JORDAN'S ISLAMIC CENTRIST PARTY PUSHES AHEAD

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 AMMAN 006803

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/12/2014
TAGS: PGOV PINR ASEC KISL KWMN JO
SUBJECT: JORDAN'S ISLAMIC CENTRIST PARTY PUSHES AHEAD
DESPITE LEADERSHIP FRAY

REF: A. AMMAN 6213

B. AMMAN 6160

Classified By: CDA David Hale for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d)

--------------
SUMMARY
--------------


1. (C) A small party that has splintered from the Islamic
Action Front -- and strives to be a moderating Islamic
counterweight -- has suffered internal, personality driven
rivalries. Nonetheless, the Islamic Centrist Party is
expected to weather a recent leadership crisis and continue
to advocate democracy, civic activism, and a greater
political role for women. End Summary.

--------------
DUST-UP OVER LEADERSHIP LEADS TO RESIGNATIONS
--------------


2. (C) Leadership differences within the moderate but
relatively uninfluential Jordanian Islamic Centrist Party
(ICP) led to the resignation of the secretary general and
around 58 members last month. According to founding member
and women's activist Nawal Fa'ouri, when time came for the
ICP Secretary General Atef al-Btoush to pass the reins to a
new leader, as the bylaws of the party dictated, Btoush
resisted, and encouraged the resignation of several dozen
others. Btoush has led the party since its founding in 2001.
Eventually Btoush resigned under the pretense of helping
found yet another party. She believes the fray will have
little impact on the party's activities. Indeed, at least
seven members rescinded their resignations, according to
press reports on August 8. The new secretary general also
announced that the party is studying the possibility of
joining several other likeminded parties in a "centrist" bloc.

-------------- --------------
ISLAMIC CENTRIST PARTY ADVOCATES FREEDOMS, CIVIC ACTIVISM
-------------- --------------


3. (C) Fa'ouri told PolOff that the ICP remains committed
to the platform it established in 2001, which advocates
democracy, pluralism, and increased personal freedoms. It
also supports the government's economic and social reform
program, opposes violence and sectarianism, and seeks to
convey a moderate face of Islam. Through cooperative
relations with the government and programs that reach a wide
cross-section of Jordanians, the party is committed to
increasing dialogue among all sectors of society, working
towards equality for all citizens, increasing women's
political role, and civic activism. The ICP is open to all
Jordanians regardless of religion or ethnic origin, and does
not bill itself as an opposition party. Many members of the
party are dissident members from the Muslim Brotherhood and
its political arm, the Islamic Action Front. Fa'ouri herself
is a former IAF member.


4. (C) Fa'ouri stressed the importance of civic activism,
noting her personal frustration in listening to Jordanian
citizens (including activists) during meetings with GOJ
leaders, including King Abdullah, as they are always asking
for the government to do things for them. She believes they
should be taking initiative and doing more for themselves.
Emphasizing that education reform must be a priority, she
notes that civic activism is not part of the culture, and
needs to be taught from a young age. Fa'ouri noted that she
spends a lot of time with her young granddaughter talking
about human rights, respecting others, and taking care of
one's community.

-------------- -
VOICES OF MODERATE ISLAM NEED TO BE ENCOURAGED
-------------- -


5. (C) Fa'ouri believes that the voices of moderate Islam,
such as those represented by her party, need to be
encouraged. The spiraling violence in Iraq and Palestine,
coupled with economic hardships and limited opportunities to
a wide cross-section of the population, increases the appeal
of the radicals' message. This is particularly true in
Jordan, where she says there is a growing disconnect between
the government and the people, as well as widening gap
between the very rich and the poor. Fa'ouri said she
recently shared her opinion on this matter with the King, and
was pleasantly surprised to see it included in his recent
letter directing the government to do a better job of
promoting tolerance and "true Islam" (ref A).


6. (C) She emphasized the importance of dialogue and
reaching out to all segments of society, especially those
with divergent views. She encouraged the U.S. Embassy to do
the same, even to engage the IAF. When told that many IAF
members refused to meet U.S. officials, she rolled her eyes,
saying this attitude is part of the problem in Jordan. She
said it is crucial to hear all viewpoints, and share your own
to increase understanding of the issue, pointing to her
facilitating role in helping organize public discussions on
the khuloe law (ref B). She said because she is a practicing
Muslim (and veiled),she has credibility with the religious
people on this matter, and the town meetings helped bring
critics around. Someone like Asma Khader, a Christian,
cannot speak credibly on this issue, for example, despite her
well-established reputation as a women's and human rights
activist.

-------------- ---
POLITICAL REFORMS VITAL TO COUNTERING RADICALISM
-------------- ---

7. (C) Fa'ouri emphasized that political development and
engaging the population in the decision-making process are
also vitally important to countering radicalism. She says
there is much broken with the current system, pointing to her
own experience in running for parliament in 2003. She
charges her opponent with bribing (poor) people to win their
votes. She forgives those who took the money because they
were desperate, but she says they feel sorry now for electing
her opponent. They say that when constituents seek the MP's
help now (for jobs, for example),he dismisses them outright.
She said she would consider running in the 2007 election,
depending on how the political environment evolves. She is
encouraged by the rhetoric from the GOJ on political
development, and she believes the King is serious. What it
takes though, she adds, is implementation, not words.
Fa'ouri points to reform of the election law as crucial, in
addition to strengthening political parties. She supports
streamlining the parties based on their ideology (rightist,
leftist, centrist). This approach would enable emergence of
factions on the basis of issues, instead of tribal or
familial allegiances. Fa'ouri acknowledged however, that it
is important that each party maintains its independence.

--------------
FEMALE MPS A DISAPPOINTMENT
--------------


8. (C) Sounding a common refrain among women's activists
(many of whom, like Fa'ouri, ran and lost in the 2003
election),Fa'ouri expressed her disappointment with the
performance of the six women MPs thus far, particularly with
their advocacy (or lack thereof) on women's issues. She said
none of them had previous experience that would help them
advocate effectively, including active membership in a
women's organization, for example. She said this is a
problem throughout Parliament; many of the men also are new
to the political scene and are heavily influenced by their
parties and/or and tribes. Fa'ouri laments that several of
the women still refuse to become involved, despite outreach
from women's groups and offers of assistance and resources.
She noted that IAF female MP Hayat Massimi, although one of
the more articulate female MPs, blindly advocates the IAF's
position to the disadvantage of activists' efforts to push
legislation that would empower women. Fa'ouri said she
debated the khuloe law once on a television program with
Massimi, but that she would not budge from the IAF's position
that giving the woman a right to divorce would destroy the
family. Massimi could not adequately respond when Fa'ouri
emphasized that the Qur'an does not deny women this right,
and attempted to change the subject. (Note: Following the
example of many of her IAF colleagues, Massimi has refused
requests from PolOffs to meet.)

--------------
COMMENT
--------------


9. (C) The ICP has relatively little influence politically;
none of its members currently holds seats in Parliament and
it seldom weighs in on controversial issues. Its funding and
mechanisms for outreach are limited, and rumors that the
intelligence apparatus orchestrated its creation to serve as
a counterweight to the IAF remains a stumbling block.
However, its message of tolerance and civic activism is one
that the GOJ would do well to encourage.

Bio Note: Originally from Salt, Fa'ouri says she became
active in her community at age 14 when she joined a
neighborhood organization affiliated with the Muslim
Brotherhood. She subsequently became a member of the IAF,
but left to become a founding member of the Islamic Centrist
Party, which she believed better represented her views on
democracy, political participation, and working cooperatively
with the government to advance society. Fa'ouri was a
candidate for the Lower House of Parliament in 2003
representing Madaba (her husband's home town) but lost. She
remains active in women's groups, including the General
Federation of Jordanian Women, studied in the UK, and
currently is working on a doctoral dissertation in Amman.
Visit Embassy Amman's classified website at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman/
or access the site through the State Department's SIPRNET
home page.
HALE