Ammon News - By Mohammad Abo Hmaed
AMMONNEWS - A large delegation of Iraqi tribal leaders and dignitaries on Friday denounced the recent attacks by Iraqi embassy cadres against Jordanian activists during an embassy function last week.
A delegation of over 50 tribal leaders, former politicians, and ex-military leaders of the former Iraqi regime met with Jordanian dignitaries and politicians in a reception held by the Najdawi tribe, the family of one of the activists assaulted in last week's incident.
The delegation, a majority of which remain supporters of the former regime of Saddam Hussein, denounced the incident and held the Embassy and the Iraqi government responsible for the attacks, stressing that this incident ought not harm the strong bonds and relationships between the Iraqi and Jordanian people.
The delegation reportedly represented various segments of Iraqi society, including Sunnis, Shiites, and Kurds, who came to express solidarity with the Jordanian activists and denounce the "brutal" attacks they faced by what speakers on behalf of the delegation described as "the Embassy of Nuri al-Maliki.
The incident occurred on Thursday, May 16 during a function held by the Embassy to mark what it described as "Mass Graves During the Era of Saddam Hussein."
A group of Jordanian activists belonging to the pan-Arab Ba'athist movement attended the reception and clashed with embassy staff after chanting slogans in support of the late Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and cursing current Iraqi President Nuri al-Maliki, accusing him and his government of being "American agents."
A video clip broadcasted by Iraqi TV "Dijla" channel a few days later went viral on the web, showing Iraqi embassy staff and ambassador guards beating, kicking, and throwing metal chairs at the activists, among them several Jordanian lawyers and Ziyad Najdawi, an attorney who was part of Saddam Hussein's defense team.
The incident provoked the anger of many segments of Jordanian society and the denunciation of political and social groups. Large demonstrations were held since Monday in front of the Embassy, with angry protesters demanding the expulsion of the Iraqi ambassador and the prosecution of the staff involved in the assault.
The Iraqi government has since apologized for the incident. Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari last week phoned his Jordanian counterpart, Nasser Judeh, and expressed "regret" over the assault.
The Iraqi authorities reportedly summoned four diplomats from its embassy in Amman for questioning over their possible involvement in the attacks.
On Friday, the Iraqi delegation arrived at a tent set up by the Najdawi tribe in Dahiyat Rashid district, attended by a large group of Jordanian political and tribal leaders and dignitaries.
The Iraqi delegation asked the attendees for a moment of silence to pray for the souls of Saddam Hussein and Late King Hussein bin Talal, and stressed the strong historical and social bonds between Jordanians and Iraqis.
"We came to stand in solidarity with the activists assaulted last week, we denounce the act. We are brothers concerned with our united destiny, Arabism unites us regardless of the changing conditions and policies," Mohammad Dabdab, head of the Union of Students and Youth of the "Former Iraq."
The speaker said that the attacks were perpetrated by what he described as the "Embassy of Nuri al-Maliki," the Iraqi Prime Minister, "whose government destroyed Iraq."
"No one ought to think that what took place is deemed acceptable by Iraqis," Sheikh Adnan al-Khawam, a tribal leader from southern Iraq said, calling on Jordanians to read the statement by the Iraqi community in Jordan that was published in local media outlets denouncing the attacks.
On his part, Jordanian lawyer Ahmad Najdawi welcomed the delegation, stressing that Jordanians recognize that the incident does not reflect on the people of Iraq, and stressed that no Iraqis will be harmed in Jordan over the incident.
Senator Marwan el-Hmoud reiterated that Jordanians and Iraqis together must be vigilant in recognizing the dangers facing the Arab world.
He described the attacks as an "isolated incident" that does not reflect the relationship between Iraqis and Jordanians.
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