JORDAN: MAYOR OF AJLOUN STRESSES THE NEED FOR

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 000276

NOFORN
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/ELA MGREGONIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/24/2020
TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID KMPI JO
SUBJECT: JORDAN: MAYOR OF AJLOUN STRESSES THE NEED FOR
MAJOR REFORMS

REF: 09 AMMAN 1896

Classified By: Ambassador R. Stephen Beecroft for reasons 1.4 (b) and (
d)

Summary
--------------


1. (S/NF) The mayor of Ajloun said that national reforms are
needed to halt growing discontent in his town. He is in
favor of the proposed decentralization plan, saying that
inefficient megaprojects have proven to be spectacular
failures because they were designed by bureaucrats in Amman
with no local input. When asked about electoral reform, the
mayor said that true political reform cannot rely only on
changes in the electoral law. Until citizens see a
government that functions properly, they will continue to
vote for tribal leaders who are viewed as the only service
providers. End Summary.

Frank Discussion with a Young Mayor
--------------


2. (S/NF) Ajloun, a hilly town located 50 miles north of
Amman, has a population of approximately 60,000. On January
27, PolChief met with Mamdooh Mustafa Al Zghool, the mayor of
Ajloun, who was elected in 2007 at the age of 34. Al Zghool
was surprisingly frank about a range of issues and held the
closed meeting in his private office, rather than staging a
formal event in the city council chambers, as some of his
counterparts have done in other towns. (septel)

"Decentralization Can Work, But Will Take Time"
-------------- --


3. (S/NF) Al Zghool is eager for the government's proposed
decentralization plan to be enacted. Although he is
optimistic about the outcome, he believes it will take 10-15
years to be implemented effectively. The mayor is eager for
reforms to be enacted in municipal governments, particularly
in terms of public sector personnel. He explained that
municipal employment had been used as a form of social
welfare for decades, resulting in incompetence and
inefficiency. Ironically, according to the mayor, municipal
employment does not even produce satisfied citizens, who now
demand a higher quality of life than a municipal salary can
provide. "So we are paying a lot of money to people who do
no work and are unhappy."


4. (S/NF) PolChief asked if the mayor thought municipalities
would be given financial resources commensurate with their
new responsibilities under the new plan. Al Zghool believes
that training and capacity-building will be more important
than an influx of funds. "With a great team behind me, I
could do much more to help my community with smaller amounts
of money. What we don't need are big-ticket megaprojects
designed in Amman which address no community-identified
needs." He spoke with great disdain about the recent
construction of a near-by judicial building. A large sum of
money was used to purchase an inappropriate piece of land and
the result was a poorly-constructed building in an
inconvenient location with no public parking near-by.

"Until the Government Functions Properly, Electoral Reform
Will Be Meaningless"
-------------- --------------


5. (S/NF) When asked about on electoral reform and the
upcoming elections, Al Zghool said that he believes the 2010
elections will produce a parliament similar in content and
competency to the one dismissed in 2009. "There must be a
fundamental change in the way the government operates. Until
then, people will continue to vote along tribal lines, which
they view as the best way to preserve their own
self-interests."


6. (S/NF) Al Zghool said three changes are needed to reform
political life in Jordan:

-- Justice must be applied equally. Al Zghool said that for
decades, the citizens of Ajloun have seen people with "wasta"
(or connections) act with impunity. They have no faith that
the government will punish wrong-doers, so they turn to the
tribes to satisfy their sense of justice. This both empowers
tribal leaders and leads to a power struggle between
competing tribes, as evidenced by the outbreak of riots in
Ajloun in August, 2009 (reftel).

-- The rule of law must be applied equally. Al Zghool said

AMMAN 00000276 002 OF 002


that corruption must be tackled aggressively to restore trust
and a sense of "fairness" in both municipal governments and
private businesses. He would like to see public officials
perform their duties to local citizens without having to be
prompted by bribes. Finally, he believes that business
contracts should be awarded to those who demonstrate
innovation and efficiency, not political savvy.

-- Equal opportunities must be presented to all. Al Zghool
is disturbed to see the growing belief among the youth of
Ajloun that dedication and hard work matter less than
connections. "If one cannot get a job, a place at university
or a spot in the army based on qualifications, why would you
judge a politician by his personal qualitifcations and
ability to do the job? No, people will continue to vote for
those members of their own tribe who can deliver such favors
and services."

Comment
--------------


7. (S/NF) The mayor's frank and thoughtful comments
demonstrated a somewhat unusual bluntness for Jordanian
municipal leaders. While he never crossed the line into
outright criticism of the regime, he did say that problems
with governance at the national level have a direct negative
impact on the citizens of Ajloun.


8. (S/NF) Al Zghool is seen as a rising young leader. He has
an undergraduate degree in urban planning and is currently
pursuing a master's on the same topic. He was chosen to
participate in a 2008 International Republican Institute
(IRI) exchange program for young regional leaders, including
Israelis, to view the 2008 U.S. presidential elections. He
said this experience caused him to completely change his
impression of the U.S. and its definition of democracy, which
is often maligned in the Arab press. He also said he
maintains contact with the Israeli participants, as the
program showed him how to differentiate between Israeli
individuals and the "troubling" actions of their government.
In addition, al Zghool just returned from a poverty reduction
program in Lebanon, sponsored by the Arab League for rising
young political leaders.
Beecroft