by Natasha Tynes | Mar 11, 2007 | Jordan, my nation, The Disturbing
The UN news agency, IRIN, has a new feature about honor crimes in Jordan. According to the article:
"Jordanian law continues to be lenient on those who kill their female relatives in the name of protecting family honor. Last year, between 15 and 20 women were stabbed, beaten or strangled to death by family members, sometimes women themselves."
And here is the most disturbing part:
Mohammad Rai — from Salt, 30km west of the capital, Amman — killed his cousin a few years ago to uphold his family’s honor. He was 17 years old at the time and said he did it under pressure from family elders. But a few years later, he has no regrets.
"I would do it again if I had to. People here would have stigmatized my entire family if I had not killed her and shame would have followed us wherever we went," said Rai, who is now a bus driver. He served just six months in prison because the victim’s father dropped the charges.
The only crime Rai’s cousin committed was that she told her conservative father that she was in love with a man from another family and that he wanted to ask for her hand in marriage. "We are prisoners of our own social habits, there is nothing we can do about it," said a defiant Rai.
The fact that Mohammad Rai says he would do it again is extremely and utterly disturbing. It should give those that support honor crimes something to think about. Since Rai got away with committing such a heinous crime, why should he fear doing it again? Since Rai is a free man after murdering another human being in cold blood, what would stop him next time? The answer is nothing. He’ll do it again if and when he wishes. This is just horrendous. Read the whole article here.
by Natasha Tynes | Mar 8, 2007 | Jordan, my nation, The Mideast
An outcry from Jordanian tour operators has compelled Amman to backtrack on a controversial new regulation that was intended to limit the entry of single eastern European and North African women into the country. Tour operators throughout the country were notified earlier this week of a new visa regulation issued by Jordan’s Ministry of Interior. The directive stipulated that women traveling alone to Jordan from several eastern European and North African countries would be required to obtain special entry visas.
The ministry notice gave no reason for the new regulation. But tour operators said the conservative government was trying to clamp down on the growing trend of prostitution in Jordan imported by women from these countries.
Source: [The Media Line]
Phew! What were they thinking? I’m glad that if my Moroccan friend Soumia or my Tunisian pal Leilouta ever decided to visit Jordan — on their own — they won’t need a "special entry" visa.
It reminds me of my attempt to get a visa to Dubai from Doha, Qatar a few years ago. I went there with Jeff, but for some reason did not mention that I was married. I just simply requested a visa. The woman in charge of visas at the embassy gave me a hard time, asking me to do a tedious amount of paper work that really baffled me.
However, when I mentioned my husband and pointed to him, she told me: "You should have told me you are married to the American. You can pick up your visa tomorrow." I was later told that Arab single women (along with few other nationalities) applying for a visa to the Emirates usually face some "special" restrictions. The logical explanation I was give for this was the country’s quest to curb prostitution.
I guess somehow being married or maybe being married to "the American" made me much less likely to spread moral corruption. Dangerous, dangerous me!
by Natasha Tynes | Mar 7, 2007 | Jordan, my nation, Media watch
Jordan’s Press Association (JPA) slammed parliament Thursday for approving a clause in a draft law that allows the imprisonment of journalists. "We reject this decision. We are opposed to the imprisonment of journalists for expressing their opinions by writing, verbally, or by any other means, and linking this to four taboos," JPA president Tarek Momani said. "At the same time we welcome parliament’s decision to scrap a clause calling for the arrest of journalists over publication matters," he added. During its deliberations of a controversial press and publication draft law, the 110-seat lower house approved Wednesday a clause to imprison journalists over four violations outlined in Article 26.
Source: [Middle East Times]
Yes, I’m disturbed by the news but not surprised. The sad reality is that such a step was somehow expected from the current parliament — whose performance thus far has been extremely disappointing. The Jordanian blogosphere wa quick to react to this new development. Khalaf has a nice wrap up of Jordanian columnists’ reaction to this new draft law. Also the UN news agency, IRIN, ran a feature last week detailing the depressing situation facing Jordanian journalists. Here is an excerpt:
Several incidents of attacks and harassment against journalists in Jordan have been reported since the beginning of this year. The latest involved a reporter from al-Rai newspaper, the most widely circulated Arabic daily, who was beaten up by a group of policemen last month in Amman. The journalist, Khalid Khawaja, was admitted to hospital because of wounds sustained in the attack. The police denied wrongdoing and shifted the blame on Khawaja for allegedly "beating and insulting a policeman on duty."
A few weeks earlier, three journalists from al-Ghad, al-Arab al-Yawm and al-Doustour dailies were arrested when they tried to cover a story in the northern city of Irbid and were reportedly threatened by the military governor to leave the area. Also, the editor al-Mehwar weekly tabloid, Hisham Khalidi, was fined US $15,000 on 9 February for publishing controversial material about a public institution. These events have provoked angry reactions from the media community, including the Jordan Press Association (JPA) and rights groups, who said such measures represent a flagrant infringement of basic human rights and curtail media freedoms.
You can read the full IRIN article here.
by Natasha Tynes | Feb 19, 2007 | Jordan, my nation, Political mayhem, The Mideast
I really do not understand why, in this day and time, there are some people that are still hung up on the issue of East Bankers vs. West Bankers. I’m talking about a comment I received yesterday by someone calling themselves "Fairfax Boy." Here is Fairfax Boy’s contribution to the discussion about Amman’s urban development.
Palestinians built Amman from the ground up. you East Bankers have a lot to learn.
Will we ever evolve beyond this endless and pointless argument? Geez!
by Natasha Tynes | Feb 18, 2007 | Jordan, my nation, Television
One of the most engaging articles that I read last week was one in the New Yorker which examined the repercussions of the myriad of torture scenes in the award-winning Fox drama 24. Entitled "Whatever it takes" — Jack Bauer’s famous line from the show — the article keeps tabs on 24′s torture scenes and details their impact.
Since September 11th, depictions of torture have become much more common on American television. Before the attacks, fewer than four acts of torture appeared on prime-time television each year, according to Human Rights First, a nonprofit organization. Now there are more than a hundred, and, as David Danzig, a project director at Human Rights First, noted, "the torturers have changed. It used to be almost exclusively the villains who tortured. Today, torture is often perpetrated by the heroes." The Parents’ Television Council, a nonpartisan watchdog group, has counted what it says are sixty-seven torture scenes during the first five seasons of 24 — mo4e than one every other show. Melissa Caldwell, the council’s senior director of programs, said, "24 is the worst offender on television: the most frequent, most graphic, and the leader in the trend of showing the protagonists using torture."
The impact of the show is even being felt within the United States Army.
This past November, U.S. Army Brigadier General Patrick Finnegan, the dean of the United States Military Academy at West Point, flew to Southern California to meet with the creative team behind 24. Finnegan, who was accompanied by three of the most experienced military and F.B.I. interrogators in the country, arrived on the set as the crew was filming. At first, Finnegan — wearing an immaculate Army uniform, his chest covered in ribbons and medals — aroused confusion: he was taken for an actor and was asked by someone what time his "call" was. In fact, Finnegan and the others had come to voice their concern that the show’s central political premise — that the letter of American law must be sacrificed for the country’s security — was having a toxic effect. In their view, the show promoted unethical and illegal behavior and had adversely affected the training and performance of real American soldiers. "I’d like them to stop," Finnegan said of the show’s producers. "They should do a show where torture backfires."
The Sandmonkey wrote a whimsical entry last month in which he analyzed this most recent season of 24. I laughed out loud when I read his observations. He too pointed out that the show had more than its share of torture. "Ohh, and is it just me, or is this show a little too torture-friendly?" I have watched and enjoyed every season of 24 so far. There is something about the show’s dramatic production that grabs me. However, I agree with the New Yorker article, the show does make torture out as an effective interrogation method. While some might argue that torture is necessary in cases of "ticking time-bombs," I believe torture is barbaric and should never be applied. It is also pointless, as some interrogators have pointed out:
… But Navarro, who estimates that he has conducted some twelve thousand interrogations, replied that torture was not an effective response. "These are very determined people, and they won’t turn just because you pull a fingernail out," he told me. And Finnegan argued that torturing fanatical Islamist terrorists is particularly pointless. "They almost welcome torture," he said. "They expect it. They want to be martyred." A ticking time bomb, he pointed out, would make a suspect only more unwilling to talk. "They know if they can simply hold out several hours, all the more glory — the ticking time-bomb will go off!"
While on the issue of torture, I have to admit that it saddens me tremendously to read news items that link Jordan to torture. The last was one I read was on Rami’s blog, which detailed the story of a Jordanian living in Sweden, who is set to be deported from there, and is expected to face torture when he arrives back home.
The Swedish migration minister for Right-to-Center government, Tobias Billström, came under criticism for agreeing to deport the Jordanian, but he promised that Assad will not be tortured by the Jordanian secret police. Assad was not tried in the regular Swedish court and the whole deliberations are kept secret. Billström said he has enough evidence that proves Assad is a terrorist, but he did not reveal any of them to the local media. [Photo: Assad and two of his children in their Gothenburg flat, © Goteborg Posten]
You can read the entire New Yorker article here.
by Natasha Tynes | Feb 17, 2007 | Jordan, my nation, Sports
I just read on Tamara’s blog about two Jordanian females — who happen to be twins — that are currently in Alaska training for their big trip to Mount Everest. Here is an excerpt:
The Jordanian runners Dima and Lama Hattab have just joined a training camp on 9 February 2007 in Alaska supported by King Abdullah II Fund for Development, this training camp will be followed by chain of other similar ones in order to climb Everest summit in 2008.
"We have our dream to accomplish many distinguished sporty achievements not only locally or in the Arab World but also internationally to present the competitive Jordanian sport, we are honored and humbled by the great support of King Abdullah II Fund for Development to be the first initiative to help us in our mission to be the first Arab female twins climb the Everest together." Lama Hattab said.
"Alaska region, which is a state of the United States of America located in the extreme northwest portion of North America, is considered a perfect place to learn how to live in cold climates since the winter there is a very long dark one, temperatures often are Sub-zero. The ten days training organized by Alaska Ultra Sport."
"The sisters have sent an electronic message advised the local press that they started the training by sleeping in the tent surrounded by snow in 15-CËš tracking very hard diet system." Dima Hattab added.
This is exciting news. I really wish them all the best. Click here to find more information on the twins and their trek. Hat tip: [Exciting Life]
Since September 11th, depictions of torture have become much more common on American television. Before the attacks, fewer than four acts of torture appeared on prime-time television each year, according to Human Rights First, a nonprofit organization. Now there are more than a hundred, and, as David Danzig, a project director at Human Rights First, noted, "the torturers have changed. It used to be almost exclusively the villains who tortured. Today, torture is often perpetrated by the heroes." The Parents’ Television Council, a nonpartisan watchdog group, has counted what it says are sixty-seven torture scenes during the first five seasons of 24 — mo4e than one every other show. Melissa Caldwell, the council’s senior director of programs, said, "24 is the worst offender on television: the most frequent, most graphic, and the leader in the trend of showing the protagonists using torture." 
