All Jordanians are equal

The government on Monday introduced five amendments to the Constitution, with one allowing people with dual nationality to serve in public posts.

This provision, if approved by Parliament, will give equal opportunities to all Jordanians, many of whom study, work and live abroad for reasons that have to do with better educational, work or business opportunities, rather than politics.

This, incidentally, was one of the recommendations of the Jordanian Expatriates Conference convened at the Dead Sea in July 2015 under the patronage of His Majesty King Abdullah with the objective of according Jordanians living abroad the opportunity to contribute to their country’s development process and explore means to maximise their services to their motherland.

Participants in the conference, who represented around 750,000 fellow Jordanians living in all parts of the world, called for being accorded opportunities equal to those enjoyed by their compatriots living at home, taking into consideration their importance at various levels, particularly economic ones.

Jordanians living abroad, many of whom having a second nationality, are main supporters of the national economy; their annual remittances are estimated by the Central Bank of Jordan to stand at $1.85 billion.

These Jordanians, or their parents, moved to different parts of the world in search of better work or educational opportunities. The fact that they are living abroad does not stop them from being true patriotic citizens of Jordan.

To the contrary, many of them are very capable Jordanians serving countries they are living in to the best of their ability. Many are also eager to serve their home country, which should be as welcoming of every talent that can contribute to building a better Jordan.

Excluding these Jordanians from our ongoing development process would be a loss for the country, particularly that they include highly educated, knowledgeable and capable people in different walks of life, including among many others health, medicine, academia, business and public work.

A good number of these Jordanians moved abroad to study, later on finding good jobs, getting married and having children in their host countries, many of which offered them citizenship along with equal opportunities.

Many are also successful professionals or businesspeople looking for an opportunity to come back to work or invest in their home country, provided they get equal opportunities at various levels.

They and their children, who never stopped being and feeling Jordanian deep down, believe that they owe it to their country to come and serve it to the best of their ability.

This point, made at last year’s expatriates’ conference, was a driving element in the Cabinet’s decision introducing this particular constitutional amendment.

Opponents of such move think this amendment is negative and potentially harmful to the country and its national identity.

This argument is not justified: expatriates never severed their ties, services, remittances and love for their country.

Their move abroad was prompted by a lack of study or work opportunities in Jordan.

The fact that they are now living abroad, many in developed countries of the world, should be a source of strength for their homeland that must not be neglected anymore.

Jordanians living abroad, including those with dual nationality, deserve to be treated in the same manner as their fellow citizens and the country will be better served by benefitting from their competencies and talents.