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Viewing cable 09AMMAN1203, JORDANIAN TRIBAL GOVERNANCE 101, PART 2: SHEIKHS

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09AMMAN1203 2009-05-27 06:33 2011-08-26 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Amman
VZCZCXRO3537
RR RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDH RUEHKUK RUEHROV
DE RUEHAM #1203/01 1470633
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 270633Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY AMMAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5176
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 001203 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV SOCI KDEM KPAL JO
SUBJECT: JORDANIAN TRIBAL GOVERNANCE 101, PART 2:  SHEIKHS 
AND THEIR ROLE 
 
REF: A. AMMAN 1202 
     B. 06 AMMAN 4030 
 
1.  Summary:  This cable is the second of a three part series 
on internal governance in Jordan's tribal system.  Sheikhs 
are the backbone of the tribal community, acting as informal 
mediators, employment agencies, moral guides, and the state's 
eyes and ears in the community.  Sheikhs rise to leadership 
positions by nurturing reputations as problem solvers and 
faithful representatives of the community.  It is helpful, 
but not necessary, to be wealthy when pursuing a career in 
tribal leadership.  End Summary. 
 
The Backbone of the Community 
----------------------------- 
 
2.  (SBU) Sheikhs are the public face of Jordanian tribes. 
As tribal representatives, sheikhs are not only leaders of 
the social community, they are also the primary conduit for 
communication between average Jordanians and the state. 
(Note:  In Jordan, the term "sheikh" refers to a tribal, 
rather than a religious, leader.  End Note.)  Through their 
use of connections within the government, sheikhs act as 
"fixers" for members of their tribe by procuring jobs, 
mediating disputes, and generally greasing the wheels of the 
bureaucracy.  They are responsible for protecting the 
interests of the community and intervening on its behalf with 
the state apparatus. 
 
How To Become A Sheikh 
---------------------- 
 
3.  (U) The path to positions of tribal leadership is often 
obscure.  Aspiring sheikhs do not openly declare their 
intentions.  Rather, they groom their reputations by 
providing services, building alliances with key members of 
the tribe, and seeking relationships with governmental gate 
keepers which they can parlay into favors later on.  Sheikhs 
are generalists -- they must have an encyclopedic knowledge 
of local culture, politics, religion, and most of all tribal 
traditions.  Ajaj Ata, a sheikh from the rural town of Azraq, 
says that the salons of tribal notables act as a sort of 
university for aspiring sheikhs, teaching younger leaders the 
structure of tribal authority while allowing them to see 
examples of judgment and leadership at work.  Sheikhs even 
specialize in different kinds of disputes, which members of 
other tribes will appeal to for advice in difficult cases 
(for example, sheikhs from the Karak-based Majali tribe are 
consulted by other sheikhs on difficult murder cases, and 
sheikhs from the Tarawneh tribe, also from Karak, are 
recognized experts on the law of theft). 
 
4.  (U) The process of selecting a sheikh used to be more 
formal -- notables would gather and choose their leader in a 
caucus-type format.  Some tribes retain this practice, but 
their number is shrinking.  "The decision (of who will be the 
sheikh) is no longer within the family.  It's in the 
community," says Karak Sheikh 'Utaiwi Al-Majali.  Today, most 
tribal leaders come into their positions gradually and 
informally -- it is more a process of being recognized as a 
trusted source of patronage and judgment by the beneficiaries 
of a sheikh's good offices.  Over time, the term "sheikh" 
goes from a half-joking honorific to a recognized title. 
 
5.  (U) Sheikhs we met with compared their position to a 
"king of the hill" type game, in which they are constantly 
being challenged by pretenders and wanna-be tribal leaders. 
"Everyone wants to be a sheikh.  A tribal leader always has 
to watch his back," says Abu Habis Al-Adwan, a sheikh from 
the Jordan Valley.  Character assassination is the preferred 
method of challenging a sheikh's authority -- it can 
undermine a reputation for fairness while not revealing who 
is making the accusation. 
 
6.  (SBU) Lineage is often a factor in who becomes a sheikh 
and who does not, but our contacts assert that the most 
effective tribal leaders are generally made, not born.  A 
particularly effective sheikh may groom a son as his 
successor, but a solid reputation and track record as a 
provider of services is usually more important than a family 
history of sheikhdom.  Those who wish to pass on their legacy 
to a family member will choose the son who they think will 
represent the tribe most effectively (not always the first 
born, although that is most common) and produce a kind of 
public introduction ceremony.  Financial support is often 
part of the bargain -- favorite sons are given "walking 
around money" which they use to build connections and provide 
services.  Still, contacts note that "it is no longer enough 
to be the son of the sheikh."  Education and previous 
experience in the bureaucracy are now important benchmarks 
for aspiring tribal leaders -- both produce evidence of 
 
AMMAN 00001203  002 OF 002 
 
 
connections that will serve the community well when it comes 
to obtaining services from the government. 
 
Working For A Living 
-------------------- 
 
7.  (U) Since sheikhs are expected to tend to the financial 
needs of their constituents, many tribal leaders live rather 
modestly.  Those who are independently wealthy primarily rely 
on family money (often held in stock or stakes in holding 
companies).  Others rely on closer relatives for the largesse 
necessary to keep their positions.  Many sheikhs start out as 
wealthy landowners and take out loans against their holdings 
or sell property as necessary to maintain their ability to 
spread the wealth. 
 
8.  (U) Few sheikhs have day jobs.  Running a tribe is a 
time-consuming enterprise -- one that requires constant 
networking, frequent travel, and the ability to focus on 
individual cases for long periods of time.  Those sheikhs who 
do work tend to place themselves in positions which naturally 
overlap with their sheikhly responsibilities, such as 
mayorships of small towns or positions within the local 
branch of the Ministry of Interior.  Since tribal leaders 
often act as liaisons between ordinary citizens and the 
government, experience and connections within the state are 
considered key qualifications. 
 
9.  (SBU) One way that sheikhs obtain compensation for their 
services is through a fee for use of connections.  When a 
sheikh obtains a job for one of his kinsmen, he often draws a 
percentage of the new hire's salary for an agreed-upon length 
of time.  Others will receive "gifts" of livestock or 
reimbursement for expenses incurred in making the connection. 
 Similar payment is required by custom when sheikhs render 
judgments in cases involving social or moral crimes which are 
not punishable in a formal Jordanian court.  While many 
tribal leaders charge for their services, the sheikhs we 
talked to generally agreed that such practices were unseemly 
and demean the moral authority of sheikhs.  "Good sheikhs 
don't have a penny to their name," claims Mohammed Momani, a 
sheikh from Zarqa. 
Beecroft