‘Gov’t task force working to combat extremist ideologies’

AMMAN — Authorities have recently formed a task force to fight extremist and exclusionist ideologies and practices, according to Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications Mohammad Momani.

Speaking to reporters and editors at The Jordan Times during a visit to the daily on Monday, Momani said the task force is following strategies that will be applied in government institutions and official media outlets.

“Our government departments have adopted working plans and strategies to combat extremist thoughts and ideologies, each based on their line of work,” Momani, who is also government spokesperson, told The Jordan Times staff.

Official media outlets are also playing an important role in this regard, especially in the social media sector, he added.

“I want to stress that the Jordanian government is working hard and steadily in an institutionalised manner to fight extremist thoughts and the exclusion of the other,” Momani asserted.

Turning to recent heavy criticism by some political parties and individuals of the Jerash Festival for Culture and Art as “a shameful event that encourages immorality, and is against religious and cultural values”, Momani said the community made its choice and decided to attend and defend the activity.

“We have voices every now and then that reject the holding of the Jerash festival or other cultural activities, but we as a government were glad to see our own community responding to the objecting voices and it was clear via social media and in [traditional] media as well,” the minister said.

He added that the government respects people’s right to voice their objections and opinions but “will never allow or tolerate anyone who enforces his or her own extremist ideologies or values on others.”

The spokesperson pointed out that the government and festival organisers responded to these exclusionist voices.

“The government will always support cultural and artistic activities. Our response really is that we held the festival, provided security and protected the event. This is a clear message... from the Jordanian government,” Momani stressed.