of both governments....The long-serving chief of the Egyptian central intelligence agency, Omar Suleiman, negotiated directly with top Agency officials. [Former U.S. Ambassador to Egypt] Walker described the Egyptian counterpart, Suleiman, as "very bright, very realistic," adding that he was cognizant that there was a downside to "some of the negative things that the Egyptians engaged in, of torture and so on. But he was not squeamish, by the way" (pp. 113). Stephen Grey, in *Ghost Plane*<http://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Plane-Rendition-Torture-Program/dp/B002ECEUSU/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1296350988&sr=1-1>, his investigative work on the rendition program also points to Suleiman as central in the rendition program: To negotiate these assurances [that the Egyptians wouldn't "torture" the prisoner delivered for torture] the CIA dealt principally in Egypt through Omar Suleiman, the chief of the Egyptian general intelligence service (EGIS) since 1993. It was he who arranged the meetings with the Egyptian interior ministry.... Suleiman, who understood English well, was an urbane and sophisticated man. Others told me that for years Suleiman was America's chief interlocutor with the Egyptian regime -- the main channel to President Hosni Mubarak himself, even on matters far removed from intelligence and security. Suleiman's role in the rendition program was also highlighted in a *Wikileaks *cable <http://cablesearch.org/cable/view.php?id=05CAIRO5924&hl=EGIS>: the context of the close and sustained cooperation between the USG and GOE on counterterrorism, Post believes that the written GOE assurances regarding the return of three Egyptians detained at Guantanamo (reftel) represent the firm commitment of the GOE to adhere to the requested principles. These assurances were passed directly from Egyptian General Intelligence Service (EGIS) Chief Soliman through liaison channels -- the most effective communication path on this issue. General Soliman's word is the GOE's guarantee, and the GOE's track record of cooperation on CT issues lends further support to this assessment. End summary. Suleiman wasn't just the go-to bureaucrat for when the Americans wanted to arrange a little torture. This "urbane and sophisticated man" apparently enjoyed a little rough stuff himself. Shortly after 9/11, Australian citizen Mamdouh Habib was captured by Pakistani security forces and, under US pressure, torture by Pakistanis. He was then rendered (with an Australian diplomats watching) by CIA operatives to Egypt, a not uncommon practice. In Egypt, Habib merited Suleiman's personal attention. As related by Richard Neville<http://www.homepagedaily.com/Pages/article7178-the-torturers-apprentice.aspx>, based on Habib's memoir: Habib was interrogated by the country's Intelligence Director, General Omar Suleiman.... Suleiman took a personal interest in anyone suspected of links with Al Qaeda. As Habib had visited Afghanistan shortly before 9/11, he was under suspicion. Habib was repeatedly zapped with high-voltage electricity, immersed in water up to his nostrils, beaten, his fingers were broken and he was hung from metal hooks. That treatment wasn't enough for Suleiman, so: To loosen Habib's tongue, Suleiman ordered a guard to murder a gruesomely shackled Turkistan prisoner in front of Habib -" and he did, with a vicious karate kick. After Suleiman's men extracted Habib's confession, he was transferred back to US custody, where he eventually was imprisoned at Guantanamo. His "confession" was then used as evidence in his Guantanamo trial. The *Washington Pos* t's intelligence correspondent Jeff Stein reported some additional details<http://voices.washingtonpost.com/spy-talk/2011/01/egypts_spy_chief_stands_in_the.html>regarding Suleiman and his important role in the old Egypt the demonstrators are trying to leave behind: "Suleiman is seen by some analysts as a possible successor to the president," the Voice of American said<http://www.voanews.com/english/news/middle-east/Despite-Curfew-Egypt-Protests-Escalate-114807289.html>Friday. "He earned international respect for his role as a mediator in Middle East affairs and for curbing Islamic extremism." An editorialist at Pakistan's "International News" predicted<http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=27859&Cat=9>Thursday that "Suleiman will probably scupper his boss's plans [to install his son], even if the aspiring intelligence guru himself is as young as 75." Suleiman graduated from Egypt's prestigious Military Academy but also received training in the Soviet Union. Under his guidance, Egyptian intelligence has worked hand-in-glove with the CIA's counterterrorism programs, most notably in the 2003 rendition from Italy of an al-Qaeda suspect known as Abu Omar<http://voices.washingtonpost.com/spy-talk/2010/10/italian_prosecutor_wants_stiff.html> . In 2009, Foreign Policy <http://www.foreignpolicy.com/> magazine ranked<http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2009/07/20/the_list_the_middle_easts_most_powerful_spies>Suleiman as the Middle East's most powerful intelligence chief, ahead of Mossad chief Meir Dagan. In an observation that may turn out to be ironic, the magazine wrote, "More than from any other single factor, Suleiman's influence stems from his unswerving loyalty to Mubarak." If Suleiman succeeds Mubarak and retains power, we will likely be treated to plaudits for his distinguished credentials from government officials and US pundits. We should remember that what they really mean is his ability to brutalize and torture. As Stephen Grey puts it: But in secret, men like Omar Suleiman, the country's most powerful spy and secret politician, did our work, the sort of work that Western countries have no appetite to do ourselves. If Suleiman receives praise in the US, it will be because our leaders know that he's the sort of leader who can be counted on to do what it takes to restore order and ensure that Egypt remains friendly to US interests. There are some signs, however, that the Obama administration may not accept Suleiman's appointment. Today they criticized the rearrangement of the chairs in Egypt's government. If so, that will be a welcome sign that the Obama administration may have some limits beyond which it is hesitant to go in aligning with our most brutal "friends." We sure hope that the Egyptian demonstrators reject the farce of Suleiman's appointment and push on to a complete change of regime. Otherwise the Egyptian torture chamber will undoubtedly return, as a new regime reestablishes "stability" and serves US interests. 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