Despite differences, youth movements still depend on traditional parties to materialize
Fed up with suspected corruption in Mafraq Governorate and an inability to gain access to decision makers, Tareq Oweidat and his friends knew just where to turn: Facebook.
With a click of a mouse, the young men formed the basis of the now 2,000-strong Mafraq Youth Popular Movement, joining the growing legions of young Jordanians across the Kingdom taking cues from Egypt and Tunisia by forming movements to take up causes ranging from constitutional reform to municipal services.
Despite grabbing headlines with Friday marches and strongly worded statements, the true nature and independence of the dozens of youth movements and coalitions that have emerged in recent months remain in question, according to observers.
Experts remain split whether the rise in youth movements represent a fundamental change in the Jordanian society, or a fad which will wilt with the passing of the Arab Spring.
Ahead of the trend
Before the Arab Spring came into full bloom, one of the first so-called popular movements was taking shape some 50 kilometres south of the capital.
While Egyptian youths prepared their Facebook revolution, the Kingdom’s first pro-reform protests were launched on January 7 in the town of Theeban by a coalition of independent and leftist activists that would later coalesce into the Theeban Popular Movement for Change.
The protest, which called for the resignation of the Samir Rifai government and fighting corruption, also witnessed the birth of Jayeen - a grouping of leftist and independent youths who would later go on to spearhead protests in the capital.
Some six months and dozens of protests later, Jordan is now home to tens of pro-reform and so-called loyalist popular movements, stretching from Aqaba to Irbid, Mafraq to the Jordan Valley, making it at times difficult to distinguish the various movements and their calls for change, according to analysts.
Before the Arab Spring came into full bloom, one of the first so-called popular movements was taking shape some 50 kilometres south of the capital.
While Egyptian youths prepared their Facebook revolution, the Kingdom’s first pro-reform protests were launched on January 7 in the town of Theeban by a coalition of independent and leftist activists that would later coalesce into the Theeban Popular Movement for Change.
The protest, which called for the resignation of the Samir Rifai government and fighting corruption, also witnessed the birth of Jayeen - a grouping of leftist and independent youths who would later go on to spearhead protests in the capital.
Some six months and dozens of protests later, Jordan is now home to tens of pro-reform and so-called loyalist popular movements, stretching from Aqaba to Irbid, Mafraq to the Jordan Valley, making it at times difficult to distinguish the various movements and their calls for change, according to analysts.
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