US embassy cable - 05AMMAN2251

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 002251 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/20/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, KMPI, KISL, JO 
SUBJECT: PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS DERAIL QUICK APPROVAL OF 
DRAFT LAW 
 
REF: A. AMMAN 1924 
 
     B. AMMAN 1719 
     C. AMMAN 1353 
 
Classified By: CDA Christopher Henzel for Reasons 1.4 (b), (d) 
 
------- 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
1.  (C) Leaders of Jordan's professional associations 
launched a full-court press against draft government 
legislation designed to wrest control of the unions (and 
their funds) from an Islamist minority out of step with rank 
and file members.  Peaceful demonstrations were held across 
the country attacking the proposed law as a government 
attempt to control the associations and a violation of public 
liberties.  The GOJ countered that the legislation would 
restore the associations' proper role of serving the 
professional needs of members and ensure a more 
representative leadership.  The associations' campaign 
succeeded in delaying quick action on the law in parliament 
as MPs shied away from controversy and referred the bill to 
committee for further study.  End Summary. 
 
---------- 
A NEW LAW 
---------- 
 
2.  (U) New draft legislation introduced in parliament by the 
GOJ to reform the country's professional associations (ref A) 
came under swift and forceful attack from opposition forces. 
In its current form, the bill would change the way the 
unions' leadership is chosen by creating "intermediary 
councils" elected by members of local association branches 
throughout Jordan under a "one person, one vote" formula;" 
these council would in turn elect the president and councils 
of the national associations.  (NOTE: The leadership is 
currently elected by a national general assembly using a 
"list" system of candidates largely controlled by the 
Islamists.  A majority of the associations' 140,000 members 
do not participate in this process due to apathy and/or 
antipathy toward the mandatory unions.  END NOTE.)  The draft 
law also authorizes the government Audit Bureau to inspect 
the associations' financial records and restricts association 
activities to internal and professional (i.e., non-political) 
matters. 
 
3.  (C) The government concedes that the law was drafted in 
part to wrest control of the associations away from a 
non-representative Islamist minority who have misused the 
unions (and their considerable funds) (ref A).  In public 
statements the GOJ maintains that the legislation will also 
expand the scope of participation and decision-making in the 
associations, better serve members' professional needs, and 
enhance transparency of spent funds. 
 
------------- 
GOING ALL OUT 
------------- 
 
4.  (U) The associations' leaders paint a much different 
picture of the draft law.  Realizing that their control of 
the associations -- and the accompanying dues -- is directly 
threatened by the legislation, they launched a vigorous 
campaign to defeat its passage in parliament.  The 
Professional Associations Council (PAC) took out large 
advertisements in several Arabic dailies condemning the bill 
"which seeks to dismantle the unions and place them under 
government control."  Other ads were directed towards MPs in 
the Lower House urging them to reject the draft law because 
it "contradicts the country's push for public reforms and 
greater democracy."  Several prominent editorials in the 
local press either criticized the bill for being 
"undemocratic" or questioned why it had been drafted in such 
haste and without broad consultations. 
 
5.  (U) On March 12, the associations and the Higher 
Coordination Committee of opposition political parties 
(dominated by the Islamic Action Front) staged peaceful 
demonstrations against the proposed law in cities throughout 
Jordan, including Irbid, Ajloun, Karak, and Zarqa.  Another 
protest sponsored by opposition parties (and which had been 
approved by the governor of Amman as stipulated by the Public 
Assembly Law) took place in front of the parliament building 
March 13.  Several hundred participants, some carrying 
placards with anti-government slogans, called on MPs to vote 
against the bill. 
 
--------------------- 
POLITICAL MANEUVERING 
--------------------- 
 
6.  (U) Debate within parliament on March 13 was heated. 
Over 30 MPs criticized the government for introducing the 
legislation, claiming that it went against "the people's 
democratic aspirations" and the King's directives."  Former 
two-time minister and vocal GOJ critic Abdul Karim Dughmi 
(East Banker, Mafraq) stated, "A government that suggests 
such a law is a government of political failure, not a 
government of political development."  Independent MP and 
former Minister of Health Abdul Rahim Malhas (East Banker, 
Amman) charged that "the government wants all people to think 
alike."  Proponents of the law responded that a change was 
sorely needed to force the associations to stop ignoring the 
professional needs of their members.  In his address to MPs, 
Prime Minster al-Fayez said that while Jordanians were 
"proud" of the associations and that the unions represented a 
"cornerstone" of civil society, he claimed that they had 
"used their position as a podium to attack Jordan's 
principled stands."  A majority of the 101 MPs voted at day's 
end against giving the proposed legislation "urgency status" 
as requested by the GOJ (i.e., against placing it on the fast 
track for a final vote of approval/rejection) and instead 
referred it to the Legal Committee for review. 
 
7.  (C) The vote in the Lower House came after intense 
behind-the-scenes maneuvering by opposition forces. 
According to parliamentary contacts, the Islamic Action Front 
(IAF) and it allies approached every major bloc in the Lower 
House and promised to discontinue the associations' 
anti-government rhetoric and political activity if MPs 
rejected the proposed law.  MP Abdullah al-Jazi (East Banker, 
Southern Badia), deputy head of the pro-government National 
Parliamentary Action bloc, told poloff March 8 that he and 
his colleagues had rebuffed the offer.  "Why should we agree? 
 They brought this upon themselves."  Al-Jazi at the time was 
confident that the law would eventually pass the Lower House, 
pointing out that 60 MPs had earlier signed a letter 
requesting the GOJ to draft legislation reforming the 
professional associations. 
 
8.  (C)  While the associations' backers failed to persuade a 
majority of MPs to reject the bill outright, their campaign 
nevertheless succeeded in derailing the GOJ's hopes that it 
would be approved prior to the adjournment of the current 
parliamentary session on March 30.  Several MPs reported that 
while they supported the law, the intense criticism against 
it had prompted them to refer it to committee, rather than 
take a definitive stand for it.  MP Suleiman Abu Ghaith (West 
Banker, Madaba) told poloff March 15 that he and many of his 
colleagues hoped the law could still be salvaged during the 
next session if the Legal Committee proposed amendments that 
would make the bill more palatable while preserving its 
overall purpose. 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
9.  (C) The GOJ was apparently unprepared for the intense 
campaign (and resulting outcry) against its attempt to reform 
the professional associations.  Despite a non-representative 
leadership structure and agenda, the Islamist union heads 
were able to portray the associations as "democratic" 
institutions and enlist the support of non-Islamist 
government critics (e.g., Dughmi).  In contrast to the 
associations' concerted efforts -- both in public and behind 
closed doors -- to rally support for their position, the 
Jordanian government did little to promote its draft law 
other than the usual appeal to pro-government MPs in the 
Lower House.  The GOJ will have to do a better job in 
countering the associations' arguments if the bill is not to 
languish in committee. 
 
10.  (U) Minimize considered. 
HENZEL