US embassy cable - 02AMMAN4820

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 004820 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, SOCI, PHUM, JO 
SUBJECT: Jordanian Youth and the Future of Jordan 
 
 
1. (SBU) The following cable was drafted by an FSN member of 
the Embassy staff.  We thought it was particularly 
interesting as a description of the youth scene from the 
inside. 
 
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Summary 
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2. (SBU) Frustrated and insecure about the future and the 
prevailing social and economic situation, Jordanian youth 
are now willing more than ever to consider leaving the 
kingdom for better opportunities elsewhere. Many young 
Jordanians, especially those who have had the chance for a 
U.S. or other Western education, feel hampered by limited 
job opportunities, constrained free expression, societal 
pressures, familial expectations and tribal ties. On the one 
hand, the society lives by conservative traditional 
standards, and on the other hand Jordan is changing and 
globalizing so rapidly that many young people find 
themselves in between conflicting worlds. A sense of 
alienation drives some to look outside the Kingdom's 
borders.  End Summary. 
 
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The Familiar Complaints of Youth 
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3. (SBU) Jordanian youth across the board feel frustrated. 
For some, this frustration centers on a sense that they are 
victims of discrimination, favoritism and abuse of power by 
a "wasta" connected elite. They don't like how society is 
run, but feel powerless to change the situation. A second, 
more diffuse complaint focuses on the cultural constraints 
that prevent them from living their lives as freely as they 
would like, or feeling that they control their own destiny. 
Siham, a university student, is typical. She says she wanted 
to study art, but was not allowed because her family thought 
it's inappropriate and dishonorable for a girl to go into 
such a field. Siham now studies Law instead because this is 
what her parents want her to do. Like young people 
elsewhere, Jordanian youth struggle to express themselves. 
There is an inner conflict between wanting to be 
individualistic and being bound to live in the shadows of 
the family, tribe and community. 
 
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Buffeted by the Political Winds 
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4. (SBU) Living in the Middle East, Jordanian youth cannot 
help but be caught up in the dual crises on the country's 
borders: Israeli-Palestinian violence to the west, and the 
seemingly never-ending problems in Iraq to the east. Roughly 
half of the population is of Palestinian origin, many with 
families still living in the West Bank, so emotional support 
for the plight of the Palestinians is intense.  Furthermore, 
many young Jordanians are willing to overlook what they 
recognize as Saddam's brutal nature, and instead see in him 
a strong Arab leader, a latter-day Salahaddin, who will 
reclaim Arab honor. In a youth culture bereft of credible 
leaders, the thirst for an authentic Arab hero - even one as 
flawed as Saddam -- is strong.  What happens in the West 
Bank and Iraq quickly reverberates in Jordan. Political 
consciousness peaks during times of intense violence across 
the river, and ebbs when relative quiet returns.  Similarly, 
many feel disappointment with their own government for 
prohibiting them from protesting as publicly, or as loudly, 
as they would like. 
 
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The Economic Factor and Wasta 
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5. (SBU) Popularly-held estimates of unemployment in Jordan 
run as high as 35% -- although official figures are less 
than half that.  So-called underemployment of people working 
less than full-time or in jobs beneath their qualifications 
is probably substantially higher.  The current population 
numbers nearly 5 million, with more than 75 percent under 
the age of 30. As such, Jordan faces the challenge of 
placing 130,000 students into universities and 70,000 new 
entrances into the already squeezed labor market each year. 
University entrance is difficult even with good grades 
because of the limited number of seats. There are certain 
quotas or number of seats given to family members of the 
armed forces and Royal Court. For example, a Jordanian 
student whose father was in the army can get a seat even if 
he/she didn't fare better than another student. All 
recognize that if you have "wasta" (connections), the rules 
can be bent in your favor, and opportunities for advancement 
will be far greater.   Young Jordanians without wasta fear 
not only that they can't compete for well paying jobs, but 
that they aren't competitive for any jobs at all. Pessimism 
and frustration push some to seek better job opportunities 
abroad. 
 
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The Brain Drain and Differences Between 
The Haves and The Have Nots 
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6. (SBU) Youth who choose to leave, do so for two main 
reasons: (1) to make money or (2) to seek greater freedom, 
challenge, and adventure. Many upper middle class Jordanian 
Youth are finding the Kingdom too small for big 
opportunities, the ceiling for personal expression and 
freedom too low, and the regional political situation too 
unstable. While the government has pursued a "Think Big" 
campaign to motivate the country for success, many Jordanian 
youth are thinking bigger than what is available here. 
 
7. (SBU) For instance, many upper middle class youth have 
the resources to start businesses in Jordan but are afraid 
of the future and anxious about putting their life savings 
into a country that they perceive as caught in the middle of 
an unending regional crisis. They would like to stay in 
Jordan and realize their ambitions and aspirations here. 
That said, many focus not on the opportunities that could 
exist, but on the shortcomings they see around them, be it 
in education, work and employment, health, leisure, access 
to information, freedom of movement - no matter how 
comfortably they live. They complain about the hike in 
general taxes, but that doesn't stop them from buying; they 
complain about the levels of education, but at least they 
can afford to go to schools and colleges; they complain 
about not finding good challenging jobs, but they won't 
starve if they don't work. 
 
8. (SBU) Lower class youth share many of the same concerns 
as their wealthier counterparts, but without the financial 
safety net. Jobs are harder to find and when found are 
underpaid. The father's income is no longer sufficient to 
feed and educate the entire family. Youth are under economic 
pressure and complain that the government is not doing 
enough to better their situation. Life is a constant 
struggle for them and they live day to day and can not 
afford to plan ahead or dream too far. For 19-year-old 
Ghassan, making a living is a struggle. He spends 16 hours a 
day collecting fares on a bus in Amman and gets paid 6 
Dinars a day. He says it is hardly enough to support his 6- 
member family. Ghassan is one of many youths forced to drop 
out of school to join the labor market. Professor Shteiwi, a 
sociologist at the University of Jordan, says that young 
Jordanians have the will to develop themselves but not the 
opportunities, while "the government still lacks a clear 
vision to understand the basic needs for social and economic 
development." 
 
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Conclusion 
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9. (SBU) The growing gap between the rich and poor youth is 
a cause for concern.  Upper class Jordanian youth have their 
education and work secured for them. They have access to 
information and are well rounded. They can afford to travel, 
and usually speak more than one language - this helps them 
integrate into the larger world around them. They have the 
know-how and positive attitude that enables them to 
challenge convention, and they are thus more able as young 
adults to demand their rights. They also have the means to 
"vote with their feet" and seek opportunities elsewhere if 
they feel unfulfilled here. 
 
10. (SBU) For those with less financial means or wasta 
connections, life is often a struggle from the outset: to 
enter Universities, to study what they want and later to 
have access and acceptance into the very competitive labor 
market. They have more limited access to information, and 
are not encouraged to grow and to challenge the status quo. 
Society assigns them the role they can play, and this can 
lead to stagnation and depression. Resentment toward their 
richer counterparts grows, and frustration becomes a central 
drive. These youths end up propagating the cycle with their 
children.  They don't push them to achieve and to challenge 
because they know the limits. 
 
Berry