US embassy cable - 04AMMAN62

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 000062 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARN, NEA/PA, NEA/AIA, INR/NESA, R/MR, 
I/GNEA, B/BXN, B/BRN, NEA/PPD, NEA/IPA FOR ALTERMAN 
USAID/ANE/MEA 
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH 
PARIS FOR O'FRIEL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
 
TAGS: KMDR JO 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON CHANGING THE CURRICULUM IN 
SOME ARAB COUNTRIES 
 
 
                        Summary 
 
-- Lead story in all papers today, January 5, 
highlights British Prime Minister Blair's visit and 
activities in Jordan, as well as his meeting with King 
Abdullah.  All papers highlight Jordan's official 
"condemnation" of Israel's "crimes" in Nablus over the 
past two days.  Front pages also focus on a variety of 
domestic issues, such as Parliament's debate over the 
social status temporary law and an ongoing debate 
about the government's reported plans to revise school 
curricula. 
 
                 Editorial Commentary 
 
-- "Changing the curricula and resistance versus 
terrorism" 
 
Daily columnist Yaser Za'atreh writes o n the op-ed 
page of center-left, influential Arabic daily Al- 
Dustour (01/05):  "So far, we do not know the nature 
of development or change that is going to affect the 
school curricula in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Jordan . 
but, whatever is going on, it is no more than 
fulfillment of American demands.  We are not against 
the development of curricula, but we fear that it 
might go beyond what is required, into undeclared 
demands..  These curricula have been around a long 
time and have not produced any terrorism, extremism or 
violence.  Why would they [existing curricula] produce 
them now?  Does this not mean that circumstances are 
what create the phenomenon [of terrorism] rather 
school curricula?  Why has violence sprung from one 
country and not another although curricula in all Arab 
countries are very similar?  Why did Algeria have such 
vicious violence despite the fact that its curriculum 
is not Islamic oriented?  The problem lies in saying 
that curricula aids violence and extremism, which is 
what the United States and the Hebrew state like to 
say because they do not want to see the actual 
circumstances that have led to the rise of the 
phenomenon [of terrorism], since that entails that 
they look at their own policies that have led to that 
phenomenon..  In short, they may change the curricula 
as they want, but that will not change the status quo, 
as long as the circumstances that give way to the rise 
of the phenomenon persist.  There is no solution but 
to change those circumstances." 
 
-- "On education and the culture of human rights" 
 
Columnist `Abu Yazan' writes on the op-ed page of 
center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour 
(01/05):  "There is a need to entrench values of 
justice, sovereignty of law, respect for others and 
equal opportunity.  There is a need for our children 
to know that they have a pledge that guarantees their 
rights, and for our girls to know their rights and 
duties, away from the culture of `dad reads, mom 
cooks' or `dad works the field, mom sews socks'.  Yes, 
we need to develop our curricula in an in-depth and 
comprehensive manner, particularly the part related to 
national education, because it has become obsolete.. 
The fact that the `infidel west' or the `great Satan' 
is calling for changing and developing curricula does 
not belittle our need for it.  We must serve our need 
of creating future generations capable of carrying the 
burden of political and democratic reform." 
 
-- "Anxiety unwarranted" 
 
Centrist, influential among the elite English daily 
Jordan Times (01/05) editorializes:  "It would seem 
axiomatic that countries review their educational 
policies and programs on a periodic basis.  What 
Jordan is now trying to do is upgrade its educational 
policies so that our children can be better prepared 
for the contemporary world.  Jordan and other Arab 
countries are parties to several human rights 
instruments and to the Geneva Conventions on how wars 
and armed conflicts can be pursued.  All that the 
review process aims to do is to make sure that the 
contents of school textbooks are in harmony with Islam 
and these binding international norms..  We see 
nothing wrong in making sure that what we are teaching 
our students is harmonious to Muslim teachings as well 
as the legally binding treaties.  The anxiety being 
built up on the distinction between terrorism and 
liberation is unnecessary.  Armed struggle to free 
people from occupation and subjugation is an 
inalienable right.  What the international norms tell 
us is that the methods of warfare used in the 
liberation process should comply with the Geneva 
Conventions.  That's not a lot to ask for." 
GNEHM