Jordan Times
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
King briefed on PSD plan for Amman
AMMAN (Petra) — His Majesty King Abdullah on
Tuesday reiterated his keenness to entrench the principles of the sovereignty of
the law, justice and equality among all Jordanians.
The King made the remarks at a meeting with Ahmad Obeidat, head of the National
Centre for Human Rights (NCHR) board of trustees.
King Abdullah, who received a copy of the recently issued NCHR report on the
status of human rights in the Kingdom between June 2003 to December 2004, said
the country is going ahead with its policy of enhancing respect for human
rights.
Obeidat expressed his appreciation for the King's concern to build a society in
which public freedoms and human rights are preserved. He also commended recent
Royal directives to security forces to deal with citizens and civil society
institutions with greater transparency.
“We have sensed a positive and qualitative change with regard to prisons
administrations, and dealings with inmates,” Obeidat said.
Also Tuesday, during a visit to the Public Security Department (PSD), King
Abdullah was briefed on the department's strategy of dividing Amman into three
police directorates, located in the north, centre and south of the capital.
PSD Director Lt. General Mohammad Aitan said the goal behind the division is to
facilitate procedures for citizens and offer more quality services.
He said the plan also includes the establishment of 50 security stations on
highways linking governorates and on border areas over three phases, with the
first starting this year.
During the visit, King Abdullah inaugurated Al Malik Al Insan photography
exhibition at the Royal Police Academy.
The seven-day exhibition, which includes 180 photos of the Monarch's activities,
visits to remote areas and meeting with citizens, is set to tour the Kingdom's
12 governorates, running for three days in each.
Royal Court Chief Faisal Fayez and several ministers and officials attended the
opening ceremony.
Also yesterday, King Abdullah stressed the importance of enhancing dialogue,
understanding and cooperation among followers of different religions and urged
the spread of values of tolerance, coexistence and brotherhood.
During a meeting with a 38-member delegation representing the Los Angeles-based
Simon Wiesenthal Centre yesterday, King Abdullah said the Amman Message,
released during the Holy Month of Ramadan last November, reflects the tolerance
and moderate values inherent in Islam, which reject terrorism and extremism.
Key Islamic clergy and scholars will discuss how best to promote the principles
and values enshrined in the Amman Message during the International Islamic
Conference scheduled to be held in Amman early next month.
The delegation members voiced appreciation for the King's campaign to realise
regional peace and stability and his efforts to build bridges of cooperation
among peoples of the world.
At the end of the meeting, Marvin Hier, founder and dean of the Simon Wiesenthal
Centre, presented the centre's 2005 Tolerance Award to the King on behalf of the
delegation, whose members hail from the United States, Canada, France and the
United Kingdom.
“We are recognising King Abdullah for being a force for peace, moderation and
coexistence as well as for his consistent repudiation of terrorism and
extremism,” said Hier.
King Abdullah is the second Muslim leader to receive the award. His Majesty the
late King Hussein was presented the award in 1995 when he visited the centre's
Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles.