Like you, I know a lot of Jordanians who share sentiments such as those you’ve posted. One of the smarter men I know there told me early on, Ellen, go ahead and read the JT, but then, if you want to know the truth, it’s probably exactly the opposite of what is published. I thought that was such a sad commentary about free press and veracity in Jordan.

Here are some links to global economic data by country:

1. http://www.finfacts.com/biz10/globalworldincomepercapita.htm

There are 2005 per capita gross national income data from the World Bank:

Switzerland’s–US$54,930 (ranks 3rd globally)
Jordan’s–US$2,500 (ranks 93rd globally)

2. http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/eco_gro_nat_inc_percap-gross-national-income-per-capita

Or, from a site called NationMaster, which obviously uses a different equation to calculate per capita gross national income:

Switzerland’s–US$36,666.11 (ranks 1st globally)
Jordan’s–US$1,451.29 (ranks 89th globally)
Weighted average of all countries–US$5,510.35

3. http://www.ccc.nps.navy.mil/si/may03/middleEast5.asp

Or, this from an Ph.D. in economics in 2003:

“A lot of potential unemployment and underemployment has been absorbed by the informal sectors of many Arabs states. One wonders how much more it can absorb without pushing real earnings down even further. Unless there are significant changes in the way things are being done in places like Egypt, Algeria, Jordan, Morocco and Yemen, we may be looking at an economic catastrophe sometime within the next 15 or so years.”

“Poverty seems to be on the increase in the region. Many studies point to increases in poverty in Morocco, Jordan, Yemen, Egypt and Algeria over the past decade. These are potentially brittle countries, and potentially pivotal countries for extremism and violence. Again, it is important to look at definitions. Extreme poverty in the region is often defined as living on $1 or less a day. Just plain poverty is defined as living on $2 or less a day. Now that may seem extreme for an American, but for many Arabs that is the way life is. About 100 million Arabs are significantly impoverished.” [Emphasis mine.]

This is not selective research. . .I simply plucked three links from Google and this is what they had to say about the situation in Jordan. But if anyone wants to live in a fool’s paradise and believe otherwise. . .

How can you be so narrow as to take offense with that?
I didn’t use that phrase to offend you, but you seem intent on taking everything that is posted in the most hateful and negative of ways. Something is really wrong with your attitude and your heart. We are trying to be kind and patient with you, but you insist on being as difficult, hard headed, and unreasonable as can be.

You are exactly the kind of person who should be reading more widely. Obviously, you are very selective, but not in a good way, about what you will let enter your head. I find it a pity that someone so young has already closed his mind and isn’t open to better information that more closely dovetails with objective reality.

… it is an evidence on how we as Jordanians live in constant fear, something the regime has clearly succeeded in, because here we’re not talking about people from the street, we’re talking about young educated Jordanians, a sect of the community that supposedly should carry the concern of making things better, not escape when it matters.

http://me-in-jordan.blogspot.com/

And to follow up on what I mentioned earlier about Al-Abbadi:

A Jordanian activist and author was recently arrested for writing a letter to Senator Harry Reid that was posted on the internet.

We are writing you this letter to express our utmost concerns regarding the current deteriorated state of political, economic and social affairs in Jordan. Jordan is now going through its worst period of dictatorship. The entire nation is in tatters. The people of Jordan are in an unbearable economic situation.

King Abdullah II’s corrupt regime has been dragging its feet to change the unjust and undemocratic elections law. This law, introduced and ratified by a Royal Decree in August 1993, contains serious flaws that hinder the development of political participation in Jordan.

(Link)

Here’s an editorial, with an accurate perception nonetheless:

Trekkie is one of those Middle East leaders that the U.S. government and the news media call a “moderate.” Moderate is an exceptionally vague word, but it’s meant to imply goodness, decency and level-headedness. In fact, when the United States calls a Muslim leader a “moderate,” that means he’s our friend. Jordan is a dictatorship. The only thing moderate about it is that it’s moderately less fascist than its neighbors Saudi Arabia, Syria and Egypt.

(Link)
Spare us the nationalist propaganda. We all live it and know it too well when we see it.

From the Arab Times, an open letter to Rice: Jordanians Under Absolute Monarchical Siege -

We are writing you this letter concerning the current political, social and economic developments in Jordan and the recent falsified remarks delivered by King Abdullah in Jordan and abroad. The king says something in the presence of foreign leaders, dignitaries and world press and media, but acts very differently back home. For instance, the king is using international forums, such as World Economic Summit in Davos, Switzerland, Dead Sea and other international gatherings for merely public image and propaganda to show his western audience and his foreign interlocutors that he is a real democrat believing in democracy and human rights.

It is absolutely shameful and ludicrous to hear Queen Rania, the wife of King Abdullah, stating on Thursday, September 21, 2006, during a conference organized by Clinton Global Initiative in New York City, that the “only way to create a stable and secure world is to address global injustices, specifically in the Arab world,” while she and her husband, King Abdullah, and members of the royal family are standing in the way by not allowing the Jordanian people to elect a representative government! Queen Rania has been playing significant overt and covert political roles in the daily functions of the unelected government. She is interfering, dictating and steering the executive branch of the state. Queen Rania is assuming this unconstitutional role despite opposition from the great majority of Jordanians. She is responsible for promoting corruption and nepotism in the appointed government. While Jordanians live an impoverished life, Queen Rania spends a huge portion of the country’s resources on buying private jets, building new palaces, lavish parties, royal receptions and her very expensive fashions.

Oh but it does not stop there!

As tax payers, Jordanians are misinformed and blocked from accessing critical information related to the state budget, monetary policies of borrowing from foreign countries and even basic information such as the annual income of members of the royal family.

No one in Jordan, including members of Parliament, knows or is even allowed to discuss the budget of the royal court. King Abdullah lacks command of the Arabic language: speaks Arabic with a heavy accent and has never spoken at or attended an Arabic press conference or delivered a lengthy speech in Arabic.

Also, the king and members of the royal spend most of their time traveling abroad spending millions of dollars, they do not pay taxes and their annual and source of income are unknown to the public or appointed government. For instance, King Abdullah recently gave each government, military and security agencies employee JD100 ($150), total of $77.5 million, for Ramadan, described by observers as a cheap bribe to silence Jordanians and reduce the heat of resentment that our people feel toward him and his oppressive regime. Jordanians are wondering where he obtained this money from and how much he has in his personal and saving accounts!

And finally…

As stated by Professor Marc Lynch in an article, written by Simon Tisdall on Tuesday November 29, 2005, in the UK-based Guardian Newspaper, “after six years in power, King Abdullah had little to show for his frequent speeches about reform. His tenure had been characterized by a steady decline in freedoms.” JNM will work consistently and wholeheartedly to reverse the regime’s absolute military-style of governance. To avoid generating new evil terrorists and suppressed people in Jordan, our friends must work hand-in-hand with us to carry out this long-awaited change swiftly, peacefully and democratically!

Dr. Ahmad Oweidi Al-Abbadi (Chairman), Former Member of Parliament (Two Terms) Amman-Jordan.
http://www.arabtimes.net/AAAA/A2006/october/88.html

And ask any sociologist or anthropologist and they will tell you how much it takes to change cultural norms within a society, it doesn’t take years , it takes generations!

What a lazy, backwards attitude. It doesn’t take generations to implement and influence change. It takes good leadership, and that is precisely what your country is lacking. But it’s great to see that they excel in marketing and PR. The Switzerland of the Mideast? Thanks a lot for the laugh!

one good example was the establishment of a ministry dedicated entirely to raising political awareness and developing practical methods to implement real democracy in the kingdom called the Ministry of Political Development, tell me, where else in the Arab world did the government implement such a project??

You are so utterly naive it’s almost sickening. I’m revolted.

It seems the 3 years you’ve spent in Jordan weren’t enough for you to realise that in most cases of honour crimes, families drop charges against their son who killed his own sister!!,they wait for him impatiently to get out of prison to celebrate his “heroic” act of reclaiming ” the honour of the family”!, for that there is nothing that can be done to those families other than raising awareness!, there is nothing that can be done-in my opinion- to stop people from killing their own flesh and blood other than convincing them that it’s wrong and by no means supported by religion!

And ask any sociologist or anthropologist and they will tell you how much it takes to change cultural norms within a society, it doesn’t take years , it takes generations!

And for the article you posted!..well, we don’t claim here that we’re perfect!, but our leadership has made major steps in political and economic reforms, one good example was the establishment of a ministry dedicated entirely to raising political awareness and developing practical methods to implement real democracy in the kingdom called the Ministry of Political Development, tell me, where else in the Arab world did the government implement such a project??

Since its establishment, the kingdom has embraced the Islamic movements like no other country in the region ever did!, they integrated well into our social and political structure, which ultimately helped moederate they’re policies and agendas, something most countries in the region have failed to achieve.

Even though I’m not a big fan!-as even though I’m indeed a muslim, I support the form of governance that wouldn’t differentiate between me and fellow christian Jordanians or followers of other religions for that matter- the Islamic movement in Jordan is probably the most moderate and progressive in the entire world!

Also since its establishment, the kingdom believed in women empowerment, in the country from which you come from Murad, women were not allowed to vote until last year, women in Jordan have been granted that right since the 50s of the past century!!

And what the article referred to as “western friendliness”, we view it as a balance of relations between the east and west, something Jordan has done brilliantly, while maintaining good relations with the west and world’s economic power houses, we kept good relations with most of te Arab countries, something that helped Jordan being stable and progressive country amidst turbulence and turmoil, something, we Jordanians take much pride in, as Beirut is referred to in some media circles as “Paris” of Middle East due to the French influence in the infrastructure of the city that apparent in the 20s, 30s, and 40s of the past century, Jordan is referred to as the “Switzerland” of the Mideast , to its safety and stability and progressiveness.

We in Jordan are different in how think of democracy and politics , yet something that we have in common is that we are all Jordan,we love this country and hold deep respect to its wise leadership.

ERS,

I’ve worked there on numerous occasions, always for free because I actually give a damn about your country and know it is impoverished and don’t feel right taking money from the mouths of poor people.

I sincerely was thinking of looking up your book and buying it,but your attitude kind of repelled me…

Our country is not impoverished, it’s a country in transition , Jordan is middle-income country, we are progressing, our leadership is forward looking and is implementing various development projects for both the infrastructure and the cultural structure of society, we are embracing modernity but are maintaining our moderate Islamic tradition and heritage.

Others have articulately expressed the issues I have with Queen Rania. It’s just that it’s all talk, all positioning, all about her own PR. I know members of her family, have shared meals with them, have corresponded with them, have chatted on the telephone with them many, many times. I know more about the inner workings of things than I could or would write here. She is surrounded by PR machinery, that is how she spends most of her time (i.e., managing her image). She is an intelligent woman, though not very experienced at anything before she became queen, but only because she was so young when it happened. I just find it a pity that she hasn’t used her intelligence and her position to do more for her own people. She could. She’s got the ability and the means. It’s just that, for some reason, she doesn’t. It’s a huge missed opportunity.

It’s a shame you haven’t read my book. I believe it has sold out in the Jordanian bookshops (try The Good Book Shop on Rainbow Street in Jebel Amman. . .if they don’t have any copies, probably it can no longer be bought in Jordan). Alternatively, you can find it at the Shoman Library, between the First and Second Circles in Amman. And it it is still available on the American version of Amazon.com, but I don’t know whether they’ll ship to Jordan.

What you have spouted back to us here is all the conventional thinking in Jordan on this topic, but it is not based on any kind of empirical data or evidence, just what peoples’ hunches have long told them and what they’ve perpetuated for years because they’ve lacked any evidence to the contrary.

But I went out and conducted a national survey of public opinion on “honor” killings, using proven empirical, scientific techniques. Polled a representative sample so that I could generalize my findings to the larger population. I spoke with young and old, wealthy and not, educated and not, Muslims and Christians, men and women, people from cities, towns, villages, refugee camps, bedioun tents. I didn’t want my sample to consist only of, say, educated people or English speakers. I was seeking the voices of all.

And what I found is what no one was expecting, least of all me. A full 89% of the people in my sample already support strengthening the penalties for “honor” killings. Another 3.5% don’t care one way or another. So that leaves 7.5% who prefer things remain just as they are. A lot of the 89% who support stronger penalties just volunteered that they think the perpetrators should get the death penalty. One man wanted to hang them off Hadrian’s Arch in Jerash and make a big spectacle of it. A few even said they’d gladly perform the job. So it isn’t even a close call here. Jordanians should be very proud of this. . .most people do know right from wrong, and they think “honor” killings are wrong. Bravo.

This was just one of a whole lot of questions I asked in my survey. Others corroborated this overall sentiment on the part of most Jordanians that “honor” killing is unacceptable and that the time has come to change the status quo. I also recorded peoples’ comments and verbatims and put them all in an appendix at the back of my book. You would probably be really surprised at how strongly people feel about this issue when they get serious and talk about it with someone for hours at a time. Some people cried during the survey. Others told me that it’s happened in their families. Almost everyone had a tale to tell about this.

I never intended to write a book on this subject. I am a marketer by training, and I was intending to use all this data to help me design a hearts and minds marketing communications plan to begin to change attitudes. But first I had to know what the attitudes were, and that’s why I started with a survey. This is just how my profession does things. But, to my pleasant surprise, most peoples’ attitudes don’t really need to be changed. However, the laws do. The options for at-risk people do. There is work to be done. And that is why I lived in Jordan much, much longer than I really wanted. I wanted to get out the word, let the leaders know what I found so, if they want to change things for the better, then can do so knowing they have the support of most of their countrymen and women. And that’s when people began to ask me to write a book about this.

I hope you read it some day. Instead of being so knee-jerk combative about this issue, you should feel proud of your people. I just happen to think your leaders are lagging behind the people on this issue. There is so much more they could be doing. Talk isn’t what’s needed, “dialogue” and “public awareness” (as Queen Rania says) aren’t what’s needed. Those are delay tactics. Action and leadership are what’s needed. And that is basically what I was trying to encourage the leadership to do.

I don’t need to read all your references because I am already so familiar with Queen Rania’s positions on things and her love of all things WEF. There isn’t much that is new to me, at this point. I have been immersed in it for yonks and very, very exposed.

I have spent enough time in Jordan to know that the rosy kingdom you see the gorgeous Queen Rania extolling to Oprah is not exactly true-to-life.

Jordan is a soft police state with very little freedom of expression or freedom of the local press. Those who openly criticize the king or the royal family get a one-way ticket to jail. Jordan is a destination for the U.S. practice of extraordinary renditions, the backyard of the U.S.-led war in Iraq and a breeding ground for militants such as its most famous terror export: Abu Musab al Zarqawi, the late leader of al Qaida in Iraq. Jordanian intelligence agents keep close tabs on Islamist and other opposition activists, and crackdowns on dissidents can be swift and brutal.

But it’s easy to see why the West latched onto last week’s polls as some kind of sea change in Jordanian politics. King Abdullah and Queen Rania have always had great success at peddling their authoritarian kingdom as a democratic oasis in the Middle East.

(Skip) – continued:

The queen talked in vague terms about “honor killings,” which are still common practice in Jordan. Queen Rania pledged that, “once we have this open dialogue and we reach to the grassroots where people can understand this issue, we are hoping through democratic process to change these laws that we have in Jordan.”

That was in 2001. In a case last month, a Jordanian court sentenced a man to just six months in prison for killing his pregnant sister in a so-called honor case. From what I could find on the Web, there wasn’t a peep of protest from the thoroughly modern, Western-friendly royal couple.

Couldn’t have said it better myself!

Read article in full.

Can you please not provide us with any more “words”, and list the number of people she has actually helped from these crimes? Can you list us the number of families she has directly worked with and listened to? Can you provide us what inner city children who suffer from poverty and illiteracy think about her, has she ever really attempted to reach and help them? What are her real achievements, other than her media appearances?

You are not Jordanians,and you certainly don’t know the reality here as much as we do!

Blue, with all due respect, ERS knows much more about this than most Jordanians are even aware of. She has actually lived there, conducted huge research, talked to the leaders, and wrote an influential book about it. I wouldn’t think twice about calling her an expert in the field.

For as long as these crimes are still rampant, then said leaders are not really not doing enough. Talking is easy. Action is not. The latter is what we fail to witness from not only Queen Rania but the Royal family in general. All of our leaders talk. Mine for example love to boast about free speech. Doesn’t mean that any of such leaders actually apply it.

You are not Jordanians,and you certainly don’t know the reality here as much as we do!

Queeen Rania has been advocating and campaigning against honour crimes for years, but honour crimes is more of a cultural problem than a legislative one,a sizable portion of the Jordanian society thinks that honour crimes are justified, and therefore honour criminals should not get a minimal sentence they should not be sentenced to prison at all!!

Her majesty has been doing alot for youth and women empowerment in Jordan, ask most young and opend minded Jordanians about the projects the queen is involved with.

the interview Oprah did with her was spoiled because of Oprah’s attitude, just when she started addressing important isuues like youth and women in Jordan, Oprah interrupted her and asked her about what would make her ” deliriously happy”.

Her majesty is currently advocating for social corporate responsibility, encouraging corporations in Jordan to give back to the community, and implement programmes that target youth and women in the country, she’s someone I’m absolutely proud of.

Here is a link to session her majesty facilitated during the world economic forum that was held at the dead sea last May on Philanthropy and global citizenship, see for yourself before you judge!!, and please don’t be judgemental and try always to look at the brightside.

http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/issuesideas/story.html?id=9953c22f-86e9-48c2-b526-12637e583d05

Unfortunately, the writer got some of his facts wrong (e.g., about legal reform five years ago, about taking the at-risk people into protective custody being a new thing). But at least he’s trying.

Just having another gander at this discussion.

Thanks, Esra’a. . .glad you find the information useful. I’ve been trying to disseminate what I know, correct some of the misperceptions, suggest perhaps what can be done, etc.

Gary, actually, the educational system in Jordan isn’t too bad. There is pretty much universal education and a high literacy rate. The public schools are considered less effective, but there is a fairly extensive system of private schools, so families who can afford them generally send their children there.

Nonetheless, one man in Jordan told me the worst thing that ever happened to Jordan (in his estimation) was that, during the late King Hussein’s reign, caught in some kind of conundrum, he for some reason negotiated leadership of the Ministry of Education to the Islamists, who still have a great deal of say in things. And, of course, they are very, very conservative and generally aligned with Islamic/Shari’a law.

I haven’t looked at my data lately, but I think if I burrowed more deeply into it, it would show the older people are the ones who tend to have low formal educational levels (anecdotally, I remember some of the older men telling me they’d left school after third grade and such, whereas I can’t recall any young people telling me that). King Hussein was the ruler who made education universal, but some of the people who came of school age before that missed out.

What I think is perhaps the way to address this is to do some mosque education. Approximately one in five people in my survey told me they believe Islam tells them they must avenge threats to the family honor
through murder. It doesn’t, of course, but that notion needs to be addressed. I’d like to see the imams take it on, then see if that clears up the problem.

Murad, your issue with the shelters is valid. But it’s the same issue we have here in the West, albeit maybe a little more complicated because Jordan is so small, so everyone knows everyone else’s business
and whereabouts. Surely, the shelters’ locations would need to be kept confidential. They would probably also require embassy-style security, which Jordan seems pretty good at handling. When I was heading off to work in the country in 2003, I was dating an American architect. So I was asking him before I left. . .is it possible to build mobile shelters, so they can be moved around? And he said, well, second-hand buses could be refurbished into temporary homes (think downmarket Winnebagos, for
those who are familiar), probably on the relative cheap. . .those would be more comfortable and humane than sitting around in prison year after year, plus mothers could be reunited with their children. Another option is to have a network of safehouses, so families of the at-risk people wouldn’t necessarily know which one their potential victim is residing in. I think, with creativity and resourcefulness, there are ways around this. Other countries have been building shelters for a while, so Jordan could research best industry practices and not have to
reinvent the wheel. Almost anything beats prison.

Also, just a crazy notion. . .why not send the people who do the threatening to jail? That would remove a lot of the risk to the others.

Murad and Esra’a. . .Queen Rania. Oh. Gee. I think we are on the same page here. I sent her office highlights of my research findings as I was discovering them myself. They acknowledged receipt
and thanked me. Then I sent her office my entire technical report when I finished it (almost 300 pages long). No acknowledgement. Did the same for her husband’s office–after all, he’s the one in charge, not her–but no response at all. OK. Then, after my book was published, I met with the director of research at the royal court. Had a long talk with him, and we were able to corroborate some of our data, which was gratifying for both of us. He bought two copies of my book. . .one for himself, and one for Queen Rania. So I’m pretty certain she has a
copy. I wrote to her and told her I was willing to meet with her to discuss my research, my techniques, my findings, and my recommendations and answer any questions, but didn’t get a response. Conclude what you will.

I’ve discussed this with other members of the royal family, too, so I’m sure they know about it.

I would still be willing to meet with either of them at any time, though. In the end, however, King Abdullah could overturn those laws with a stroke of his pen if he wanted. Or, if he thinks that is too
ham fisted and risky, he could use his leadership skills and Hashemite legacy to deal with this in more collaborative, culturally-sensitive ways, by bringing together tribal leaders and others and getting them
to reach some sort of consensus that change would be good for Jordan.

Randall, by “we” I mean the international community and the people who want basic human rights for as many people as possible.

On the Oprah Winfrey program with Queen Rania, honor killings were discussed
http://www2.oprah.com/tows/pastshows/tows_past_20011005_d.jhtml

Oprah: One of the things that we have been horrified by in the U.S., and I’ve actually done several shows about here, are honor killings. I know you have campaigned against honor killings, the Jordanian parliament however, as I understand it, has rejected laws that would treat those crimes as seriously as other homicides. Where does that stand now?

Queen Rania: It’s very important for me to clarify that honor kilings are not in any way condoned or accepted in Islam. They are, in fact, un-Islamic. These are more cultural and social aspects that we have to deal with here.

What we’re looking to do here in Jordan, and our voices have been heard and many people have been rallying, is to try to explain the whole issue of honor killings, and to try to explain where Islam stands [on] this issue. Once we have this open dialogue and we reach to the grassroots where people can understand this issue, we are hoping through democratic process to change these laws that we have in Jordan.

The problem was the fact that people didn’t understand what honor killings were and how often they were happening and all the dimensions of the issue. We need more public awareness about the issue and that’s what we’re doing right now. It’s only a matter of time before these laws that you’re referring to are going to be changed.

It’s just plain ridiculous for us in the West to preach to the Middle East, when our military and politcal interventions have caused the deaths of millions and have strengthened the power of dictators and kings who do our bidding.

We in the West need to do something about what out governmnets are doig and let the Jordanians do something about women’s rights in their country. We both have a difficult task and things will not change overnight.

Why not have stories about JOrdanian activits,even if they haven’t been very successful. Look at how many us who are against the Iraq war haven’t been sucessful, even though we live in a democracy.

I would like to hear more about how women in the West gained their rights. I know it wasn’t by having foreign countries threaten them with sanctions. I would also like to see a history of feminists in the Middle East, after colonialism ended but before the military interventions of the U.S. and Europe.

“Esra’a, I couldn’t have addressed Randall’s issues better myself. Thank you for tackling them.

I would only emphasize again that Jordan and other countries have signed all these agreements with the international community, they are routinely in violation of them, and I think that alone gives us a right to go back to the leadership of those countries and say, look, you need to deliver on your promises to us, otherwise there’s a consequence to you. A country like Jordan couldn’t make it without its generous aid packages, so I think that would be one carrot we could dangle to promote some meaningful movement (though that wouldn’t work with the more affluent countries).”

Who are “we?” Why don’t you bring up the fact that 50% of Jordon’s citizens are Palestinians. WHy don’t you bring up the burden Jordan, Syria, Iran have by taking in millions of refugees from the various military interventions of the United States, Israel, and various European countries?

The aid the UNIted States gives to developing countries benefits the U.S. more than the people of these countries. Here is an article about how U.S. aid to Africa does more harm than good. http://news.independent.co.uk/world/politics/article2871490.ece

Queen Rania

I think you opened up a can of worms by mentioning her… I’ve been wondering about her stance on this for a while though.

By the way, I have just taken the time to read the reviews about your book, all of which are positive. You’re doing a very decent job, thank you.