Protests resume in Jordanian cities
>From Jomana Karadsheh and Kareem Khadder, CNN
April 15, 2011 -- Updated 1632 GMT (0032 HKT)
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
* Hundreds march in Amman and other cities across Jordan
* Protesters call for government, constitutional reforms
* No violence reported during demonstrations in capital
Amman, Jordan (CNN) -- More than a thousand people marched in the Jordanian
capital on Friday, demanding democratic and economic reforms, protesting
corruption and calling for social justice and constitutional changes.
Protesters from many political parties and opposition groups took the streets
of downtown Amman, demanding governmental and constitutional reforms and an end
to what many call government corruption, amidst tight security from hundreds of
police and security personnel.
Laila Naffa, 66, a leading member of the Communist Party -- one of the main
political parties demanding reform -- said that amid ongoing revolutions across
the Arab world, Jordanians want change as well.
"Today with the revolutions sweeping the Arab world, Jordanians are taking to
the street asking for the same slogans, freedom, social justice, because after
the signing of the Wadi Araba Treaty with Israel, things have been
deteriorating," she said. The 1994 treaty normalized relations between the two
countries.
"Now we are asking to reform the system, freedom rights for legalizing
political parties and for getting rid of the current political parties law,
calling (for) and demanding free elections under the auspices of the judiciary
control, reform of the constitution. ... This should be done through national
dialogue and by the king to assure this will be implemented," she added.
Local media reported similar protests Friday in other cities, including Karak
in the south and Irbid in the north.
Jordanians have held regular protests since January. But unlike demonstrations
in most Arab countries that have seen uprisings, Jordan's have not been asking
for regime change but for changes to the regime.
In February, King Abdullah II sacked his prime minister and cabinet in an
effort to appease the demands, in addition to other economic measures and
promises of political reform. But the protesters' list of demands grew longer
as many Jordanians felt emboldened by the popular uprisings in the region.
Although the protests in Jordan have been largely peaceful, more than a hundred
people were injured and one person died last month when pro-government
loyalists attacked anti government protesters with sticks and stones. A CNN
team at the protest also reported that police forces used water cannons to
disperse the sit-in in a main Amman square and used batons to beat up
demonstrators.
Mohamad Khateeb, a spokesman for the public security directorate, said the
demonstrations Friday in Amman were peaceful, and no violence was reported. But
he said that at least 40 members of the security forces were injured, leaving
three in serious condition, in stabbings by what he described as Salafi Islamic
hardliners in al-Zarqa, north of Amman.
Local media reported that clashes erupted when government loyalists attacked
hundreds of Salafis in al-Zarqa.
The Salafis have been demanding the release of detained members of their
movement.
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