Say taking part in govt is "out of the question"

Jordan Islamist reject offer to join new government

Sunday, 06 February 2011

On Friday, hundreds of Jordanians protested against King Abdullah's government reshuffle (File)

AMMAN (Agencies)

Jordan's Islamist opposition said on Sunday it has rejected an offer to join a new government headed by Prime Minister Marruf Bakhit and tasked with enhancing reforms.

"We have received an offer to join to the government of Marruf Bakhit, but we refused," Hamzah Mansur, leader of the powerful Islamic Action Front (IAF), the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan, told AFP.

"We did not discuss the details of the offer, but all what I can say is that taking part in this government under the current circumstances is out of the question," he said.

While the IAF's internal bylaws do not prevent the Islamists from joining government, "acceptable participation for us is the one that comes through national consensus and parliamentary elections," he added.

"We are not asking for miracles. Our demands are realistic, practical and doable. We demand early general polls in line with a new electoral law."

The IAF boycotted the general election in November in protest at constituency boundaries set up under a new electoral law, which it said over-represented rural areas considered loyal to the government.

Bakhit said on Saturday that his cabinet -- which he hopes to have in place by Thursday -- would "include personalities who are credible and close to the people."

King Abdullah II instructed the 64-year-old career soldier and past prime minister to undertake a sweeping program of political and economic reforms following street protests after accepting the resignation of Samir Rifai.

Demonstrations

On Friday, hundreds of Jordanians, inspired by demonstrations in Egypt, protested against King Abdullah's government reshuffle saying it did not meet their calls for political reform.

Protesters, drawn mainly from the Muslim Brotherhood, said the hundreds of thousands of Egyptians demanding an immediate end to President Hosni Mubarak's 30-year rule were charting a road to freedom and democracy for all Arabs against autocratic rulers.

"No to Rifai; No to Bakhit. We want an elected prime minister," chanted the mainly Islamist crowd, joined by scores of left-wing protesters and activists.

Sheikh Mansour said: "We want changes in policy and laws. It is not about changing faces."

But Bakhit's appointment seems to have calmed many tribal and rural Jordanians, backbone of support for the Hashemite monarchy, who have mobilized the protests in rural areas in the past weeks against what they see as cuts in state jobs and subsidies since the global financial crisis hit Jordan.

Many protesters on Friday said real change would be by having broader political representation and a more democratic parliament. The king appoints cabinets, approves legislation and can dissolve parliament.

The Brotherhood -- an opponent of Israel, with which Jordan has a peace treaty, and the United States -- said its leaders raised long-standing demands for wider freedom and an end to laws that curb civil liberties.

"We want seriousness and reforms on the ground. We want initiatives now where people feel they are partners in decision making," Sheikh Mansour, who attended the meeting with the monarch, told protesters on Friday.