Democratic Palestine : 3 (ص 38)
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- Democratic Palestine : 3 (ص 38)
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demands to the administration. Delega-
tions were formed to explain the
demands to different faculty members,
the Deans of Colleges, and the Heads of
Departments.
The University Administration tried
to play a trick, when the Vice-President,
at one point, declared that the university
would accept the return of those stu-
dents whose AGPA is 2 points less than
the minimum average. However, the
students rejected this offer and
threatened to continue their strike.
The demonstrations continued until
February 11th, despite provocations by
the police and security forces, who
attempted to confiscate the |.D.cards of
some students and stamp others. 50
names were put on alist at the university
gate for this purpose, but these mea-
sures and others did not stop the move-
ment.
On February 11th, while the stu-
dents were meeting, university Vice-
President, on behalf of the University
Administration, declared the following
compromises as a result of continuing
demonstration and the students’ insis-
tence on their demands:
1. The return of all newly sus-
pended students.
2. The return of formerly sus-
pended students on the basis of lower-
ing the required minimum by 5 points
and giving them two semesters to raise
their averages.
3. Promises to reconsider the cur-
riculum in the next four months.
In light of these results, the students
demanded that all confiscated |.D.cards
be returned to their owners, that security
or disciplinary measures not be taken
against any student who participated in
this action, that all faculty members who
supported this action not be intimidated,
and the students be given one extra
week to complete the process of regist-
ration.
The demonstration then turned into
a major celebration. Students chanted
and sang, saluting their solidarity, which
brought about this victory.
®
38
Sham Elections of the
Monarchy’s
Parliament in Amman
In March, provincial elections were held to fill eight empty seats
in the Jordanian parliament. The decision to hold these elections
came after 17 years of a freeze on parliamentary life in Jordan,
whereafter the authorities abolished the National Consultative Coun-
cil created in the interim, and convened the suspended Nationa!
Assembly as the legislative body for both the East Bank (Jordan) and
West Bank (Palestinian) in January of this year. In conjunction with
this, article 73 of the constitution was amended to enable elections in
the East Bank and the appointment of deputies for the West Bank, to
replace those who had died in the meantime. According to Jorda-
nian law, the National Assembly consists of 60 members, 30 repre-
senting the East Bank, and 30 representing the West Bank. In the
preparations for the elections, one thing did not change: the state of
martial law prevailing in the country, whereby all political parties are
banned.
By the end of the nomination period,
over 100 candidates were on the ballot
for the eight contested seats. The candi-
dates represented a broad spectrum of
the political and social tendencies in Jor-
dan. This includes the traditional base of
the Hashemite monarchy in the city and
villages, represented by candidates of
the clans, as well as the big land owners,
political feudalists, some bureaucrats
and technocrats and liberal bourgeoisie.
The religious tendency also fielded a
large number of candidates, who were
affiliated with organizations like the Mus-
lim Brotherhood.
The nationalist and democratic
forces were divided on the issue of par-
ticipating in these elections. Some par-
ticipated in spite of their reservations
about the elections themselves and
about the latest political manoeuvres of
the Jordanian regime. They criticized
the regime's reasons for reviving the old
parliament, and demanded general
elections in the East Bank and a freeze
on the representation of the West Bank,
by amending the constitution and elec-
tion law of 1960.
Other democratic and nationalist
forces boycotted the elections on the
basis that these are not free and democ-
ratic, and only provide a cover for the
political direction of the Jordanian
authorities. Among these latter forces,
the PFLP’s branch in Jordan issued a
statement clarifying the objectives of the
elections as follows:
1. This move. on the part of the Jor-
danian regime is intended to serve its
plans, using this as a necessary prelude
for participating in the capitulationist set-
tlement supervised by the US administ-
ration.
2. Since the amendment of article
73 gives the regime the freedom to
appoint deputies for the West Bank, it
contradicts the resolutions of the Rabat
summit of 1974, which recognized the
PLO as the sole, legitimate representa-
tive of the Palestinian people. - هو جزء من
- Democratic Palestine : 3
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- مايو ١٩٨٤
- المنشئ
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