Nine months ago I wrote a post about the wave of protests that rocked the world, and changed the Arab world, in 2011. The past two days have seen the most widespread and most violent protests and riots that Jordan has experienced in years. As a condition of an International Monetary Fund loan, the Jordanian government has lifted all subsidies on fossil fuels. The price of gasoline is set to increase by 14%. Bus fares are set to increase by 11%. And the price of home heating and cooking is set to increase by 43%.
Citizens have responded by taking to the streets, blocking traffic, attacking police officers, and setting tires on fire.
In my village, people complain about the price increases, but they would much rather go on living their lives than violently taking to the streets. I can assure that I see no signs of disturbance or insecurity in my life in my village. In Jordan, as in every other place I have lived from Oregon to North Carolina to the Dominican Republic to Ecuador to Oakland, ordinary citizens want health and happiness for themselves and their families.
Throughout my time in Jordan, protests have come to be a regular occurrence. I'm curious to see whether the protest movement will gain strength or finally begin to dissipate after the January 23, 2013 parliamentary elections.
Or perhaps it won't change, as many of the strongest political parties in Jordan have vowed to boycott the elections.
Citizens have responded by taking to the streets, blocking traffic, attacking police officers, and setting tires on fire.
In my village, people complain about the price increases, but they would much rather go on living their lives than violently taking to the streets. I can assure that I see no signs of disturbance or insecurity in my life in my village. In Jordan, as in every other place I have lived from Oregon to North Carolina to the Dominican Republic to Ecuador to Oakland, ordinary citizens want health and happiness for themselves and their families.
Throughout my time in Jordan, protests have come to be a regular occurrence. I'm curious to see whether the protest movement will gain strength or finally begin to dissipate after the January 23, 2013 parliamentary elections.
Or perhaps it won't change, as many of the strongest political parties in Jordan have vowed to boycott the elections.
Jordan is not about to collapse
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Teachers go on strike to protest fuel price hikes
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Protests in Jordan Continue, With Calls for Ending the King’s Rule
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Protesters in Jordan Seek Ouster of the King
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/17/world/middleeast/protesters-in-jordan-seek-ouster-of-the-king.html?_r=0