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FUHEIS — Several residents of Fuheis organised a protest on Saturday to object to a plan to turn a site used previously for a cement producing factory into an “urban hub” for investments. 

Founded in 1951, Lafarge Jordan was located in Fuheis, some 20km northwest of Amman, “causing pollution, illnesses and death to many of the town residents”, Fuheis resident Jamal Hattar charged. 

Hattar added the main aim of launching the company was to benefit the local community.

“During its 65 years producing cement in Fuheis, Lafarge has caused harm to the people living nearby, we have paid the price for it,” he told The Jordan Times.

As a result of the continuous objection of the residents, the factory decided to stop production, Hattar said.

“We were surprised to know that after that decision, they decided to sell the land to foreign investment companies, which will hold back the expansion of Fuheis,” he claimed.

For Hattar, allowing the decision to be implemented will “destroy the ambitions of the residents and those aspiring to build an urban city”.

 “We ask the government to take a stand with us since we have the right to build and expand our town,” he added.

Hanneh Salman, another resident, said Lafarge Jordan has “not provided the people with a clear plan” regarding the future of the land.

Salah Dawood, a member at the Jordanian Popular Committee, said the residents of Fuheis ask the government to guarantee the right of the people to their land and to review the irregularities in the company’s performance that caused environmental harm to the town. 

The committee member described the investment as “an attempt to marginalise” the local community.

Fuheis Mayor Hweish Akroush said the decision will affect both the residents of Fuheis and Mahes towns.

“We demanded that the factory close down… and in 2016, the France-based company took the decision to stop their production in Fuheis,” Akroush told The Jordan Times.

He added that the area’s infrastructure and green landscapes “cannot handle any investments”.

The mayor said the area of the land is around 2,000 dunums.

“For 65 years, we suffered from drought, dust and many diseases, it is time for Fuheis to breathe after they stopped the factory’s production,” he continued.

MP Dirar Daoud said the residents do not oppose hosting investments and projects, but argued that Lafarge Jordan is a company specialised in producing cement and should not deal with other investments.

“We support investments but without trespassing on the area and affecting the town’s demographics. We want the company to return the lands back to the state,” he told The Jordan Times.

Commenting on the plan, Salt Mayor Khaled Al Khashman said “more important” issues should be dealt with instead of launching new investments, including improving environmental conditions, rehabilitating the site and returning the lands back to the people of Fuheis.

Lafarge Jordan was not available to comment on the protest on Saturday despite several attempts by The Jordan Times, but in previous remarks, the CEO, Amr Reda, said the project seeks to launch a clean energy city for Fuheis residents. 

The project includes shopping malls and residential and commercial complexes, in addition to medical centres and restaurants.

He described the JD2 billion project as an opportunity for the local and regional community. 

The plan also aims at solving economic problems facing Fuheis factories, Reda said, noting that the Paris-headquartered leader in the cement and building solutions industry has the expertise and know-how to develop green schemes.

No date has been set for the project’s implementation, as the company sent an official letter to the Investment Commission in October 2015 informing them about the plan but has not received any response, the CEO told The Jordan Times.

AMMAN — Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and south Amman Public Security Department (PSD) personnel have arrested two suspects involved in the murder of a woman who was in her 60s, a PSD statement said on Friday. 

The south Amman police directorate on March 30 received a report that a woman’s body was in front of her apartment’s entrance in the 7th Circle area.

Forensic examination at the scene led to the conclusion that the woman died as a result of multiple stabs.

Evidence collected from the crime scene led to suspecting one of the woman’s relatives, who was arrested and upon investigation confessed to committing the murder with a juvenile accomplice, who was also arrested, to steal the victim’s money. 

The suspect said they waited for her until she arrived in front of her apartment, killed her, left her at her doorstep and ran away with the money they stole. 

The CID and police personnel also confiscated the murder weapon as well as JD37,000 and $1,900 stolen from the victim. 

The case was referred to the prosecutor general after completing investigations.

AMMAN — Deputising for His Majesty King Abdullah, Lower House Speaker Atef Tarawneh on Saturday inaugurated the Museum of Parliamentary Life as part of the celebrations marking the Great Arab Revolt’s centennial, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

The opening of the museum, located in the old Parliament building near the 1st Circle area, comes in parallel with the anniversary of forming the first legislative council on April 2, 1929, marking the launch of Jordan’s parliamentary life. 

The items showcased in the museum tell the story of the progress of accumulative parliamentary work and the development of the Kingdom since its establishment.

Culture Minister Lana Mamkegh said the museum is a historical location that carries cultural importance.

She said the Prime Ministry formed a committee that worked on reviving the old parliament building and rehabilitating it to raise the awareness of Jordanians from all ages of the Kingdom’s history. 

The museum showcases a “pivotal period” of Jordan’s political and social history, particularly from 1947 until 1979. 

The building was there during important events, including the declaration of independence, the accession of Their Majesties the late King Talal and King Hussein to the Throne, the adoption of the Constitution in 1952 and the decision to unite the East and West Banks.

Several former ministers, MPs, senators, officials and citizens attended the opening ceremony. 

AMMAN — A number of acclaimed photographers from all over the world are taking part in the “Future” themed, fifth edition of the Image Festival, which opened Friday.

Organised by Darat Al Tasweer this year, the festival used to be held by both the local photography centre and Institut Français in Jordan, according to the director of the institute, Stéphane Delaporte. 

“We think there are many talented Jordanians in the field of photography and we have to support them,” he told The Jordan Times during the opening of the festival, which started with showcasing the works of renowned French photographer Josef Koudelka. 

“Tonight we will have the works of one of the most talented photographers in Paris, Josef Koudelka, showcasing the Roman civilisation in the Mediterranean area, and this festival is really important for local photographers to have a look at the photography work done abroad,” he added. 

Linda Khoury, the founder of Darat Al Tasweer, said the new aspect of this year’s festival is that it is organised solely by the Jordanian centre.

“In the past, it was organised by both Institut Français and the Darat, so the exchange was done mainly between Jordan and France. This year, the festival has diverse photographers,” she told The Jordan Times during the ceremony, which included a performance by Jordanian musician Tareq Al Nasser. 

Photographers from countries including France, the US, Brazil, Lebanon and Egypt are going to display their work in 16 exhibitions all over the capital as part of the festival.  

Commenting on its theme, Khoury said: “Future is the theme of the festival from the perspective of the photographers — how they think about it and whether positively or negatively. We usually think about the future in all its aspects.”

The photographer said the festival will provide local armature photographers with an insight into the expertise and techniques of the participating photographers, noting that the festival’s programme also includes lectures.

She said organisers were lucky that the Ministry of Tourism approved their request to have the works of Koudelka displayed at the archaeological site of the Amman Citadel for the first time in the capital. 

“They agreed because Koudelka’s works are about archaeological sites and it was a good connection,” Khoury said, adding that the festival will wrap up on April 30. 

Amjad Fayoumi, who attended the opening, said the festival provides photographers with a good opportunity to present their work and it also offers photography fans the chance to attend a wide range of events. 

“I have noticed that the festival has created a community for photographers whom always attend its activities and help boost their knowledge and background,” he added. 

Information on the festival’s activities is available on its Facebook page Image Festival - Amman.

AMMAN — Organisations concerned with family protection on Saturday discussed the updated version of the National Framework for Family Protection, which outlines the intervention roles of different institutions.

The developed framework tackles measures to deal with cases of abuse, starting from reporting the incident until fully addressing it.

“We focus in the framework on the clear participatory relationship with civil society organisations and their exact role in dealing with cases of domestic violence,” Social Development Minister Reem Abu Hassan said at a meeting with representatives of several institutions, including the Jordanian Women’s Union (JWU) and the Public Security Department’s Family Protection Administration. 

Participants discussed the role of each institution under the updated framework.

Discussions also covered the draft family protection law, which is now in the hands of the Lower House’s joint women and legal committee.

“I disagree with the provision that forces us to report cases of domestic violence even if the victim refuses to. They resorted to us while they can simply go directly to police and that means they prefer not to take the issue to the authorities,” noted JWU Director Nadia Shamroukh.

Under the draft law, institutions should report all cases of violence involving children under 18 and adults subjected to felonies to the police.

Adults with “minor assaults” have the choice not to report their cases.

Institutions that fail to report cases will face imprisonment and be fined, under the draft law.

Abu Hassan noted that more meetings will be held to discuss the issue in question in order to ensure the maximum protection of victims of abuse.

The framework was developed in a way that engages victims of abuse in all the stages of handling their cases, while a qualified coordinator will be responsible for each case, according to the ministry.

AMMAN — A total of 1,816 households in Irbid's Beit Ras village and adjacent areas in the northern governorate's east will be connected to the sewage network under a project under way at a cost of 12 million euros, according to a government official.

The project, which will be implemented in two phases, is funded through a grant from the EU, Water Minister Hazem Nasser said in a statement e-mailed to The Jordan Times on Saturday, noting that 1,269 household in Beit Ras, some 80km north of Amman, will be linked to the sewage network, while 45km of main and tertiary sewage pipelines will be extended at a cost of JD5.6 million to serve 9,500 people.

Another 547 households in adjacent areas will also be linked to the sewage network to serve 4,100 people, Nasser said, adding that 13km of main and tertiary sewage pipelines will be extended at a cost of JD1.2 million.

"The project seeks to introduce wastewater services at local communities hosting Syrian refugees to secure a healthy and safe environment, and also to cope with the increasing amounts of wastewater following the increase in the number of water users and discharged wastewater," Nasser said in the statement.

The minister highlighted that the collected wastewater will be treated and used for the irrigation of certain crops.

Omar Taani, a resident of Beit Ras, welcomed the plan to link his hometown to the sewage network, saying it will help improve the environment.

Taani said that the entire town dumps its wastewater in cesspits, which are actually ancient underground caves and holes.

"Nobody here in Beit Ras needs to empty their cesspits because they are underground caves and have never overflowed, we don’t have to worry about this. However, we are deeply concerned about the final destination of the wastewater and its impact in the long-run," Taani told The Jordan Times.

He expressed fears that the ground underneath Beit Ras would collapse one day due to the fact that thousands of people in the town dispose of their wastewater in a network of ancient holes.

Cesspits in the north of the Kingdom are the source of recurring pollution incidents, because some of them are not built according to standards, or their owners neglect having them emptied which causes them to overflow and reach part of the water network, according to water officials.

The ministry floated the project's tender last year. The Water Authority of Jordan awarded ILF Consulting Engineers the consultancy services contract for the wastewater networks in Irbid and Beit Ras. The services included design, tendering and construction supervision for a complete sewer network in Beit Ras and other areas of Irbid, where some 1.77 million people live, according to the 2015 population census.

The contract duration is 30 months.

Nasser said in previous statements to the press that water demand is increasing in the northern governorates and so is the production of wastewater that is exceeding the capacity of treatment plants. 

AMMAN — Two wind power plants with a total capacity of 100 megawatts (MW) will be ready and connected to the grid by 2019, according to one of the companies involved in the project.

The first $110 million 50MW wind plant, which will be located in Tafileh, some 180km southwest of Amman, will be implemented by the Korea Southern Power Company Ltd. and Daelim Energy Company Ltd.

“We will borrow from the International Finance Corporation and the Islamic Development Bank to implement the project,” Cheol Kim, senior manager of the renewable development team at Daelim Energy Company, told The Jordan Times after the signing of the power purchase agreement with the government on Thursday.

“We chose to invest in Jordan due to its strategic location, and the wind speed in [the Kingdom is] very suitable for wind plants… Korean companies have invested a lot in the energy sector in Jordan,” Kim said, adding that construction on the plant is scheduled to start in 2017 and be completed by 2019.

Under another agreement signed Thursday, Abour Energy, a unit owned by Saudi Arabia’s Xenel Industries, will build another 50MW wind power plant in Tafileh.

The wind plant will cost more than $100 million, and it will be financed through loans from the Islamic Development Bank and the International Finance Corporation, Fereydoon Abtahi, general manager of Abour Energy, told The Jordan Times in an interview on the sidelines of the deal's signing.

“We will begin construction in 2017, and it will be completed by 2019,” Abtahi said.

Energy Minister Ibrahim Saif stressed the importance of the agreements, which fall in line with the country’s strategy to increase reliance on renewable energy resources.

South Korean Ambassador to Jordan Choi Hong-ghi said South Korea has invested significantly in the energy sector in Jordan.

“We are hoping for more cooperation with Jordan in various areas, especially in the energy sector,” said the ambassador.

Renewable energy projects in Jordan contribute 3-4 per cent to the national electricity grid, and the figure is scheduled to reach 10 per cent by 2020.

Jordan is expected to have solar and wind projects of a total capacity of 1,600MW.

Wind speeds in the Kingdom can be as high as 7.5 metres to 11.5 metres per second in hilly areas.

AMMAN — The three fuel distribution companies operating in Jordan will start importing diesel on May 10, an informed government official told the Jordan News Agency, Petra, on Saturday.

Total Jordan, Manaseer Oil & Gas and the Jordan Petroleum Refinery Company's (JPRC) Jordan Petroleum Products Marketing Company will each receive a third of the imported fuel.

The companies will sell the diesel directly to consumers through operate their 450 fuel stations across the Kingdom, the official added. 

The decision puts an end to the JPRC monopoly over diesel imports.

In January, the government signed a memorandum of understanding with the three suppliers to import diesel and distribute it directly to consumers without the mediation of the JPRC.

Under the memo, the companies will import a total of 288 metric tonnes of diesel over a six-month trial period, at an average of 48 metric tonnes per month, Petra reported. 

In remarks to The Jordan Times earlier this year, Energy Minister Ibrahim Saif said that after the trial period, the companies "will be allowed to import other types of oil derivatives gradually".

The finance and energy ministries will be part of the process by monitoring the floating of tenders and studying the results, according to the minister.

"The prices of fuel derivatives will continue to be set by the government committee that sets prices at the end of each month," Saif noted.

The JPRC currently refines 75 per cent of Jordan’s fuel product needs, according to the latest available figures, with the government sourcing the remainder by importing already refined fuel from abroad.

Jordan imports about 97 per cent of its energy needs annually.

AMMAN – Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF) pilot Maj. Muath Bani Fares who was killed in a plane crash during a training flight last Thursday was laid to rest on Friday in his hometown of Ashrafieh in Irbid, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

King’s Military Adviser and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs-of-Staff Gen. Mashal Al Zaben and senior officials and officers attended the funeral, Petra added.

The RJAF pilot was killed and another, Captain Sharaf Al Tafour, was injured when their Hawk aircraft crashed. Bani Fares was 33 years old and married with three children. 

AMMAN — Anti-Narcotics Department (AND) personnel arrested 122 suspects in drug dealing cases during the second half of March, a Public Security Department (PSD) statement said on Saturday.

AND confiscated 17kg of hashish, 9kg of synthetic cannabis (locally known as “joker”), 13,000 Captagon pills, and 105,000 illegal narcotic pills and medical products, in addition to 21 firearms and ammunition.

One of the major cases was a raid on a suspected dealer’s house in Zarqa, who was arrested with possession of 11kg of hashish. AND agents also arrested a suspect in Sahab, who was in possession of 80,000 narcotic pills.