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Islamists, leftists and trade unionists gathered in central
Amman Friday for the latest protest to demand political change and wider
freedoms. A crowd of at least 3,000 chanted: “We want change.” Banners and
chants showed a wider range of grievances than the high food prices that
fuelled earlier protests, and included demands for free elections, the
dismissal of Prime Minister Samir Rifai’s government and a representative
parliament. The protest after Friday prayers was organised by the Islamic
Action Front, the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood which is the only
effective opposition and biggest party, but included members of leftist parties
and trade unions.

Jordan’s protests, as in several Arab countries, have been
inspired by the uprising that overthrew the Tunisian president. “After Tunisia,
Arab nations have found their way towards the path of political freedom and
dignity,” said Zaki Bani Rusheid, a leading Islamist politician.

Demonstrations have taken place across Jordan calling for
reversal of free-market reforms which many blame for a widening gap between
rich and poor. Jordan is struggling with its worst economic downturn in
decades. The government has announced measures to reduce the prices of
essentials create jobs and raise salaries of civil servants. Protesters say the
moves do not go far enough.

King calls for openness

King Abdullah told lawmakers Thursday the government must do
more to ease the plight of Jordanians and urged a faster tempo of political
reforms. “Openness, frankness and discourse over all issues is the way to
strengthen trust between people and government entities,” the monarch was
quoted as saying in a palace statement.

“Everything should be put in front of people. There is nothing
to be afraid of,” said the 49-year-old monarch, who has faced stiff resistance
from a conservative establishment to reforms they fear will empower the
Islamists. He urged the 120-member assembly to amend an electoral law
criticised as designed to under-represent cities in favour of
sparsely-populated tribal areas to ensure a pliant assembly. Under the
constitution, most powers rest with the king, who appoints the government,
approves legislation and can dissolve parliament.

Islamists march in Tunis

Also, Islamists marched through central Tunis on Friday,
demanding religious freedom, while police fired teargas at anti-government
protesters who have camped out around the prime minister’s office.

The march by about 200 people was the first significant Islamist protest
since the fall of president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, who ran a strictly secular
state in which Islamists were often jailed or forced into exile. Some carried
placards reading: “We want freedom for the hijab, the niqab and the beard.”
Under Ben Ali’s rule, women who covered their hair by wearing the hijab, in the
Muslim tradition, were denied jobs or education. Men with long beards were
stopped by police. “We demand the revision of the terrorism law … and say no
to the war on the niqab,” one woman told Reuters TV, her face entirely covered
by a black veil, or niqab. Islamists played no visible part in the “Jasmine Revolution”
that toppled Ben Ali, but when the Ennahda, the country’s largest Islamist
movement, was allowed to contest elections in 1989, it came second to the
ruling party. Since Ben Ali was forced to flee to Saudi Arabia on January14 in
the face of violent unrest over poverty and political repression, protesters
have been gathering in Tunis to demand that the new interim government be
purged of Ben Ali loyalists. Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi said 12
ministers would be replaced, purging members of the former ruling party
including the interior, defence and foreign ministers.