Jordan Times
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Gov’t drive to encourage participation in legislative polls
AMMAN (Petra) - A government campaign will be launched Monday to motivate various sectors of the community to take part in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
Minister of Political Development Mohammad Oran said the campaign is designed to increase participation in the November 20 elections and enhance the relationship between the government and civic groups.
According to the minister, around 600 individuals representing political parties, youth and women’s organisations and the media will take part in ministry-run seminars and workshops during the campaign, which will continue until November 16.
Oran added that the campaign will highlight the importance of Parliament and the way its decisions reflect on citizens’ lives.
In addition, he said a youth march, featuring around 2,000 youths wearing special T-shirts marking the occasion, will be launched from Al Hussein Youth City to Parliament. Participants in the march will then write their demands on a mural that will be placed in one of Parliament’s yards.
PM pledges fair, free polls
In a related development, Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit on Friday underlined the government's commitment to hold fair and free parliamentary elections.
In an interview on Jordan Television’s 60 Minutes, the premier said the government is keen to implement His Majesty King Abdullah's directives to ensure smooth elections.
When asked whether the government would allow civil society institutions to take part in monitoring the elections, Bakhit said NGOs are an integral part of public life and that the government respects their active role.
The premier referred to a meeting two months ago with the Jordanian Civil Alliance for Democratic Elections (JOCADE), in which the government told JOCADE members that it welcomed NGOs to take a more active role in the elections.
To ensure the success of the process, their participation should be organised so as not to negatively affect the election process or to violate laws and regulations, Bakhit stressed.
The government will allow NGOs to visit ballot centres and to get acquainted with government procedures, the premier added.
Bakhit pointed out that the government has worked with the National Centre for Human Rights to help coordinate NGOs following up on the elections.