Maan residents ‘relieved’ over Majali resignation, retirement of police, Gendarmerie chiefs

AMMAN — Maan residents received the news of interior minister Hussein Majali’s resignation and the retirement of two security chiefs with relief, according to Majed Sharari, the mayor of the southern city. 

Sharari told The Jordan Times Monday that residents of Maan, 220 kilometres south of Amman, were happy to hear the news of Majali’s resignation and the referral to retirement of Public Security Department (PSD) Director Gen. Tawfiq Tawalbeh and Gendarmerie Department Director Maj. Gen. Ahmad Sweilmin. 

The city’s inhabitants blame the three officials for the “deteriorating security situation” in Maan. 

A Royal Decree was issued on Sunday accepting Majali’s resignation due to what Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour described as a “lack of coordination among security organisations that include the public security and the Gendarmerie departments”. 

The premier said the concerned departments failed to coordinate on key issues that affect the security of citizens and the stability the country.

“People here [in Maan] consider the Royal Decree as a Royal makruma because it aims at removing injustice against residents,” the mayor said, charging that security officials have been making mistakes over the past two years in handling the pursuit of wanted suspects by using excessive force. 

Noting that Gendarmerie forces destroyed the homes of several Maanis while chasing two wanted men, classified as very dangerous, Sharari said community leaders tried to resolve the issue but security officials would not cooperate. 

The wanted men, Sharari added, were part of a list of 19 wanted suspects, 16 of whom were handed over to police by Maan tribal leaders. 

Asked whether the city’s residents consider police officers as enemies, Sharari said this only applies to those whose relatives were killed by security forces. 

“Maanis are loyal to their country and its leader but when someone loses a brother because of improper security policies, they would not like to see police around,” he explained. 

The mayor said the city was calm on Monday after the news of the shake-up.

Over the past few days, Maan reportedly witnessed clashes between security agencies and local inhabitants. 

Several local news websites reported on Sunday that residents were celebrating the news of Majali’s resignation.