Islamists say government "unqualified" to run Jordan

Dec 24, 2011, 17:13 GMT

Amman - Jordan's main opposition group, the Islamic Action Front (IAF), said Saturday the government of Prime Minister Awn Khasawneh was 'unqualified' to run the country, a day after its activists were attacked at a pro-reform rally.

IAF, the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, said scores of its activists were injured when groups allied to the government attacked participants at a pro-reform rally with stones and sticks in the city of Mafraq, 60 kilometres east of Amman.

It alleged that the attack on Friday took place despite the presence of thousands of policemen who failed to protect the protesters.

The assailants also set fire to the headquarters of the IAF and the Muslim Brotherhood in Mafraq, the group alleged.

'The incident proves that the government is unable to protect its citizens who demonstrate peacefully, is not qualified to run the state and incapable of coming up with the required reform,' the IAF said in a statement.

'What happened yesterday (Friday) is tantamount to official terrorism ... and we hold the government responsible for the bloodshed,' it said.

Khasawneh, a former International Court of Justice (ICJ) judge, formed Jordan's third government this year, in October, after the previous two cabinets were sacked by King Abdullah II following several months of pro-reform protests.