Tackling root cause

The issue in the Madaba town of Theeban has preoccupied the entire country, and rightly so, including of course the government and the various security agencies working to maintain law and order. 

Security and safety for the country and its people have acquired a heightened sense of priority, especially in the aftermath of the recent terror attack on a Jordanian border post. 

That said, the Theeban protest has its roots in economic conditions rampant in the country and exacerbated by rising unemployment coupled with a rising cost of living. 

The crisis must therefore be seen against the backdrop of the dire economic conditions faced by many citizens. 

The protest also came during the holy month of Ramadan and in the middle of the hot summer season, when people tend to be easily excitable. 

Of course the government has no option but to restore law and order where and when necessary.  Use of force is needed if there are parties that defy the country’s laws as well as law enforcement agencies, or when public order and peace are threatened.

But the problem at hand is not only of restoring law and ensuring that no one else breaks it.

A proper solution to the issue in Theeban and elsewhere must address the root cause of such protests — unemployment.

Cooperation with the private sector is required to provide more job opportunities for young people, since the public sector cannot afford to continue absorbing unemployed Jordanians.

The government, sworn in less than one month, would be well advised to examine what happened in Theeban from a wider scope and apply a multidimensional approach to tackle the issue at its root.