Open Letter to Reporters Without Borders, Transparency International, Human Rights Watch and Freedom House Re: the Current State of Affairs in Jordan
Jordan National Movement
Amman, Jordan
http://www.jordannationalmovement.com
For Further Inf. Contact: Dr. Abdul Salam Al-Mualla, in the U.S. at 703-629-5427
Open Letter to Reporters Without Borders, Transparency International, Human Rights Watch and Freedom House Re: the
Dear Sir/Madam,
We are writing you this letter to express our utmost concerns regarding the current state of affairs in Jordan. The Jordan National Movement (JNM) is witnessing unprecedented cases of massive corruption and lax management, press-monarchy conflict, ghastly threats toward opponents of the monarchy regime, a tangled and defunct economy, and endless abuse of people’s basic rights such as freedom of expression and human trafficking, abject poverty inflicted on the diminishing middle class and urban and rural working people. Please click on this link for evidence and information: http://www.jordannationalmovement.com/hrabuses.htm.
At the end of this year, the monarchy in Jordan will be marking 58 years of undemocratic monopoly of power. Its main concern has been to centralize politics and the economy and to pave the way for the strengthening the absolute executive power of the King. A tiny technocratic elite, working hand-in-hand with Gestapo-like security forces, has imposed an authoritarian vision on the whole of Jordan society. These one-man and narrow-minded policies have exposed Jordan to many fiascos in the economic, political and social arenas. For instance, the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) current reports on Jordan’s economy stated that the increase in foreign debt in Jordan exceeded 4 percent of its GDP. Recently, the World Bank ranked Jordan 104th as a safe and quality investment environment in the world. The exponential rise in national and foreign debts is staggering. The total debt currently stands at $11.2 billion. From December 2007 to May 2008 alone, the national debt increased by $1.8 billion. On July 30, 2008, Dr. Fahad Al-Fanek, the general manager of and a columnist for the state-run Jordanian daily Al-Rai, wrote “the inflation rate will be much more than the 8-9 percent range suggested by the Minster of Finance and the IMF’s experts…this poses a serious threat to the economic and social stability of the country.” Dr. Al-Fanek’s son-in-law, Maher Matalqah, is currently the Head of the Economic Department at the Royal Court. Matalqah is a trained Pharmacist!!!
King Abdullah II is deploying armed intelligence and security forces to terrorize the people of Jordan, particularly human rights activists and journalists. He established a new security force called al-Darak, and put its operation and authority in the hands of the corrupt Minister of Interior, Eid Al-Fayez. The King has increased the size of the General Intelligence Department (GID) and allowed this agency to put on its payroll several senior civilian judges, journalists and writers, diplomats, general secretaries of ministries and other senior governmental employees. For instance, the Attorney General of Amman, Marwan Salamah and Bisher Al-Rawashdah, General Secretary of the Ministry of Political Development, report to and receive directions from the GID. In return, such individuals are promised future promotions and receive monthly stipends from this department, known to many Jordanians as Al-Batikhi’s agency. This is in reference to Samih Al-Batikhi, the former GID Director, who was convicted on July 10, 2003 for embezzling $24 million and sentenced to four years in prison by a special court on charges ranging from involvement in fraud to abuse of power.
When the former Attorney General of Amman, Saber Al-Rawashdah (one of these listed agents), handed down ready made judgment against Dr. Al-Abbadi, former MP and Chairman of the Jordan National Movement, he was quickly promoted to the General Controller of Companies, a senior position at the Ministry of Industry and Trade. New York-based Human Rights Watch issued another stunning report on rampant human rights abuses and inhuman torture in prisons managed and operated by King Abdullah II’s handpicked government. On October 17, 2008, Mohammad Al-Subaihi, an avid writer and columnist in daily and electronic newspapers in Jordan, said, “what is happening in prisons in Jordan is very far worse that what Human Rights Watch recently reported…these are things I cannot talk about in public…to keep the reputation of the country in the international community clean, we must listen to human rights activists, fix the problems, punish the violators and bring them before the civil court system (not the police court).”
The Hashemite monarch excludes organized opposition figures, activists, academics and professional people from decision-making and assuming high-level positions in the government and royal court. The king has surrounded himself by “yes men.” He has managed to ensure a link between selective and wealthy individuals in Jordanian society and the regime by an ideology of co-option. These individuals form the society’s elite, bribed columnists in the press corps, and fat cats in the greedy business community. The sons and daughters of former prime ministers and ministers were brought into a close-knitted power circle along with senior security and military commanders. These closet advisers are now accused of corruption and human rights abuses. For instance, a company by the name Daoud and Partners, owned by relatives of Bassem Awadallah, the former Chief of the Royal Court (terminated by the king on September 30, 2008), is now accused of facilitating and supporting human trafficking in Jordan. The General Counsel for this company is Ayman Owdeh, the current appointed Justice Minister of Jordan. Awadallah reported to have ownership in this company, and is the one who recommended the appointment of Owdeh to this key ministerial position.
When King Abdullah II terminated Awadallah, he sent him a letter sated that “You (Awadallah) will always be worthy of my confidence, respect and appreciation and will always be close to us as you have always been. God bless you.” The king wished him the best as he leaves his post “for a period of rest or to move to another location of work and dedication”. This is exactly how the king rewards corruption in
In
According to a report submitted by Mohammad Samed Al-Raqad, the former President of the Judicial Council (recently terminated by the king), to King Abdullah II, on
Another corruption case unfolded in
With the repression of the press and the judiciary growing day after day, with the absence of any civil institution of social mobilization, with a bribed and rubber stamp Parliament, and with the added monopoly of radio and television at the behest of King Abdullah II, the morphology of the civil society, of which all the above institutions are crucial pillars, is taking a disturbing meaning. Employing a mix of corruption, bribery and outright coercion, King Abdullah II’s regime has suppressed civil society and the judiciary, which is rendering prostrate by a series of ouster clauses, retroactive and a growing wave of executive lawlessness. The civilian trial of Dr. Al-Abbadi, former MP and Chairman of the Jordan National Movement (JNM) is now taking a different spin: A few weeks ago, Judge Yahya Al-Zawahrah refused, under mounting official pressure from the Royal Court and the GID, to subpoena witnesses prepared by the defense team and turned down their repeated and perfectly legal requests to make statements before the court. In fact, the leading attorney of Dr. Al-Abbadi, Firas Al-Roosan, was prevented by the GID from appearing in court to defend his client. According to anonymous sources familiar with this case, Al-Roosan has received threats if he shows up in court.
Further, despite constant calls from national and international human rights organizations to free political prisoners on the eve of 2008 Eid (end of Ramadan), a traditional annual clemency, King Abdullah II decided to free drug dealers, criminals, bandits and thugs!
On
Despite repeated calls from domestic and international human rights organizations, political activists and opposition leaders, and disturbing economic reports from international and independent organizations, King Abdullah II refused to budge one inch from his failed political and economic policies. His unwavering approach of appointing crooks and criminals in senior governmental positions, the intelligence community and security forces, and the judicial system, and most importantly, refusing to amend the unjust Parliamentary and Municipality elections laws that have created and lead to lawlessness and chaos in Jordan, are all taking the country in the wrong direction.
We urge your respected organization to continue reporting on the deteriorating trends in this state and to be bold in your criticism of this dictatorial and thuggish regime that is lead and managed by the illustrious King Abdullah II of Jordan. The Jordan National Movement (JNM) will continue in its restless and relentless campaigns to expose the corrupt regime in Amman and uncover the truth about what is happening in the country right before the watching eyes of the international community.
Cc:
U.S. President-Elect Barrack Obama (via Chief of Staff)
French President, French Embassy, Amman, Jordan
British Prime Minister, Embassy of Britain, Amman, Jordan
Japanese Prime Minister, Embassy of Japan, Amman, Jordan
Russian President, Embassy of Russia, Amman, Jordan
Chinese President, Embassy of China, Amman, Jordan
Prime Minister of Canada, Canadian Embassy, Amman, Jordan
U.S. Dept. of State, Jordan Desk
U.S. Congress
European Union
United Nations
The International Federation of Journalists, Brussels, Belgium
European Federation of Journalists, Brussels, Belgium
Committee To Protect Journalists,
The U.S. Press, the International Press, and the Arab & Arab-American Press


The Honorable Congressman Brian Baird
2443
Phone:
Fax: (202) 225-3478
Dear Honorable Brian Baird,
We are writing you this letter to ask you for your prompt attention to an important matter with national and international consequences.
The recent resolution, introduced by you and co-sponsored by Congressman Tom Lantos (D-CA), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, commending and praising Jordan’s July 31 municipal elections, is very disappointing. It represents an insult to the majority of Jordanians and human rights advocates, nationally and worldwide. We sincerely hope that your office avoids rushing to conclusions based on false information provided by King Abdullah II’s lobbyists and Embassy staff in
The most recent independent reports and statements issued by the National Center for Human Rights in Jordan (http://www.nchr.org.jo/uploads/Municipality_report2007.pdf) and Jordan Bar Association (http://www.jordannationalmovement.org/pressreports.htm) declared and stressed that these elections were conducted illegally and carried out with widespread forgery and rampant vote rigging: Pro-government voters were transferred from one district to another to support particular candidates; thousands of Jordanian soldiers were ordered out of their military barracks to vote multiple times for pro-king and absolute monarchy candidates; fierce protests and riots were reported all over the country against sever election irregularities; journalists of independent daily and weekly newspapers were barred from covering this important event; many balloting boxes were destroyed; Jordanian Islamists and independents withdrew their candidates; and many names of registered voters in several districts disappeared on the day of elections. All of this anarchy took place before the eyes of and based on direct directions and orders from King Abdullah II. As a result, elections in
Given the regime’s tragic human rights record (http://hrw.org/doc?t=mideast&c=jordan) and exponential levels of corruption (http://www.transparency.org/publications/gcr/download_gcr#toc), it seems rather unwise that the U.S. Congress and Administration continues supporting King Abdullah II monetarily and providing carte blanche military support to his corrupt and unelected government and secret police to oppress the people of Jordan. Tyranny breeds terrorism and violence. We have all been witnessing the massacres and daily killings of innocent people on the streets of
This regime in
For years the human rights community in
The attack on Members of Parliament, journalists and human rights activities is emblematic of what international human rights organizations such as Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Amnesty International (AI) have documented in their regular reporting on
Human rights organizations have also been restricted. Independent groups, such as the Jordanian National Movement, that are strongly critical of the government's human rights practices have been refused legal recognition, and their activities are habitually obstructed and restricted by the authorities.
In light of these facts, we strongly urge you to seriously review the political, monetary, and military support you have extended to King Abdullah II’s regime. Now is the time for
Sir, genuine economic and political reforms will not take place in
Sincerely,
Dr. Abdul Salam Al-Mualla
Secretary of Foreign Affairs
The Jordan National Movement
http://www.jordannationalmovement.org
Virginia, USA
Cc: Office of Congressman Tom Lantos
Printer-freindly copy: http://www.jordannationalmovement.org/Letter to Congressman Brian Baird October 5 07.doc
JNM,
King Abdullah II issued this order: “We, Abdullah II Ben Al Hussein, King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, in pursuance of Paragraph 1 of Article 34 of the Constitution, order that elections of the House of deputies be conducted in accordance with the provisions of the law.” In other words, the king decided to dissolve Parliament …This statement represents one dimension of the absolute monarchy in
Similar to previous national elections, the next Parliament elections will be held based on the one-person, one-vote system, a tribal and ethnic-based voting system aims to customize and recruit unprofessional and pro absolute monarchy legislators whose main concerns lie with personal interests, bribery and favoritism. This impartial and fake system has been widely criticized on the national and international stages: http://www.jordannationalmovement.org/Flaws in Jordans Elections Law Dec 8 2006.doc
King Abdullah II and his corrupt cohorts must understand one thing: The world is watching you very closely and never think that you will get away with your dirty political games! We will pursue the truth and nothing but the truth so the people of the world know exactly who you are…you are no more than a “bunch” of thieves and power-lovers that live and prosper on the backs of Jordanian citizens…Shame on you!



President George W. Bush
The White House
Dear Mr. President,
We are writing you this letter to ask you for your prompt attention to an important matter with national and international consequences.
Less than three months after King Abdullah II of Jordan declared before a joint session of the U.S. Congress that he was pushing for political and economic reforms in his country, one of Jordan’s leading critics of his regime, Dr. Ahmed Oweidi Al-Abbadi, is being held as a political prisoner at Al-Jwaidah Prison on questionable charges.
Dr. Al-Abbadi, a well-respected writer, historian and former member of the Jordanian Parliament is paying the price for exposing corruption within the political system and speaking out in favor of government reforms.
Dr. Al-Abbadi now leads the Jordan National Movement (JNM), an organization that “seeks to promote democracy, human rights, and political, economic and social reforms, and national strategic issues in
Dr. Al-Abbadi’s detention was ordered by King Abdullah II on Wednesday, May 2, 2007, as a result of speeches and letters he wrote in which he questioned King Abdullah II’s personal wealth, failed economic policies, and constant refusal to pay tax, as well as tacit support of corruption and human rights abuses.
Dr. Al-Abbadi is being held in a cell with common criminals and singled out for harsh treatment by prison guards. According to family members who have visited him in prison, he has been kicked and punched by prison guards and denied medical attention. The prison authorities have also disrupted visits by his family members, including his wife. Furthermore, his lawyers were not permitted to see him prior to his court appearance, and police assaulted supporters who peacefully expressed interest to protest the government’s decision to detain him. In addition, Dr. Al-Abbadi has been repeatedly denied bail without providing any legal explanations, which led to the recent resignation of his legal team.
Needless to say, Dr. Al-Abbadi’s detention is a clear violation of his right to freedom of expression as guaranteed by Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and by the U.N. Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. Further, this arbitrary detention is a violation of Jordanian obligations as a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
This brings us to the purpose of this letter. Given the regime’s tragic human rights record and exponential levels of corruption, it seems rather unwise that the U.S. Administration continues supporting King Abdullah II monetarily and providing carte blanche military support to his corrupt and unelected government and secret police to oppress the people of Jordan. Tyranny breeds terrorism and violence. We have all been witnessing the massacres and daily killings of innocent people on the streets of
This regime has failed to adhere to international treaties including international human rights conventions and accords. Also, since coming to power in 1999, King Abdullah II has failed to deliver on initial pledges to promote democracy and the rule of law (http://www.carnegieendowment.org/files/cp76_choucair_final.pdf). His rule has become increasingly authoritarian (http://www.css-jordan.org/polls/index.html). No serious political opposition is permitted to form. The judiciary is manipulated by his government, and no independent judges are allowed to operate. Even in the presence of the king, only a very few people (already picked by the intelligence community) are allowed to speak up. The press and broadcast media are tightly controlled, and the authorities make vigorous efforts to restrict internet communications and limit access to websites with independent news about
For years the human rights community in
The attack on Dr. Abbadi is emblematic of what international human rights organizations such as Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Amnesty International (AI) have documented in their regular reporting on
Human rights organizations have also been restricted. Independent groups, such as the Jordanian National Movement, that are strongly critical of the government's human rights practices have been refused legal recognition, and their activities are habitually obstructed and restricted by the authorities.
In light of these facts, we strongly urge you to seriously review the political, monetary, and military support you have extended to King Abdullah II’s regime. Now is the time for
Sir, genuine economic and political reforms will not take place in
At a time when our people have questioned the commitment of the
We are greatly concerned for the safety of Dr. Al-Abbadi and kindly urge you to do everything within your power to hasten his release. Thank you for your consideration. For further information regarding this case, please visit: http://www.jordannationalmovement.org.
Sincerely,
Abedalelah Almaala
Human Rights Acitvist
The Jordan National Movement
240-423-3207 (Cell)
Printer-Friendly Copy: http://www.jordannationalmovement.org/Open Letter to President George W. Bush Final Version.doc
JNM, Amman, Jordan (Wednesday, July 11, 2007): In light of the immanent visit of the dictator King Abdullah II of Jordan to Canada, the Jordan National Movement (JNM), via the family of Dr. Al-Abbadi, sent the following letters today to Her Excellency The Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, and The Right Honourable Stephen Joseph Harper, Prime Minister of Canada, and several other senior Canadian officials and Members of the Canadian Parliament and House of Commons.
http://www.jordannationalmovement.org/Letter in English to Governor Michaelle Jean.doc
http://www.jordannationalmovement.org/Letter in English to Prime Minister Harper.doc
Also, JNM sent the following letter (in French) to the President of France Nicolas SARKOZY: http://www.jordannationalmovement.org/Letter to Mr. President Nicolas SARKOZY.doc


JNM, Washington (Wednesday, May 16, 2007): Former Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister (unelected ministerial portfolios) of Jordan Marwan Muasher was caught lying in the current investigation of Paul Wolfowitz's scandal at the World Bank:
Marwan Muasher, now Director of External Relations at the World Bank and a graduate of King Abdullah II's School of Corruption, thinks he is still being protected by his former boss, the thuggish dictator King Abdullah II, and the corrupt General Intelligence Directorate (GID) in
Jordan National Movement has issued the following press release re: King Abdullah's recent speech to Joint Session of
Since King Abdullah of
Granted, he is not the first despot to line his coffers with international aid, but the time has come to hold him accountable so
http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2006/09/19/jordan14205.htm
http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGMDE160052006.
http://www.carnegieendowment.org/files/cp76_choucair_final.pdf
http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=2442&l=1
On the economic front,
While Jordanians are suffering, Queen Rania spends a huge portion of the country’s resources on new palaces, private jets, royal yachts and receptions, and a public relations campaign to improve her international public image. Perhaps she should have taken her own advice in the fall of 2006, when she stated at a conference organized by the Clinton Global Initiative in New York City, that the “only way to create a stable and secure world is to address global injustices, specifically in the Arab world.” We are concerned that
The challenges that the
These noble goals, of course, will not take place without direct support from the American people. Therefore, we strongly urge the Bush Administration and Congress to make use of the
It is also our earnest hope that the