Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03AMMAN3039
2003-05-21 14:31:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

JORDANIAN CAMPAIGNING AQABA STYLE; INSIGHT INTO

Tags:  PGOV PREL PHUM SOCI JO 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

211431Z May 03
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 003039 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/21/2013
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM SOCI JO
SUBJECT: JORDANIAN CAMPAIGNING AQABA STYLE; INSIGHT INTO
TRIBAL POLITICS IN IRBID


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

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SUMMARY
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 003039

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/21/2013
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM SOCI JO
SUBJECT: JORDANIAN CAMPAIGNING AQABA STYLE; INSIGHT INTO
TRIBAL POLITICS IN IRBID


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

--------------
SUMMARY
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1. (U) PolOff attended a luncheon in Aqaba on May 15 hosted
by Dr. Mohammed Badri, a former member of the parliament for
the Aqaba Governorate and current candidate for the June 17
parliamentary elections. The Aqaba governorate is composed
of one district with two Muslim seats. Dr. Badri discussed
his competition, odds of winning the election, and campaign
strategy. PolOff also met on May 18 with Mohammed Bataineh,
a member of one of Irbid's largest tribes, who was thinking
of running but decided against it.

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WEAK COMPETITION
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2. (C) Dr. Mohammed Badri is a cardiologist by profession who
served in the former parliament and is running again in the
June 17 elections. Upon PolOff's arrival in Aqaba Dr. Badri
and his unofficial "campaign manager" were eager to show off
the location of his "diwan" or campaign headquarters. The
headquarters are located on prime Aqaba real estate on a well
traveled street. The "diwan" is composed of several Arabic
style tents where voters can come listen to the candidate and
discuss with him what he will do for them in parliament and
to ask favors, such as monetary assistance or for help to
find employment for themselves or relatives. Dr. Badri
explains that although there are 9 candidates competing for
Aqaba's two seats he considers himself and two others, Ziad
Shweikh and Bedr Riati, as serious contenders. He casually
states that Ziad Shweikh will be the other winner because
Shweikh will buy the election due to his vast wealth. He
dismisses Riati, the Islamic Action Front candidate, by
proudly claiming that half of Riati's tribe is supporting
him.

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CAMPAIGN STRATEGY
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3. (U) Dr. Badri believes he will win and explained his
campaign strategy: focus on his past history of providing
free medical services and medicines to poor Aqaba residents.
His campaign slogan incorporates the GOJ's "Jordan First"
campaign which encourages Jordanians to focus first on
Jordanian issues and how they can all ensure that Jordan
remains a stable and viable country in a tumultuous region.
His main goals once elected will be to fight corruption,
support economic reform, provide job training to the
unemployed and support the King and his good relations with
the United States. The only political issue in his campaign
is the Palestinian issue and he supports all efforts that
will lead to a fair and just solution. He believes the U.S.
must play a vital role in this effort and that extremism is
fueled by Arab frustration over the Palestinian problem.


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WINNING VOTERS AND BRINGING THE VOTE HOME
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4. (U) To garner support and make sure the voters show up at
the polls on June 17, Dr. Badri lined up a group of
volunteers whose task is to review voter lists and choose
those names personally known to them. They will then visit
voters at home and urge them to vote for him. Should they
want to meet the candidate they can do so at the "diwan" or
he will visit them personally. On election day, the
volunteers are responsible for getting the voters to the
polls. Aqaba has 23,475 eligible voters and will have 39
voting booths. Dr. Badri will have representatives at each
of the voting booths. When asked if he was planning to
participate in any debates, he responded by saying that the
people of Aqaba do not want a good speaker, they want action.

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TRIBAL INFIGHTING IRBID STYLE
--------------


5. (U) During the same week, poloff also met with Mohammed
Bataineh, member of one of the largest tribes in the northern
Irbid governorate, who told PolOff he was seriously weighing
his decision to run for parliament. He explained how the
tribe had held an internal election to choose one candidate
to represent it in the elections. On the day of the tribal
election, a group of voters arrived at the voting booth, a
melee erupted and the ballot box was destroyed resulting in
the annulment of the elections. Consequently, three to four
candidates decided to run splitting the tribal vote. In the
end, Bataineh decided not to run since splitting the vote
among the tribal members diminished his chances of winning
the election.

COMMENT
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6. (C) Jordanian politics historically have centered around
the "tribal" system in the absence of political parties. Our
recent visits to Aqaba and Irbid indicate that tribal
influences remain powerful--though hardly simple or
monolithic.
GNEHM