How Jordan handled fuming crisis over cigarettes
Residents of the border city of Ramtha in the north of Jordan have protested recently against new government measures to curb smuggling, which would further add to their economic burdens.
AMMAN, Jordan — Precarious calm reigned over the city of Ramtha, 100 kilometers (62 miles) north of Amman, after three days of riots during which security officers were shot at.
The riots came in response to a Cabinet decision Aug. 23 to limit the number of cigarettes that travelers are allowed to carry through the Jaber crossing that connects Jordan and Syria, in an attempt by the government to make up for its losses from smuggled cigarettes.
The turmoil led to the main roads into the city being shut due to burning tires and violent confrontations with police; a security vehicle was burned and 17 protesters were arrested. The protests turned into political demands with demonstrators calling for the government’s resignation instead of imposing customs-related demands. The city walls were covered with slogans calling for toppling Prime Minister Omar Razzaz.
Riots broke out Aug. 23 and stopped Aug. 26, following a meeting between the representatives of the Bahara (merchandise smugglers between Syria and Jordan) and government representatives at the house of Hashem Abu Hassan, a member of parliament, in Ramtha.
