TFIZO1: WEEKEND DEMONSTRATIONS MOSTLY PEACEFUL;

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 001928

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/01/2013
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM IZ JO
SUBJECT: TFIZO1: WEEKEND DEMONSTRATIONS MOSTLY PEACEFUL;
JORDANIANS OUTSIDE AMMAN UNITED AGAINST THE WAR

REF: A. AMMAN 1867

B. AMMAN 1872

C. AMMAN 1875

D. AMMAN 1883

E. AMMAN 1905

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

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Jordanians express their anti war rage
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1. (C) Weekend demonstrations in Jordan's refugee camps,
Amman, Irbid, Salt, Zarqa, Karak, Aqaba and Maan attracted
large numbers of anti war Jordanians. Many demonstrators
carried pictures of Saddam Hussein, a phenomenon that has
been much less common in marches up to now, and chant "death
to America," hailing the Iraqi leader and the people of Iraq
for fighting the "US aggression". While most demonstrations
were peaceful, the press reports that police in Maan, a city
with a history of confrontations, used tear gas when
protesters hurled stones at them. In Amman, some protesters
called on Saddam to use chemical weapons against British and
US troops.


2. (C) In downtown Amman, approximately 3,000 demonstrators
marched following noon prayers on March 28, a lower turnout
than a week ago. Though largely peaceful, reports of
vandalism to a bus and some arrests took place. Maan
reported another 400-500 rock throwing protesters. On March
29, Public Security Directorate (PSD) sources reported that
approximately 7-10,000 anti-war protesters participated in
demonstrations in Irbid, with another 10,000 participants
near Marka airport in Amman and smaller peaceful
demonstrations in Wihdat and Baq'aa refugee camps. On March
31, smaller, non-violent candlelight vigils were reported, a
hundred press members marched peacefully and about 700
participants demonstrated at the Professional Associations
Complex, never leaving the complex grounds. More licensed
demonstrations are planned throughout the week.

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Reactions to war outside Amman
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3. (C) A survey of Embassy contacts outside Amman reflects
the population's growing loss of trust in their government
and its declarations. In Salt, (a medium sized city 30
minutes from Amman) former parliamentarian Salameh Hiyari
says the whole country is boiling and Jordanians are angry at
their government. He worries the situation may get worse.
Many of our contacts throughout the country worry about the
huge disconnect they see between the King's public and
private position on the war, and the intense opposition to
the war of most Jordanians. This gap, they argue, affects
the King and government's credibility with the populace.
Hiyari cites the ever growing number of Jordanians attending
Friday prayers and praying for God to support Iraq and
destroy the US.


4. (C) In Ramtha, the home of the four Jordanian students
killed in Iraq last week, former parliamentarian Fawwaz Zu'bi
says the mood is just as tense and calls the situation
"dangerous". He says the people are very angry and wonders
how far that anger will go once the battle for Baghdad takes
place and greater numbers of Iraqi civilian deaths are shown
on Arab television.


5. (C) Mohammad Al-Kouz, former parliamentarian who
represented the Wihdat refugee camp, says there is "complete
solidarity" with Saddam and the Iraqi people. The
demonstrators at a rally in Wihdat Camp on March 28 numbered
in the low thousands. He said the sole beneficiary of the
current situation is the Muslim Brotherhood.

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Comment
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6. (C) Numerous contacts have expressed to us their worry
that the war in Iraq is making many Jordanians turn to
religion. Our Western-oriented contacts in particular fear
that the war will boost the political fortunes of the Islamic
Action Front and other, more radical, groups.
GNEHM