Jordanian king to punish those responsible for clashes in Um Seihoun

Jordanian Prime Minister Abdul Raouf al-Rawabdeh said on Thursday that Jordanian King Abdullah II gave his instructions to "punish" the officials responsible for the bloody confrontations between the police and the Bedouins thar took place in the village of Um Seihoun, neat the Petra archaeological area last week.

The prime minister told Jordanian Parliament members and tribal chiefs that the "government will abide by the royal orders and punish all those who were behind what had taken place in Um Seihoun town last week, whoever they are." He added that the "government deals with this matter with great seriousness and firmness," and that the law is taking its due course in this regard.

This incident resulted in the death of three citizens of the local Bedouins, after the citizens of this village refused a measure by the security forces to dismantle a building which was built, against the law, on state-owned land.

On Wednesday, three Jordanian human rights organizations called on the government to submit this case "very soon" to the courts.

The Jordanian paper al-Dostour said that Jordanian parliament member Abdullah al-Jazi, for the southern Bedouin department visited Um Seihoun and met with the tribes' chiefs in an attempt to contain the results of the incidents.