The sudden visit to Covid victims' families that sparked Jordan's royal rift
Skip to main content
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Splash
  • Features
  • Videos
  • Long Read
  • Games
  • Epaper
  • More
    • COVID-19
    • Bangladesh
    • Infograph
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Thoughts
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Subscribe
    • Archive
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
    • Supplement
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard
TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2022
TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2022
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Splash
  • Features
  • Videos
  • Long Read
  • Games
  • Epaper
  • More
    • COVID-19
    • Bangladesh
    • Infograph
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Thoughts
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Subscribe
    • Archive
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
    • Supplement
  • বাংলা
The sudden visit to Covid victims' families that sparked Jordan's royal rift

World+Biz

Reuters
09 April, 2021, 10:10 am
Last modified: 09 April, 2021, 10:13 am

Related News

  • Jordan's Prince Hamza renounces royal title, protesting policies
  • Home minister meets Jordan’s Interior Minister Mazen Al-Farayeh
  • UK's Prince Charles visits Jesus baptism site in Jordan
  • Jordanian ministers submit resignation ahead of gov't reshuffle
  • Jordan fully reopens main crossing with Syria

The sudden visit to Covid victims' families that sparked Jordan's royal rift

The March 14 visit to the city of Salt was, in the words of a senior establishment figure, the “straw that broke the camel’s back”, coming as it did hours after King Abdullah had visited the hospital and publicly scolded management for the nine deaths

Reuters
09 April, 2021, 10:10 am
Last modified: 09 April, 2021, 10:13 am
The sudden visit to Covid victims' families that sparked Jordan's royal rift

When Prince Hamza visited the relatives of Covid-19 patients who died after a hospital ran out of oxygen, he triggered a rift in Jordan's monarchy that has shaken the country's reputation as a stable country in a volatile region.

The March 14 visit to the city of Salt was, in the words of a senior establishment figure, the "straw that broke the camel's back", coming as it did hours after King Abdullah had visited the hospital and publicly scolded management for the nine deaths.

Hamza made the trip to console the bereaved six days before Prince Hussein went to the city to do the same, a move that some officials said had upstaged his younger rival for the throne.

Reuters spoke to more than a dozen officials, former officials and palace insiders about the events leading to the accusations against Hamza. They spoke on condition of anonymity in order to be able to discuss sensitive issues.

Eight people familiar with the situation said that Hamza's visit had undermined his half-brother the king, and prompted authorities to place him under house arrest and accuse him of involvement in activities aimed at destabilising the country.

While Hamza and Abdullah have publicly buried the hatchet, the dramatic events of the weekend exposed faultlines within a royal family that has helped shield Jordan from the turmoil that consumed neighbouring Syria and Iraq.

Hamza was widely expected to have succeeded Abdullah as Jordan's next king, until the monarch made Prince Hussein his heir instead in 2004, in line with family tradition.

Some experts worry that the feud could re-ignite, given underlying problems in Jordan like poverty, joblessness and rising Covid-19 deaths which they said contributed to tensions spilling into the open.

"The family feud is over, yet we have to address the issues that prompted it ... unemployment, Covid-19 management and poverty," Jawad al Anani, who served as the last royal court chief under the late King Hussein, told Reuters.

"These are the causes (of) ... the frustration that pushes people to follow their own idols."

Hamza could not be reached for comment on the causes of the palace rift and his motives for visiting the bereaved families.

The palace declined to comment, when asked what had prompted the government to move against Hamza, who has not been seen in public since the feud erupted.

On Wednesday, King Jordan said sedition had been quashed and Hamza was "under my care". Hamza pledged allegiance to the king after mediation by the royal family.

Officials said between 14 and 16 people had been arrested in connection with the alleged plot.

Tribal friends

Hamza, 41, was warmly welcomed by families of the deceased in Salt during his visit in March.

Small protests over the hospital's oxygen shortages had broken out across Jordan, and some participants were chanting the prince's name and calling on him to save the country.

The hospital could not be reached for comment early on Friday, which is a weekend in Jordan.

The monarch, 59, has been pushing his 26-year-old son Hussein increasingly into the spotlight, has been seen at his side on most public occasions and often accompanies him on foreign visits.

Hamza's activities were a concern to the king long before events came to a head last month, according to some prominent politicians.

The prince, son of the late King Hussein and Queen Noor, has nurtured close ties with Jordan's tribes, who dominate the security forces and form the bedrock of support for the kingdom's Hashemite monarchy.

This year he stepped up his trips to rural and provincial areas to meet disgruntled tribal leaders who formed a loose opposition movement called Herak, many of whose members are army and security retirees.

On social media he appeared sitting in Bedouin tents sipping tea and conversing with elders who were critical of the king for failing to provide them with enough jobs or financial security.

Although Hamza rarely voiced his opinion publicly, the palace saw the prince's outreach as a bid to undermine King Abdullah and his son's growing profile as a champion of equal opportunity for the country's youth, several sources familiar with palace thinking said.

It also flouted rules that require any royal to inform the palace of visits to public places, three palace officials added.

Security forces had been following Hamza's every step and informing the monarch more regularly about his activities at a time of rising public discontent over record unemployment and poverty, according to three people familiar with the situation.

When asked about the monitoring, a security official said it was the job of intelligence agencies to protect the country's safety.

Over the last decade, anger with the authorities over worsening living standards and alleged corruption has triggered major civil unrest in Jordan, mainly in the provincial and Bedouin areas where Hamza has reached out to local leaders.

Angry outburst

Tribal member Abdullah Huwaitat recalled a visit earlier this year by the prince to a gathering in southern Jordan where Hamza told them his father, who had a strong affinity with tribes, would never have allowed conditions to deteriorate as they had done in Jordan.

Two attendees said Hamza expressed sympathy for their views that the country was being poorly managed. Reuters could not independently confirm their account.

Over the last 20 years, Hamza cultivated loyalty by emulating his father's language, voice, behaviour and even attire. Tribal sources said the well-mannered, Western-educated prince made a point of learning the dialects of every tribe.

As his popularity appeared to grow, authorities felt the time had finally come to step in.

"He left us with no option," said one senior political figure.

Army chief of staff Yousef Huneiti arrived at Hamza's palace in Amman at around 2:00 p.m. on Saturday.

Hamza was told that mixing with disaffected tribes was a "red line" that he should not have crossed.

In an audio recording leaked by Hamza on social media, the prince reacted angrily: "Sir, forgive me, where were you 20 years ago? I was the Crown Prince in this country by order from my father, may Allah have mercy on him.

"I made an oath to him that I would continue to serve my country and people so long as I am alive."

An army spokesman was not immediately available for comment on the episode.

Prince Hamza also said in a video recording passed by his lawyer to the BBC that he was under house arrest and had been told to stay at home and not contact anyone.

Speaking in English in the video, he said he was not part of any foreign conspiracy and denounced the ruling system as corrupt.

"(Jordanians') wellbeing has been put second by a ruling system that has decided that its personal interests, financial interests, that its corruption is more important than the lives and dignity and future of the ten million people who live here," he said.

Jordan

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • Illustration: TBS
    How Putin revived Nato
  • Are banks only gainers from dollar crisis?
    Are banks only gainers from dollar crisis?
  • Urban areas are already emerging as the new poverty frontier. Photo: Mumit M/TBS
    TCB truck sales apparently draw to a close

MOST VIEWED

  • Workers pass by a sales person as they walk towards the City of London financial district as they cross London Bridge during the morning rush hour in London, Britain, September 8, 2021. REUTERS
    UK unemployment falls to lowest since 1974
  • Despite much fear, Russia’s exclusion from SWIFT is yet to have any severe ramifications for the Western money market. PHOTO: REUTERS
    Dollar knocked from 20-year high; yuan slide pauses
  • British Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks during a joint news conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in the Downing Street briefing room, following a bilateral meeting at Downing Street, in London, Britain, April 8, 2022. Ben Stansall/Pool via REUTERS
    UK PM Johnson says legislative 'insurance' needed on N Ireland
  • Photo: AFP
    Macklowe art collection becomes most expensive ever sold at auction
  • FILE PHOTO: Ears of wheat are seen in a field near the village of Zhovtneve, Ukraine, July 14, 2016. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko/File Photo/File Photo
    US backs UN push to get Ukraine grain back to global market
  • Founder, Chairman, CEO and President of Amazon Jeff Bezos speaks during an event about Blue Origin's space exploration plans in Washington, US, May 9, 2019/ Reuters
    Bezos and White House battle over taxes and inflation

Related News

  • Jordan's Prince Hamza renounces royal title, protesting policies
  • Home minister meets Jordan’s Interior Minister Mazen Al-Farayeh
  • UK's Prince Charles visits Jesus baptism site in Jordan
  • Jordanian ministers submit resignation ahead of gov't reshuffle
  • Jordan fully reopens main crossing with Syria

Features

Despite Bangladesh having about 24,000 km of waterways, only a few hundred kilometres are covered by commercial launch services. Photo: Saad Abdullah

Utilising waterways: When common home-goers show the way

19m | Panorama
Illustration: TBS

How Putin revived Nato

1h | Panorama
The reception is a volumetric box-shaped room that has two glass walls on both the front and back ends and the other two walls are adorned with interior plants, wood and aluminium screens. Photo: Noor-A-Alam

The United House: Living and working inside nature

1h | Habitat
Pcycle team members at a waste management orientation event. Photo: Courtesy

Pcycle: Turning waste from bins into beautiful crafts

3h | Panorama

More Videos from TBS

Can your coworker be your closest friend?

Can your coworker be your closest friend?

3h | Videos
The mystery behind Pyramid

The mystery behind Pyramid

3h | Videos
Finland, Sweden decide to join NATO

Finland, Sweden decide to join NATO

15h | Videos
Where you can swim for Tk5

Where you can swim for Tk5

16h | Videos

Most Read

1
Representative Photo: Pixabay.
Bangladesh

Microplastics found in 5 local sugar brands

2
Mushfiq Mobarak. Photo: Noor-A-Alam
Panorama

Meet the Yale professor who anchors his research in Bangladesh and scales up interventions globally

3
Impact of falling taka against US dollar
Banking

Taka losing more value as global currency market volatility persists

4
Govt tightens belt to relieve reserve
Economy

Govt tightens belt to relieve reserve

5
Union Capital asked to return Tk100cr FDR to BATBC 
Banking

Union Capital asked to return Tk100cr FDR to BATBC 

6
How Bangladesh can achieve edible oil self-sufficiency with local alternatives
Bazaar

How Bangladesh can achieve edible oil self-sufficiency with local alternatives

The Business Standard
Top
  • Home
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • About Us
  • Bangladesh
  • International
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Economy
  • Sitemap
  • RSS

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net

Copyright © 2022 THE BUSINESS STANDARD All rights reserved. Technical Partner: RSI Lab