Why, oh why, did I open my laptop this morning before I even got a sip of caffeine in my system? I got up up-beat about joining in the Blog for Jordan action for the first time, especially on RSF’s ‘World Day Against Cyber Censorship.’ Uuughhh.

I don’t blog, and I don’t write columns. I’m not one to preach online especially that I’m still trying to situate myself in the Jordanian cyber community, particularly Jordanian electronic press medium.

But I have to vent, sorry. It’s been nearly a week that I’ve been suffering from chocking bites of ‘opinion’ columns in Jordanian media, both print and electronic, including the one that I work for (sorry boss..)! If you haven’t been following the trivial feud going on between Al Ghad daily newspaper and electronic news sites, then take my advice and stay away. If you’ve been cursed by even hearing about it, then join me in venting!

So several days ago, Al Ghad allegedly launched a fierce defamation campaign against heads of Jordanian electronic media outlets. Why? Well, I’m not the one to answer, or to care! Attacking the supposed professionalism of electronic news agencies and greedy pockets, Al Ghad’s campaign dipped low enough in lingual abuse of the supposed eager Jordanian media ‘moguls’ who claim to champion press freedoms.

Anyway, adding insult to injury (to Jordanian press professionalism that is), electronic news outlets retaliated in kind and deed, and this trifling feud which many tried to drag even Prime Minister Samir Rifai into has gone a bit too far in totally consuming the time and energy of supposedly renowned columnists on both sides of the Jordanian press spectrum.

So what’s going on with Al Mabhouh’s assassination investigation? The cracks in the walls of Al Aqsa Mosque are squirting tears at the targeted brethren of Al Ibrahimi and Bilal Bin Rabah Mosques for now sharing its same struggle, and depressingly possible, the same fate. Oh, so what about the cracks in Al Bayader’s building that neighbors had been complaining about for months, until the 7-storey building finally collapsed on the heads of its own construction workers? A unit of human blood is more expensive than a kilogram of Baladi meat; that is only of course, if you’re not insured!

If our beloved freedom fighters of print and electronic press knights aren’t worried about the above, and want something more fresh and juicy to dwell on, there’s always the good ole’ ‘freedom of the press’ slogans to wear out. Here’s something to talk about!

So last I heard, we have an ‘Access to Information Law’ in Jordan.. couple that with constitutional guarantees of transparency and press freedoms, why did we (yes Jordanian media, and people) fell silently mute when the Public Prosecutor of the State Security Court banned the (local) press from reporting or commenting on the Jordan Petroleum Refinery Company expansion project corruption case??

What I loved more about the ban is that ‘anyone wishing to publish any material should first obtain the Public Prosecutor’s “personal approval.”

** I had a good metaphor inserted here, but because of the 'high ceiling of press freedoms,' which is supposed to be the 'sky,' I removed it based on the request of some who wish Ammon News to survive**

A defendant is innocent until proven guilty, and this alleged corruption case has the hallmarks of possibly being counted as a milestone achievement not only for the Rifai (III) government, but for Jordanian anti-corruption history and for improving Jordan’s image abroad and reclaiming the once shaken reputation of ‘rule of law.’ So, why the ban?

I fully understand the legal jurisdiction for the Public Prosecutor to ban any publishing of 'details' that may impede the process or results of the investigation, but the vague broad ban on publishing or commenting is a bit too wholesome to swollow.

Is Jordanian media, both print and electronic, fine with the status quo of censorship (yes, it is censorship to ban me from publishing or even commenting on the corruption case), or are we too busy in our trifling feud over who said what about whom!


By Banan Malkawi