PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS DERAIL QUICK APPROVAL OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 002251

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/20/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL KMPI KISL JO
SUBJECT: PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS DERAIL QUICK APPROVAL OF
DRAFT LAW

REF: A. AMMAN 1924


B. AMMAN 1719

C. AMMAN 1353

Classified By: CDA Christopher Henzel for Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)

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SUMMARY
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1. (C) Leaders of Jordan's professional associations
launched a full-court press against draft government
legislation designed to wrest control of the unions (and
their funds) from an Islamist minority out of step with rank
and file members. Peaceful demonstrations were held across
the country attacking the proposed law as a government
attempt to control the associations and a violation of public
liberties. The GOJ countered that the legislation would
restore the associations' proper role of serving the
professional needs of members and ensure a more
representative leadership. The associations' campaign
succeeded in delaying quick action on the law in parliament
as MPs shied away from controversy and referred the bill to
committee for further study. End Summary.

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A NEW LAW
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2. (U) New draft legislation introduced in parliament by the
GOJ to reform the country's professional associations (ref A)
came under swift and forceful attack from opposition forces.
In its current form, the bill would change the way the
unions' leadership is chosen by creating "intermediary
councils" elected by members of local association branches
throughout Jordan under a "one person, one vote" formula;"
these council would in turn elect the president and councils
of the national associations. (NOTE: The leadership is
currently elected by a national general assembly using a
"list" system of candidates largely controlled by the
Islamists. A majority of the associations' 140,000 members
do not participate in this process due to apathy and/or
antipathy toward the mandatory unions. END NOTE.) The draft
law also authorizes the government Audit Bureau to inspect
the associations' financial records and restricts association
activities to internal and professional (i.e., non-political)
matters.


3. (C) The government concedes that the law was drafted in
part to wrest control of the associations away from a
non-representative Islamist minority who have misused the
unions (and their considerable funds) (ref A). In public
statements the GOJ maintains that the legislation will also
expand the scope of participation and decision-making in the
associations, better serve members' professional needs, and
enhance transparency of spent funds.

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GOING ALL OUT
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4. (U) The associations' leaders paint a much different
picture of the draft law. Realizing that their control of
the associations -- and the accompanying dues -- is directly
threatened by the legislation, they launched a vigorous
campaign to defeat its passage in parliament. The
Professional Associations Council (PAC) took out large
advertisements in several Arabic dailies condemning the bill
"which seeks to dismantle the unions and place them under
government control." Other ads were directed towards MPs in
the Lower House urging them to reject the draft law because
it "contradicts the country's push for public reforms and
greater democracy." Several prominent editorials in the
local press either criticized the bill for being
"undemocratic" or questioned why it had been drafted in such
haste and without broad consultations.


5. (U) On March 12, the associations and the Higher
Coordination Committee of opposition political parties
(dominated by the Islamic Action Front) staged peaceful
demonstrations against the proposed law in cities throughout
Jordan, including Irbid, Ajloun, Karak, and Zarqa. Another
protest sponsored by opposition parties (and which had been
approved by the governor of Amman as stipulated by the Public
Assembly Law) took place in front of the parliament building
March 13. Several hundred participants, some carrying
placards with anti-government slogans, called on MPs to vote
against the bill.

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POLITICAL MANEUVERING
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6. (U) Debate within parliament on March 13 was heated.
Over 30 MPs criticized the government for introducing the
legislation, claiming that it went against "the people's
democratic aspirations" and the King's directives." Former
two-time minister and vocal GOJ critic Abdul Karim Dughmi
(East Banker, Mafraq) stated, "A government that suggests
such a law is a government of political failure, not a
government of political development." Independent MP and
former Minister of Health Abdul Rahim Malhas (East Banker,
Amman) charged that "the government wants all people to think
alike." Proponents of the law responded that a change was
sorely needed to force the associations to stop ignoring the
professional needs of their members. In his address to MPs,
Prime Minster al-Fayez said that while Jordanians were
"proud" of the associations and that the unions represented a
"cornerstone" of civil society, he claimed that they had
"used their position as a podium to attack Jordan's
principled stands." A majority of the 101 MPs voted at day's
end against giving the proposed legislation "urgency status"
as requested by the GOJ (i.e., against placing it on the fast
track for a final vote of approval/rejection) and instead
referred it to the Legal Committee for review.


7. (C) The vote in the Lower House came after intense
behind-the-scenes maneuvering by opposition forces.
According to parliamentary contacts, the Islamic Action Front
(IAF) and it allies approached every major bloc in the Lower
House and promised to discontinue the associations'
anti-government rhetoric and political activity if MPs
rejected the proposed law. MP Abdullah al-Jazi (East Banker,
Southern Badia),deputy head of the pro-government National
Parliamentary Action bloc, told poloff March 8 that he and
his colleagues had rebuffed the offer. "Why should we agree?
They brought this upon themselves." Al-Jazi at the time was
confident that the law would eventually pass the Lower House,
pointing out that 60 MPs had earlier signed a letter
requesting the GOJ to draft legislation reforming the
professional associations.


8. (C) While the associations' backers failed to persuade a
majority of MPs to reject the bill outright, their campaign
nevertheless succeeded in derailing the GOJ's hopes that it
would be approved prior to the adjournment of the current
parliamentary session on March 30. Several MPs reported that
while they supported the law, the intense criticism against
it had prompted them to refer it to committee, rather than
take a definitive stand for it. MP Suleiman Abu Ghaith (West
Banker, Madaba) told poloff March 15 that he and many of his
colleagues hoped the law could still be salvaged during the
next session if the Legal Committee proposed amendments that
would make the bill more palatable while preserving its
overall purpose.

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COMMENT
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9. (C) The GOJ was apparently unprepared for the intense
campaign (and resulting outcry) against its attempt to reform
the professional associations. Despite a non-representative
leadership structure and agenda, the Islamist union heads
were able to portray the associations as "democratic"
institutions and enlist the support of non-Islamist
government critics (e.g., Dughmi). In contrast to the
associations' concerted efforts -- both in public and behind
closed doors -- to rally support for their position, the
Jordanian government did little to promote its draft law
other than the usual appeal to pro-government MPs in the
Lower House. The GOJ will have to do a better job in
countering the associations' arguments if the bill is not to
languish in committee.


10. (U) Minimize considered.
HENZEL