Maan — an open crisis

It has been a while since the dormant “open crisis” in Maan erupted.

Observers often argue that the quietness of the city is deceptive. Signs of tension that could lead to an open confrontation with the government have been ubiquitous in the city for decades. 

To make sense of the recurring crisis one needs to go beyond the official narrative of the situation.

True, there are a number of outlaws in Maan who should be brought to justice. When the government carried out a “security campaign” to arrest the wanted people, tension between them reached new heights.

But the security approach employed by the government can hardly address the root causes of the recurring confrontation between the police forces and the people of Maan.

It seems that the government has little understanding for the opaque politics of the crisis in Maan in particular.

Every now and then, the government makes the same mistake and uses the same means to solve the problem.

Whether right or wrong, people in Maan feel that successive governments have turned their back on the city. 

Although all governments talked about the “development of the governorates”, people in Maan can hardly feel any difference.

According to official studies, poverty and unemployment are widespread among the people of Maan.

The pervasive economic hardships in the city created an environment that enabled the salafists to thrive.

Unlike elsewhere in the country, Maan provides salafists with refuge. Salafists enjoy tribal protection in Maan in particular.

Short of addressing the grievances of Maan, the government will run the risk of repeating the same mistakes.

Of course, the government can restore quietness in the city, but it should not ignore the deep causes of the recurring phenomenon.

It is high time to think of the Maan crisis in a profound way. Rather than digging in its heel, the government needs to examine the socioeconomic sources of the crisis.

Not surprisingly, citizens of Maan — and indeed in some other remote places — feel that the government has given up on them. Often they feel that there is no hope. 

The lack of opportunities and the feeling that the government has turned its back on them created frustration.

Whether the government failed to predict what was all too predictable in Maan or simply did not pay attention does not matter. The result is a tragic situation.

The consequences will be borne by people of Maan and the government. If anything, this is the price of indifference in a changing Jordan.

This is not to condemn this or that side of the conflict, but to open the eyes that the crisis of Maan, which is complex and multi-layered.

There is no question that the government has the right to implement the law regardless of the reaction of the people. Indeed, this is the core function of any government.

But at the same time, the state should be thinking how to address the root causes of the crisis and work out solutions.

If the government keeps ignoring the socioeconomic needs of people, it runs the risk of creating conditions favourable for the spread of salafism among of the tribes of Maan. 

[email protected]