Opposition split on holding Friday protests
02-02-2011 12:00 AM
Ammon News - By Amal Ghabayen
AMMONNEWS - The Islamist current and the Populist Unity political party decided to resume protest demonstrations on Friday to call for political and economic reforms, whereas other opposition party decided to "call it by ear."
Among the opposition groups disagreeing over resuming protests are the Hashd political party, Al Baath Arab Socialist party, the National Movement for Direct Democracy, the Communist current, and the Arab Progressive Baath party.
Following an urgent meeting held at the headquarters of the Unity opposition party on Wednesday evening, Head of the coordinating committee of opposition political parties, Dr. Sa'eed Dhiyab told Ammon News that opposition parties split on the decision to resume protests.
Dhiyab said that the Islamist movement and the Unity party decided to resume protests "out of their belief that reform is not achieved by changing individuals, but rather by changing political method."
Secretary General of the Islamic Action Front (IAF) Hamzeh mansour told Ammon News that the "causes and factors that instigated the protests are still present, and we will not stop until there is a serious vision for real political reform."
Meanwhile, Spokesperson of the National Movement for Change "Jayeen" Muhammad Sneid noted in statements to Ammon News that the movement decided to hold a protest march Friday evening in Irbid near Yarmouk University Circle.
Sneid added that the movement will not concede its demands of forming a "national salvation government" and establishing a special commission or court for corruption and holding the corrupt accountable.
In resuming its protest movement against political and economic conditions in the country, the Islamist, leftist, and nationalist currents will hold a protest march in Zarqa governorate following Friday prayer, to launch from Omar ibn Al Khattab mosque in Zarqa city.
* By Banan Malkawi from Ammon Arabic