Truck drivers strike
Jordanian authorities have suspended the functioning of the social networking application TikTok across the Kingdom.
The Directorate of Public Security said, in a statement on its Facebook page, that the Cybercrime Unit had decided to “temporarily halt the operation of the TikTok platform within the Kingdom, after abusing and having no reason to do with publications that incite violence and incite chaos”.
Numerous internet users and social media activists have reported that internet services are running slowly in many regions of the Kingdom.
This comes in light of the turmoil in many southern cities and protests against rising fuel prices.
The Cybercrime Unit announced: “The Cybercrime Unit and teams are following up on posts posted on social media, particularly in regards to hate speech, incitement to vandalism, assaults on law enforcement order, property and roadblocks”.
Many saw the move comes as a stop to sharing reports about the turmoil in the country.
“The TikTok platform has released a large number of videos inciting murder and mayhem,” government communications minister and official government spokesman Faisal Al-Shboul said at a news conference.
Jordanians staged sit-ins on Friday and activists called for more rallies to protest rising fuel prices, which has added hardship to the cost of living in the kingdom.
Truck drivers have been on strike for 11 days in several southern cities to protest against rising fuel prices. Meanwhile, a number of netizens shared images and videos pointing to riots and burning tires in Ma’an Governorate, south of the capital.
This comes a day after Ma’an governorate deputy police chief Colonel Abdel-Razzaq Al-Dalabeh was killed by a bullet to the head, according to the police statement, as well as injuring two officers in clashes with angry protesters in the governorate.
image copyright AFP extension
During the funeral of Colonel Abd al-Razzaq al-Dalabeh
Over the course of Thursday night, riot police chased away dozens of stone-throwing youths in Amman, Zarqa, Irbid and other cities.
A cautious calm prevailed in the streets on Friday, despite the continuation of sporadic demonstrations with the organization of a sit-in in front of the Grand Mosque of the Governorate of Ma’an, and in front of a mosque in the capital Amman, after Friday prayers, while activists called for more demonstrations.
Interior Minister Mazen Al-Faraya promised to take tough measures against those he described as rioters.
The Jordanian government has promised to look into the strikers’ demands, but at the same time says it has pumped in more than 500 million dinars ($700 million) to stem rising fuel prices this year, and that it cannot help more without violating the terms of the agreement on the International Monetary Fund.
Demonstrations in Jordan have been peaceful in the past and have included calls for democratic reforms and calls to fight corruption.
Jordan’s King Abdullah II condemned Friday’s attack.
A statement released by the royal court quoted the king as he offered condolences to the family and clan of the slain officer in Jerash Governorate: “This is my son and the son of all Jordanians, and we will not rest until the criminal he will not receive his punishment before justice for his heinous crime.”
He referred to “the difficult economic conditions that citizens are going through and their right to express their opinion by peaceful means and in accordance with the law”.
image copyright AFP extension
On Friday, Ma’an’s notables and sons issued a statement mourning Colonel Al-Dalabeh, emphasizing their “rejection and condemnation of any act outside the law.”
In Ma’an, an AFP reporter saw armored vehicles and police vehicles on the main streets of the city, and burnt tire tracks and stones in Al-Husseiniya, where the incident took place. It was calm everywhere.
There has been several talks of an agreement with the government to end the strike. However, it seems that a statement by Jordanian Prime Minister Bisher Al-Khasawneh a few days ago, in which he stated that “the government does not allow itself the luxury of subsidizing fuel”, has provoked the demonstrators.
Fuel prices are almost double last year, especially diesel, which is the main fuel for trucks and buses, and kerosene, which is the main heating fuel for the poor.
The government has offered some solutions, including raising freight rates and distributing cash to support the hardest-hit families, but they appear to have not been satisfactory enough for the strikers.
The war in Ukraine has also played a major role in rising global fuel prices.
Jordan suffers from difficult economic conditions, exacerbated by debts that have exceeded 50 billion dollars, and by the Covid pandemic. The unemployment rate rose to around 25 percent in 2021, according to official data, while among young people has risen to 50 percent.
The kingdom’s economy relies heavily on aid, particularly from the United States, the European Union and the Gulf states, according to AFP.
Last month, Oman and Washington signed an agreement under which Washington would provide Oman with an $845 million grant to shore up the government budget.
In September, the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding according to which Washington will provide total aid for the period (2023-2029) worth $10.15 billion, at an annual rate of $1.45 billion, at starting in 2023.
And the Elysee Palace announced earlier this month that a regional summit would be held in Jordan “before the end of the year,” bringing together Iraq and neighboring countries, with France participating, similar to the Baghdad conference. in August 2021.
