US embassy cable - 03AMMAN1867

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 001867 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/27/2013 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, JO 
SUBJECT: TFIZO1: GOJ BRACES FOR COUNTRYWIDE ANTI-WAR 
DEMONSTRATIONS IN JORDAN AFTER FRIDAY PRAYERS AND BEYOND 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Edward W. Gnehm. Reasons 1.5 (B) and (D) 
 
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PUBLIC RAGE SIMMERING FOR A WEEK 
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1. (C) Although the coalition's military actions against Iraq 
started a week ago, this Friday will be the first time that 
Jordanians will congregate for Friday prayers and express 
their pent up frustrations with the "US aggression" after 
watching events unfold on t.v. all week.  Adding to the 
heightened emotions will be today's burial in Irbid 
governorate, north of Amman, of the four Jordanian students 
killed near Mosul while trying to flee Iraq. 
 
 
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GOVERNMENT AUTHORIZED DEMONSTRATIONS 
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2. (C) The GOJ has been negotiating with the main protest 
organizers all week (the Islamic Action Front and the 
professional associations chief among them).  Amman, Jerash, 
Salt, Irbid and Ramtha are just some of the cities where 
government authorized anti-war demonstrations are planned 
after Friday prayers tomorrow, with other demonstrations 
occurring on Sunday, March 30.  Authorized demonstrations are 
also planned at some of the Palestinian refugee camps 
scattered throughout Jordan.  While the GOJ recognizes the 
need to allow the public to vents its anger, Jordan's Public 
Security Department (PSD) is very concerned that such 
demonstrations (or spontaneous unauthorized protests 
elsewhere) could turn violent after a week of people seeing 
Iraq bombed and innocent civilians dying. 
 
3. (C)  All expectations are that Friday will serve as a test 
of the PSD's crowd control abilities, and the government's 
overall dexterity at crafting a message that acknowledges 
popular anger while maintaining order. 
GNEHM