Jordanian opposition parties have announced a number of measures to counter a government ban on all types of public demonstrations, including contesting the ban at the Higher Court of Justice, reported the Jordan Times newspaper.
“The Committee of the Jordanian National Opposition Political Parties has taken several decisions in the face of the government ban on demonstrations, marches and sit-ins that deprive the Jordanian popular movement of freely expressing itself in the fight against killings, destruction and military action conducted by the Zionist and fascist army on Palestinians and Palestine,” a statement said, cited by the paper.
The government last week renewed its six-month old ban on all sorts of public demonstrations and sit-ins to avoid any “mishaps.”
Amman Governor, Talaat Nawayseh, issued regulations to the capital's police saying such activities “pose a threat to security and stability and hamper the people's interests.”
The ban was issued amidst a systematic escalation of violence in the Palestinian territories and the growing public anti-Israeli sentiment that followed Al Aqsa Intifada.
The opposition parties said they held an emergency meeting on Wednesday, and decided to defend “citizens' constitutional rights in free, peaceful and democratic expression, and active participation in defending Jordan and Palestine in the face of Sharon's war.”
These include asking the House Legal Committee to study contesting the ban at the Higher Court of Justice, preparing for a major public manifestation in Amman on May 15 to mark the Palestinian Nakbeh, calling on the follow-up committee to reconsider its preparations, the date in particular, of a public rally scheduled for April 14 marking the Palestinian prisoner's day.
It also decided to reactivate parties' sub-committees and branches, in governorates and surrounding areas as well as regional committees, to start a Jordanian public fund in support of the Intifada, said the paper – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
