Turning protests into an opportunity to introduce aspired change

Over the past week, Jordan has been witnessing protests against fuel and electricity price hikes as well as an income tax draft law. The idea of having protests in an Arab country is frightening for many, but it is not for the Jordanian people, and particularly for His Majesty King Abdullah, who expressed pride in protesters, as well as in the security forces which were deployed to ensure peace and security for all.

During a meeting on Monday with media leaders, the King said that he was closely following up on protests and was feeling with the people, supporting their right to express themselves peacefully.

“What I have seen during the past few days has made me happy and proud to be Jordanian,” the King told chief editors and columnists, shortly after accepting the resignation of the government of Prime Minister Hani Mulki, which was one of the protesters’ demands.

His Majesty, who on Tuesday entrusted outgoing education minister Omar Razzaz with forming a new government, said that from time to time there is a need for a reminder “to make us adjust our path”, which this time came in the form of anti-government protests by mostly young people, who are decrying economic measures and demanding a change in the course that the government was taking.

The King said there were mistakes committed by the former Cabinet with the way it handled the income tax draft law, but most importantly in its failure to connect with the people, to communicate the difficult economic situation to them and to involve them in coming up with solutions. He complained that at certain times, he had to do part of the job of the government instead of carrying out his role as the guarantor of the Constitution and the one who ensures balance between the authorities.

The King expressed anger at officials failing to carry out their responsibilities, saying they should step down and give others the chance to do the job,  while also expecting the new Cabinet to do a better job in opening up to citizens, starting a national dialogue over economic and other issues as well as involving the youth and benefitting from their great potential in the economic and political reform processes.

The King’s talk was frank and full of hope for a better future for the country. And indeed it was a chance to see the full half of the glass, to think of ways to turn challenges into opportunities. For the King, the protests were an opportunity to correct whatever needs to be corrected, and to have a new beginning.

Now, this new beginning will be with a new Cabinet that is being formed. The new Cabinet faces the daunting task of rising up to people’s expectations in the manner that it will be formed and in the persons that will be chosen to serve as ministers. And more importantly it faces the more difficult challenge of meeting protesters’ demands, some of which are difficult to achieve, particularly those represented in reducing electricity and fuel prices, scrapping the income tax draft law and reinstating bread subsidies. These demands might not be achievable in view of the tough economic situation that Jordan has been facing, particularly over the past years, along with the tough regional situation that is adding more burdens on the country.

The new government should be able to communicate this situation to the people and ask for their input, act in a transparent manner and, in accordance with the King’s directives, open the way for new blood and talents.

It will not be an easy task for Razzaz, who enjoys a great deal of respect on the streets of Jordan — particularly in view of his efforts as education minister to develop the educational process and win over teachers, students and parents — to appease those protesting and meet their economic demands.

But he certainly deserves to be given a chance and to be supported in his endeavours.

People have to realize that he does not have a magical solution to all their problems, nor that his government will not be taking tough economic measures. This is something that no prime minister can promise. There will still have to be a new income tax law that has to be introduced in fulfilment of Jordan’s commitment to a fiscal reform programme brokered with the International Monetary Fund  and there will be fuel price adjustments, up or down, in accordance with the international market prices.

But political activists and the public as a whole can work to ensure that the government rises up to their expectations by enabling it to work within the available resources to provide better services for them, fight corruption, cut red tape, work to push forward the democratisation process, support the youth, work for justice and equality, empower women, and meet any other demands with the objective of overcoming the current crisis and marching forward toward a better future for the country and its people.

People who were demanding a change in the way things are being run in their country now have a chance not only to support this change, but also to be part of it.