TFIZO1: ANOTHER WEEKEND OF PEACEFUL COUNTRYWIDE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 002083

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/07/2013
TAGS: ASEC PGOV PHUM IZ JO
SUBJECT: TFIZO1: ANOTHER WEEKEND OF PEACEFUL COUNTRYWIDE
DEMONSTRATIONS IN JORDAN

REF: A. AMMAN 1867

B. AMMAN 1872

C. AMMAN 1875

D. AMMAN 1883

E. AMMAN 1905

F. AMMAN 1928

G. AMMAN 2044

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

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Thousands demonstrate peacefully against Iraq war
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1. (C) Several demonstrations ranging in the hundreds to the
low thousands again took place throughout Jordan after Friday
prayers on April 4. Press reports said the continuation of
images of the destruction and civilian Iraqi deaths on
Jordanians' television screens motivates the demonstrators.
Jordanian demonstrators again hoisted pictures of Saddam
alongside Iraqi flags while chanting "Death to America",
"Bush, what do you want from us?", "Why don't you take your
dogs and leave the region?", "Down with Bush the liar!",
"America get out! Iraq will remain Arab and free!". At the
Wihdat Palestinian refugee camp, the perceived
ineffectiveness of Arab leaders in preventing the war
prompted some demonstrators to chant, "You sold Baghdad for a
dollar!", "You sold Jerusalem for a dollar!". US, UK and
Israeli flags were burned and paraded on the back of a
donkey.

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Arab leaders share the blame
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2. (C) While many blame the US and UK for the misery and
destruction in Iraq, Abdul Majid Dandis, spokesperson for an
opposition bloc that demonstrated in Amman pointed the finger
at Arab countries that had facilitated the US led war by
providing access to their military bases. Demonstrators also
condemned the coalition for its "crusade" against the region
and Arab leaders for not taking a firm stand against the
invasion of Iraq.

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PM's Protest to US Ambassador Praised
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3. (C) Prominent Jordanian figures praised the government's
summoning of the US Ambassador to protest the US aggression
in Iraq. (Ref Amman 2029 and Amman 2035) Such figures
included Sa'd Hayil al-Surur, former speaker of the House of
Representatives, Marwan Dudin, moderator of the foreign
affairs committee in the Upper House and Dr. Mamduh
al-Abbadi, a former health minister and prominent political
figure. Surur praised the government for its strong anti-war
stance and defended it against "those who practice
one-upmanship against the Jordanian position that this
position is ahead of all the Arab positions. Surur also said
that the PM's action symbolized a "translation of the
feelings of all Jordanians and the Jordanian homeland."
Dudin concurred saying, "the protest of all Jordanians had to
be conveyed to the US Administration at the highest possible
level in order to enable the Jordanian position to have an
impact. We hope that the Arab capitals that have a one-party
rule would follow Jordan's example." Dudin further added,
"although we are eager to maintain good relations with the
world's superpower, this does not at all mean we cannot raise
our voices denouncing the ugly inhuman actions that started
from the first days of the invasion and which shocks the
conscience of all Jordanians."

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Comment
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4. (C) At a meeting PolOff attended with Jamal Rifai, a
Jordanian columnist, Rifai said that he was worried of the
war lasting more than a month. If this happens he fears the
US military might lose its patience and start bombing
indiscriminately killing hundreds of innocent Iraqi
civilians. Were this to happen he fears Jordanians might be
less inclined to conduct legal, peaceful rallies.


5. (C) Jordanians again demonstrated their support of the
Iraqi people and anger at civilian casualties in a largely
controlled, organized and non-violent way. The GOJ continues
to work with rally organizers to ensure that Jordanians
continue to let off steam according to the law.
GNEHM