TFIZO1: GOJ BRACES FOR COUNTRYWIDE ANTI-WAR

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 001867

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/27/2013
TAGS: PREL PHUM JO
SUBJECT: TFIZO1: GOJ BRACES FOR COUNTRYWIDE ANTI-WAR
DEMONSTRATIONS IN JORDAN AFTER FRIDAY PRAYERS AND BEYOND

Classified By: Ambassador Edward W. Gnehm. Reasons 1.5 (B) and (D)

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PUBLIC RAGE SIMMERING FOR A WEEK
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1. (C) Although the coalition's military actions against Iraq
started a week ago, this Friday will be the first time that
Jordanians will congregate for Friday prayers and express
their pent up frustrations with the "US aggression" after
watching events unfold on t.v. all week. Adding to the
heightened emotions will be today's burial in Irbid
governorate, north of Amman, of the four Jordanian students
killed near Mosul while trying to flee Iraq.


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GOVERNMENT AUTHORIZED DEMONSTRATIONS
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2. (C) The GOJ has been negotiating with the main protest
organizers all week (the Islamic Action Front and the
professional associations chief among them). Amman, Jerash,
Salt, Irbid and Ramtha are just some of the cities where
government authorized anti-war demonstrations are planned
after Friday prayers tomorrow, with other demonstrations
occurring on Sunday, March 30. Authorized demonstrations are
also planned at some of the Palestinian refugee camps
scattered throughout Jordan. While the GOJ recognizes the
need to allow the public to vents its anger, Jordan's Public
Security Department (PSD) is very concerned that such
demonstrations (or spontaneous unauthorized protests
elsewhere) could turn violent after a week of people seeing
Iraq bombed and innocent civilians dying.


3. (C) All expectations are that Friday will serve as a test
of the PSD's crowd control abilities, and the government's
overall dexterity at crafting a message that acknowledges
popular anger while maintaining order.
GNEHM