Jordan Times
Sunday, August 6, 2006
Gov’t tasked with enacting ‘We are All Jordan’ recommendations
AMMAN (JT) — His Majesty King Abdullah on Saturday directed the government to set timetables to implement the recommendations of the recent “We are All Jordan” Forum.
In a letter to Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit, the King said the forum — during which 700 local leaders defined the country’s priorities — entrenched the principle of participation in policy making.
The King referred in the letter to his decision to establish the “We are All Jordan Commission.”
He said the commission would be a “Royal advisory body” to oversee the implementation of the recommendations made at the July 26-27 meeting. It will also organise the forum on a regular basis.
In his closing remarks at the forum, which was held at the Dead Sea, the King stressed that the commission “will not transgress constitutional institutions.”
Additionally, the body will present periodic reports on the work being done and measure progress, according to the Monarch.
The six major topics evoked by forum participants including the Palestine issue, political reform, external challenges, domestic development, economic reform and social security.
The King lauded the participants — which included government officials, media and civil society representatives, political party leaders, as well as youth and private sector representatives — for their success in “achieving the objectives of the forum, namely a national consensus on unchangeable principles, a comprehensive unified vision, and definitions of themes that we should prioritise.”
The participants produced the “We are All Jordan Document” in which they defined a group of draft laws to be given priority when Parliament meets for an extraordinary session, the timing of which remains unspecified.
The proposed legislation includes an anti-corruption commission law, anti-terror law and the laws that govern mosque preaching and iftaa (issuance of religious edicts), among others.
Regarding the political process, priority will be given to the Elections Law, the Municipal Elections Law, Press and Publications Law, Right to Access Information Law, the draft anti-money laundering law, Financial Disclosure Law, and the law governing the work of the National Human Rights Centre.
Regarding economic reform, there was focus on a proposed tax law, which the communiqué said should address the shortcomings in previous such legislation to ensure justice for all citizens.
“[We] must work with all our capacity to maintain the strength of Jordan and solidarity among Jordanians,” the King said in his letter. “An impenetrable Jordan is the real support for the Arab nation and its causes, foremost of which the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the Palestinian soil, the unity, stability and sovereignty of Iraq and an end to bloodshed in Lebanon.”