ammonnews.net

Ammon News - By Anas Damra

AMMONNEWS - Thousands of pro-reform activists took to the streets on Friday in various Jordanian governorates vowing to continue their demonstrations until they witness genuine measures to combat corruption and implement true political reforms.

Friday was dubbed the "Oath Friday," in which pro-reform demonstrators throughout the country took a united "oath" to continue their pro-reform activism and stressing that the objective and goal of their mobilization is demanding what is in the best interest of the state, according to their expression.

In downtown Amman, nearly 4,000 protestors from the Islamist movement and youth of Tafileh neighborhood in Amman, in addition to Maan and Bani Hassan Youth coalitions marched from Al Husseini Mosque towards Ras Al Ain following Friday midday prayers enduring the hot temperatures of a heat wave affecting Jordan this weekend.

The protestors took an oath, stating "We pledge to God, the country, and the people that this movement will continue until reform is actualized. We pledge to God, the country, and the people, to remain loyal to our homeland and its demands, and to remain the soldiers who will defend its dignity and might, and pledge to remain the voice of the oppressed and those who are deprived of their freedom. We pledge to you to remain loyal to the country and the people, praying to God that it will be purified of despotism and corruption. We pledge to freedom to remain the true and loud voice that demands rights, and we pledge to the Jordanian people that the goal and objective of our activism is the interest of the country."

Watch Video (More coverage below)



Friday witnessed escalated condemnation of the endemic and rampant corruption in the country, according to their expression, vowing to continue protesting until "all corruption, bribery, and despotism is history."

Slogans included "The people want to reform the state," "the people want justice and freedom."

The protestors demanded public freedoms, unleashing press freedoms and independence, rejecting attempts to restrict the media and mislead people through government propaganda.

They chanted slogans standing by free press as a means to get "the truth" out to the public, according to their expression, chanting "From all Jordanians, We Salute Journalism and Media."

In a stress on civil rights and freedoms, the protestors held placards and banners stating "Freedom is a right, not a grant," and "Freedom + Dignity = Humanity," and "We reject restricting the freedom of expression."

A number of Islamist leaders and representatives of youth and political opposition movements gave speeches calling for reform, an elected government, and denounced the attacks on journalists and continued intimidation of media outlets, particularly during the July 15th peaceful pro-reform demonstration at Al Nakhil Square near downtown Amman.

The Jordanian "36 Tribal Current" held placards stating "The hands of the people, bare of money and weapons, is what will defeat the weapons, policies, and thuggery of the regime."

A similar protest took place in Hay Nazzal, in southern Amman, organized by a coalition of leftist and nationalist opposition political parties and youth movement, including the Populist Unity Party youth, Jordanian Campaign for Change "Jayeen", Jordanian Socialist Leftist youth, youth of the Jordanian communist party, Pan-Arab movement, Dhabahtouna movement for students' rights, youth of Jordan's People's Party "Hashd," 1952 Constitution movement, Youth for Change, Jordanian Women's Union, and others.

* By Banan Malkawi for Ammon News English

* More photos and coverage on Ammon News Arabic @ http://ammonnews.net/article.aspx?articleNO=93388