PSD radio station spearheading initiative to curb festive firing

AMMAN –– The injury of a six-month-old girl due to a stray bullet motivated a local radio station to launch an initiative aimed at highlighting the negative consequences of festive firing.

With the objective of preventing more incidents like the one that involved six-month-old Baylasan, who is now in a coma, Amen FM (89.5FM), the radio station of the Public Security Department (PSD), launched the initiative “Do not Kill With Your Happiness,” according to the station’s director, Lt. Colonel Maen Al Khasawneh.  

“One of the social issues that attracted our attention was the injury of the child Baylasan,” he told The Jordan Times in an interview at the premises of the station in Amman earlier this week.

Khasawneh said PSD personnel and tribal leaders have been working hard to raise awareness of the dangers of this phenomenon.

“It is not only the task of the PSD to curb this trend, but also all members of the community have to collaborate to put an end to festive firing during celebrations,” he added. 

The PSD official said the station took advantage of the General Secondary Education Certificate Examination (Tawjihi) results period, which is the main celebration that witnesses shooting in Jordan. 

“The aim behind the campaign is to make people aware that celebrations should not bring pain and sorrow to others,” Khasawneh added. 

He noted that the campaign also encourages people to leave events where guns are used to show their rejection of this behaviour.

The campaign has achieved positive results, according to the PSD official. 

“We learned from the concerned parties, including the heads of public hospitals, that there were no injuries caused by festive shooting this season,” he added. 

Khasawneh noted that people may argue that they still hear shots being fired once in a while.

“We tell them yes, we cannot put an end to a trend in one day but the fact that the number of such incidents has dropped is a success achieved not only through the efforts of the station, but also due to the awareness of the public.” 

Khasawneh said the station also contacted the iftaa department, which issued a religious edict stating that Islam forbids festive firing.

“Deputies have been contacted also to further stiffen penalties against shooters.” 

Khasawneh said Amen FM, which has correspondents in each of the Kingdom’s 12 governorates, also promoted the initiative through social media.

“Many people have been sharing our posts, which is a positive sign,” he added, noting that the campaign will continue and voicing hope that this practice will come to an end soon. 

“Baylasan is not the only child who has been injured because of festive firing, but I hope that she will be the last.”