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Al-Ahram Weekly 10 - 16 August 2000 Issue No. 494 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 10 - 16 August 2000 Issue No. 494
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Books Travel Living Sports Profile People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Drawn and quartered
By Lola KeilaniThe dismissal of a well-known Jordanian cartoonist, Imad Hajjaj, has raised an uproar over freedom of the press. Hajjaj's former employer, the Jordan Press Foundation, which publishes Al-Rai and the English-language Jordan Times, took this action in response to what it formally described as "insulting his employer." At first, he was merely given a month suspension, but then on 25 July he was terminated. Hajjaj had worked at Al-Rai for eight years.
According to the Jordan Press Foundation the dismissal was ultimately due to repeated attacks against the company on Hajjaj's personal Web site. The company insists that it had initially given Hajjaj a one-month paid leave pending "reconsideration" of his employment. However, since he went on a satirical offensive against the company on his Web site they decided to terminate him. Hajjaj's personal Web site draws 1.5 million hits per month. It contains cartoons not published by Al-Rai because of political "sensitivities."
Hajjaj, however, contends that the company fired him due to pressure from Fastlink, Jordan's first mobile telephone provider. He had published a cartoon ridiculing the quality of Fastlink services. According to Suleiman Al-Qudah, editor of Al-Rai, the termination of Hajjaj's services had nothing to do with Fastlink. He absolutely dismisses allegations that the company wanted to maintain a smooth relationship with its advertisers ahead of a planned privatisation.
The Jordan Press Foundation, which has assets valued at more than $25 million, is the most profitable media organisation in the country. It employs over 700 people.
Currently, 61 per cent of the Jordan Press Foundation is government-owned, but there are privatisation moves under way.
Journalists, many with their own professional and political grievances, have rallied behind Hajjaj in his battle against the growing influence of big business. In an act of solidarity, the Chairman of the Board for Al-Rai, Dr Khaled Al-Karaki, submitted his resignation. The resignation was accepted by the Jordan Press Foundation immediately.
Journalists fear that this is merely the first episode in a long battle. Under IMF inspired reforms, the press is being privatised. Many fear that large money interests will have complete control over the content of newspapers.
However, freedom of the press has always been a highly sensitive issue in Jordan. The debate was heightened following the enactment in 1992 of what local journalists and international watchdog organisations condemn as a restrictive press law. It was amended late last year, but the criticism remains. The Ministry of Information has filed dozens of cases against journalists who are accused of violating this law. Successive governments, however, have assured journalists that the state will take an open and liberal approach despite the power wielded under this tough law. Yet in the past, governments have had an acrimonious relationship with what many politicians regard as free-wheeling newspapers and magazines. The relationship hit an all-time low during the tenure of the former government headed by Abdel-Raouf Al-Rawabdeh, who was accused of being outright hostile to press freedom.
In late June, Rawabdeh lost power to Ali Abul-Ragheb, a businessman-turned-politician. In the Ragheb government, the new minister of information, Taleb Al-Rifaie, has sent some positive signals to the press. Al-Rifaie has even stated that he has a certain degree of sympathy for the plight of Hajjaj and praised him as "Jordan's main cartoonist."
However, despite the sympathy the Ragheb government has made it quite clear that it will play no role whatsoever in the Hajjaj's case. The government points out that the state does not influence the editorial content of its newspapers. It is merely a stake holder. This position, however, is rejected by critics. As long as the state controls the holding companies, it controls the press. The same fear holds true regarding the prospect of a take-over by big business.
