Hamzet Wasel...Jabal Qalaa and plans to demolish inhabited 50yr old houses and otherwise destroy social fabric....TILL WHEN?

[Diala Al Jabri]

Friends,


Hamzet Wasel is an initiative by and for the citizens of Amman to encourage the diverse people of the city to build authentic relationships and exercise their social responsibility by designing and participating in activities and programs that tackle the complex challenges and explore the unique opportunities which exist within our multi-layered city.


As part of this initiative, we have been interacting with the people of Jabal Qalaa to talk, organize activities like kite-making and flying, listen and learn. Jabal Qalaa is a truly unique neighborhood where some of the very first modern settlers of the city chose to make their homes and some of whose great grand children still live there today. The residents of Jabal Qalaa love their community and are proud of its heritage and its vast history, by some accounts dating back 7500 years. They are open and entrepreneurial (many of them own businesses downtown), and have very much embraced our efforts.


Jabal Qalaa has the potential to be an even greater community. The street overlooking the Roman Theater is home to many empty store fronts which are right in front of the overlook that the municipality has recently built which sees several hundred tourists a day, in addition to the Ammanis who visit and the 5000 residents of the neighborhood. The street is linked to downtown Amman by a newly renovated staircase and so the potential for additional visitors is tremendous.


The community is facing some issues however. The Ministry of Tourism and the Municipality are currently building a wall around the land near the Citadel which has traditionally been a place of refuge, relaxation and recreation for the community and for many Ammanis. This is part of a project to build an events “plaza” for people who can afford to rent the place for weddings and parties, built on top of archeological ruins and surrounded by a high wall which prevents the community of Jabal Qalaa and all the people of Amman from accessing the site (currently used to fly kites, watch the sunset, hang-out, have a picnic etc.) except by paying a fee and before 5 pm, and blocking the only 360 degree of Amman which exists in the city.


The next planned step is to knock down several beautiful 50+ year old houses (with people in them) to build a funiculare to link the Roman Theater with the Citadel and there is even talk of knocking down several other homes to sanitize the community for tourists and send the residents elsewhere. Instead, this street could be a wonderful attraction for residents and visitors alike with small shops, cultural activities and community-based projects, worth much more than a funiculare.


I have tried to communicate with several people at the Municipality but no one seems to want to "own" this project, and they keep sending me to other people, I think they hope that I'll just go away, but I have another meeting there in Saturday and will not give up trying to negotiate the diplomatic way.


Tonight, we wrote a petition in cooperation with the area's "mukhtar" and other concerned community members and we're working on having it signed by members of the community and all other concerned citizen and visitors of Amman to protest the building of the wall and the demolition of the homes and to suggest that the area remain open and free for all.


Please forward this to others and support this effort. We can each do our part in different ways. You can spread the word, help us come up with potential projects in the community, support our effort to create a human heritage site in the community, create media expressions, blog, write in the newspapers etc. Please let me know how you would like to be involved. Thanks!


Salaam,


Raghda



--
HAVE A NICE DAY

[Tanya Kasim]

I've been to the Citadel, but not to Jabal Qala'a and Hamzet Wasel. I think it's one of the places that should be a human heritage site. Would UNESCO be involved in a project like the one you were talking about?

Tanya Kasim

[Raghda بطرس]

نداء من أهالي جبل القلعة: يمثل جبل القلعة سجلاَ خالداَ للتاريخ العريق لمدينة عمان و ما حولها وللحضارات المتعاقبة. ولجبل القلعة خصوصيتان فريدتان: سكانية و مكانية. فهو يحتضن التنوع الجميل للتركيبة السكانية لعمان، و هو كذلك المكان الوحيد الذي يعطي إطلالة دائرية على كل أركان عمان، و بالتالي فان تغيير معالم الآثار بذريعة التطوير هو في الحقيقة تدمير لهذا السجل الحضاري ولرمزية المكان، في حين انه يمكن انجاز المشروع في الناحية المقابلة من الشارع، مما سيعطي إطلالة بنفس القدر من الجمال. لماذا لم يؤخذ رأي سكان المنطقة واحتياجاتهم بالحسبان؟ و ما هذا البناء إلا مقدمة لمشاريع مقبلة يجب التصدي لها ليبقى المكان ملكا للجميع و خاصة ً لسكانه .هذا نداء لكل من يحترم رمزية و خصوصية المكان سكانا َوزائرين.لإيصال صوتك قم بالتوقيع على هذا النداء ليبقى المكان متاحاَ للجميع بلا رسوم أو حواجز

[Raghda بطرس]

I have been in touch with several people at the Municipality and someone from there went up to the Qalaa with me yesterday to see what's going on. I also had a call from them about the note I wrote and they said they would organize a meeting to explain to us the details of the project at the Citadel site. Apparently, the wall won't go all the way around, but there will be a fence of some sort, but it's still not clear what it will look like or whether access to the site will remain free and open to all. I also spoke to the site manager from the Department of Antiquities who said they were doing their best to preserve the archeological remains. The only issue I haven't had feedback on is the homes that are at risk of being knocked down. I'm still trying to figure out who is the lead person on that issue so I can get proper information.

[Diala Al Jabri]

a lot of people are very concerned about the direction of 'development' in inhuman anti-green ways...sent u sep communication on fb with some names within interest group concept Nadine suggested...
this is going to keep happening in every neighbourhood of Amman, destroying any uniqueness or flavour this city might have had or any relevance to its inhabitants which is even more tragic...
unless and until a group of concerned - and connected - citizens, officials, experts, aesthetes, social economists and decision makers can be formed to speak FOR AMMAN....the spirit and the identity

[Nadine Toukan]

It might be worth holding a community forum with the neighborhood, anyone interested, and with the participation of GAM and independent urban planners.

by the way.. last night we had a spammer on this site and as I was cleaning it up I accidentally deleted the group and some of my posts - so if something you posted is missing I apologize, can't bring it back! ugh!

[Deena]

since the children of jabal il qal3a are going to be off for summer in a few weeks, might be useful to help them transform their concerns, as well as their vision and hopes for their area, into a community play. they would be able to perform it in front of GAM representatives, if a forum does indeed take place, and therefore gives them a voice (as children are often excluded from debates).

[Raghda بطرس]

Deena, I've been hanging out a lot with the kids in Qalaa, and I'm sure they would like to take part in something like that, is this something you could help us organize?

[FMK]

We, at GAM, like to hear different points of view; everyone is entitled to his/her own opinion. We carefully followed the inaccurate circulation of information; and we felt it time that we shared the facts and to give the misinformed a chance to form an opinion based on facts and not hearsay.
Email: [e-mail]

Please read the following....

The Ministry of Tourism and the Municipality are...
The development projects at the Citadel are an active collaboration
between MOTA, GAM and DOA, led by their Excellencies, the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities (MOTA), the Mayor of Amman and the Director General of the Department of Antiquities (DOA), and their senior staff. This is a precedent setting, collaborative program launched after considerable conservation and strategic planning. The designs are developed to make public improvements to a national historic site that, until recently, has not be subject to any such rejuvenation, rehabilitation or enhancement as a place for recreation and learning.

... currently building a wall around the land near
the Citadel which has traditionally been a place of
refuge, relaxation and recreation for the community and for many Ammanis.

The wall is not built around the land. The new wall extends a proportionally modest distance on the north side of the site, built to announce the arrival at the historic site, and to screen the new and essential modest tourist bus parking area. It has no locks and forms only a partition or divider from the often busy roadside. It is part of a larger architectural concept that has been designed by young Ammani architects with the counsel of the respected Jordan architect and GAM Councillor, Dr. Rasem Badran and representatives of the interdisciplinary teams of the collaborating organizations. It is a section of straight wall that also pays homage to the historic fortification wall surrounded the site during most of its known history. The wall partly replaces a mesh fence with concrete posts that was erected around the site in the 1950s to keep people out. To enhance the place of relaxation and recreation for Ammanis, the current plans include, for example, shaded seating at panoramic lookouts, site pathways accessible for all, unlocking and rejuvenating the Citadel Museum’s gardens, safety barriers to prevent falls, replacing the central road with a pedestrian pathway, energy efficient site lighting, xeriscopic plantings, public washrooms and a refreshment area. This significant capital investment in public works is carried out for public good and enhancement of the recreational qualities of the site.

This (wall) is part of a project to build an events
“plaza” for people who can afford to rent the place
for weddings and parties ...
The wall is not related to the fact that events have, for some years,
been very popular and therefore permitted to be held at the site.
There has been continual demand for people to rent a part of the
Citadel for their private events and parties. The pressure for the DOA to provide this exclusive access in summer evenings has been great. It culminated last year in the hosting of concerts for up to 2,000 people as a part of the Jordan Festival.
Until this year, these activities were always held atop the hill and directly upon the archaeological relics and historic structures. The damage caused by parties on the historic resources required that an alternative, less intrusive location was needed. The ‘lower terrace’ was assessed to meet the ‘low impact’ criteria, and is planned to be the site for such events. It continues to afford unparalleled panoramic views of the city, the Roman temple, the Umayyad Palace, the fortification walls, the Roman Theatre and skylines of the distant hills.

... built on top of archeological ruins...
The entire Citadel site has the potential to yield archaeological resources, and as yet, a considerable part of the site remains unexcavated. Therefore any new construction could be on top of archaeological ruins. In the current project, the supervision of work is being undertaken by a multidisciplinary team including national and international conservation specialists with architectural, engineering and archaeological expertise. These professionals are there to ensure that no historical material is compromised or destroyed in the process of the work. The site for the new Arrivals’ Gateway was chosen partly because it was an area that, decades ago, was covered with up to a meter of soil and thus if there were any historical resources, they are protected with this layer for conservation, and preservation for future generations.

... and surrounded by a high wall which prevents the community of Jabal Qalaa and all the people of
Amman from accessing the site (currently used to fly kites, watch the sunset, hang-out, have a picnic etc.) except by paying a fee and before 5 pm ...
The new wall is not an enclosure wall and does not perform the function of being a lockout barrier at all. The significant change is only perceived from the roadway at the arrivals area. Arrivals gateways that provide a sense of expectation and anticipation for their visitors are common in many historic places and World Heritage Sites. As noted above, open access into the site, from the south and west sides, remains unchanged.
Currently, all visitors to the Citadel site are supposed to pay an entry fee, as is the policy at all supervised DOA national historic sites. There are also opening and closing times for these places. At the Citadel, there has long been a casual arrangement for access by locals and there is no intention to change this, in fact quite the opposite. The Citadel will continue to be ‘open’ from the west and southwest sides of the site, for those with the local knowledge or adventurous means. The historic fortification walls at the south, east and north have will continue to prohibit public access.
Though the lower terrace area will be fenced, as it has been for many, many years, it is designed to provide an option to close during special events. This is intended for public safety and guest privilege. It will also avoid interaction between residents and the event attendees, as from food to fireworks; integration of the two has been problematic in the past.

... and blocking the only 360 degree of Amman which exists in the city ...
In the context of the Citadel’s extraordinary panoramic vistas, the actual location of the Arrivals Gateway never did offer 360-degree views. After years of structured visitor observation, we know that at this location, people enjoy the northern view to the ‘giant flagpole’, and cross the busy street to take their photographs. With crosswalk pavings and the provision of parking for vehicles (now on the street), we are making this activity safer.
The Arrivals Gateway has been designed with careful attention to sightlines. The location of the new development is in a natural land swale, or a slight depression in the topography. The current ground level is below finished level, so for the uninformed, the development appears higher than it is.
Given the 360 views from many key positions at the Citadel, panoramic areas with seating are being introduced for people to rest and take in the best of the vistas of Amman.

... the area remain open and free for all ...
The Citadel site has not been free for all for many, many years. The
Nationals have a local and lower price than the foreign visitors. As aforementioned, there are informal arrangements tolerated at the Citadel in order to accommodate the local community’s site access.

[Yusuf Mansur]

Dear Fatin;

You quoted: "The Citadel site has not been free for all for many, many years. The
Nationals have a local and lower price than the foreign visitors. As aforementioned, there are informal arrangements tolerated at the Citadel in order to accommodate the local community’s site access."

I truly have a problem when fees are not levied against a commensurate service. Jordanians pay taxes, many of them, and need not have to pay more for enjoying such a public good unless the maintenance fee or additional specific and value added provisions warrant such a fee. We should not take this for granted because then we would eb encouraging frivolous spending, mediocrity and teh purveyance of lack of accountability.


On the rest of the debate, if there is smoke, there must be a fire. I must admit that I have not seen the site myself but it seems there is an uproar over the current action. In a democracy, it is not enough that there exists objective reasons for the action but the vocies of all must be heard, even if subjective; and second best solutions should arise. Hence, have a full-contact convo, listen to the stakeholders, they may have some wisdom in their pained voices.

[Baker al-Hiyari]

Dear GAM !

Thank you very much for your e-mail. Please allow me to comment on your contribution to this thread!

1. It is delightful that you like to hear different points of view. Indeed we are entitled to our own opinions and you as GAM are obliged to hear them. After all, you at GAM are public servants. I also RESPECT all points of view and will definitely respect yours.

2. In my OPINION, it would have made more sense if GAM would have contributed a focused constant statement, instead of this fragmented and confusing point by point, sometimes point by long paragraph reaction.

3. The Department of Antiquities of Jordan is a division and subsidiary of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquity, so in fact the collaborating parties are GAM and MOTA. Are there other parties involved? It is very good to learn that the mayor and the minister are personally are leading this effort. Considering the rate at which ministers and public officials change in Jordan, the distinguished personalities holding these offices now may not still be there to see the final stage of the project. Accordingly, we need to know that this is an institutional effort.

4. Why do you think it is a precedent setting to have two public government bodies collaborating together? Do you think that this is the first time this happens?

5. So there is a wall being built, at least was being built until today. I understand all your reasons which may be conceptually valid. This information, in addition to all the site plans and development concept should have been posted for public display at the “operation” site, in addition to information on the length and height of this wall.

6. Did these interdisciplinary teams conduct social impact assessment studies? Did they study the impact on social cohesion in the area?

7. You are confirming that at least one section of the new designed site will be used as an event plaza for events, public and private.

8. Again, you are confirming that the “wall” could very much be built on top of archaeological ruins! I am glad that this fact is being taken into great attention by the national and international conservation specialist and experts. But the fact is they can not be assured or assure us 100% that this construction will not have any negative effect on the archeological site.

9. Its heart warming to know that the site or “parts of it” will remain open to the public free of charge. This information is not at all reflected on or around the site. When you go around and see that wall, the logical and fair conclusion one makes in the absence of information is that the site is going to be blocked.

10. For the past 20 years, I have accompanied friends and guests, official and other from all over the world, to the citadel site where I took them around, usually at sunset to show them Amman for all angles, and enjoyed sharing with them my story of Amman and its development. You are confirming to me that this is not going to be possible anymore. And that this falls under the “informal” arrangements that have been TOLERATED for long but will not be tolerated anymore.

I am confident that this grand project by GAM, MOTA and others is done in good faith. The real concern is that a project with such magnitude will have a huge effect of the social cohesion and identity of Amman and its inhabitants, needs to have a clear communication strategy. It is not enough to have GAM, MOTA and the technical experts study and carry out such an initiative on their own. The third sphere the most important one in my opinion (the community, civil society, voluntary organizations and individuals), should be consulted and involved. Most importantly they should be informed of what the plans are. History has taught us that no project will work, let alone succeed if it is not appreciated and welcomed by its contiguous milieu. If the people of Amman and Jordan do not celebrate and embrace this project, feel ownership and pride in it. It will wither away, fail and damage the most important human aspect of solidarity and cohesion. I honestly do not think that GAM or MOTA should carry the weight of this burden alone.

After all this, I am honestly still trying to find what is it that you have labeled as inaccurate circulation on information and hearsay in the e-mail by Hamzet Wasel. What I found is that this is a classic case of disinformation or no information from the side o GAM on this issue, and a serious attempt by Hamzet Wasel to dig up (excavate) information through conventional wisdom and deductive reasoning and to make all this information available to the collective consciousness of the people and inhabitants of our city. In my modest opinion, the collective wisdom and consciousness of the people and inhabitants of the city and what they think and feel in this case is the ultimate truth, not the specific, late yet possibly accurate information provided by GAM.

If you are familiar with the basic workings of the notion and principle of a social contract, which as a public servant institution you should (the principle that governs the relationship between the people and their organizing authorities), this represents a classic case of anti-knowledge vs. knowledge. Knowledge would be information from GAM on the project in this case. Here knowledge (information) is important, but what is far more important is the anti-knowledge (the unknown information) on this project. When I say unknown information, I do not specifically only mean the information that the municipality did not share with the people, but also the information the municipality doesn’t know in general about the social reality and impact of this specific project and possibly of other projects in our city.

An important suggestion that was made on this thread was to treat the whole of jabal al-Qalaa as a human heritage site where the whole place, people, ruins and neighborhood becomes an open museum.

[Shalabieh]

dear FMK I really dont know where to start.

from your response I can only assume you have not been up or seen the wall!

Here are some parts of the repsonse which i have issue with:

"collaborative program launched after considerable conservation and strategic planning"
This planning did not take into account the people that live near and frequent the site, they were not consulted or involved. Conservation efforts did not take into account the conservation of the local community and its current social fabric.

"The wall is not related to the fact that events have, for some years, been very popular and therefore permitted to be held at the site. There has been continual demand for people to rent a part of the
Citadel for their private events and parties. The pressure for the DOA to provide this exclusive access in summer evenings has been great. It culminated last year in the hosting of concerts for up to 2,000 people as a part of the Jordan Festival. Until this year, these activities were always held atop the hill and directly upon the archaeological relics and historic structures. The damage caused by parties on the historic resources required that an alternative, less intrusive location was needed. The ‘lower terrace’ was assessed to meet the ‘low impact’ criteria, and is planned to be the site for such events. It continues to afford unparalleled panoramic views of the city, the Roman temple, the Umayyad Palace, the fortification walls, the Roman Theatre and skylines of the distant hills."

Again this is in complete exclusion of the people around the site, the word "exclusive" is very telling, allowing for the privileged to enroach on the less privileged and abuse the use of the space to those with creating even more barriers and more divides in the various social stratas of society.

"In the context of the Citadel’s extraordinary panoramic vistas, te actual location of the Arrivals Gateway never did offer 360-degree views. After years of structured visitor observation, we know that at this location, people enjoy the northern view to the ‘giant flagpole’, and cross the busy street to take their photographs. With crosswalk pavings and the provision of parking for vehicles (now on the street), we are making this activity safer.
The Arrivals Gateway has been designed with careful attention to sightlines. The location of the new development is in a natural land swale, or a slight depression in the topography. The current ground level is below finished level, so for the uninformed, the development appears higher than it is.
Given the 360 views from many key positions at the Citadel, panoramic areas with seating are being introduced for people to rest and take in the best of the vistas of Amman."

One question: Have you seen the wall and what it is doing?


"The Citadel site has not been free for all for many, many years."

the area under discussion is free access as we are not entering the site proper. I have personally entered numerous times for free to gaze out to the beautiful East, north, south, and west facing views unobstructed by construction and walls. The wire fence you mention earlier was at least one you could see through and was not a visual blockade.

The wall being built is so high that you cant even peak over it. (I will try to upload a picture with a person in it for perspective and scale).

I really think that this project is not meant for ammani's - at least not the regular ammanis who work hard, pay taxes and want to enjoy their ever more expensive city, and its antiquities. It is meant to protect tourists and rich folks and their events from the have nots so that their experiences are sanitized.

I find what is happening to the city appalling and disgraceful. The city's identity is being bulldozed over time and time again in the name of investment and modernity.

There are alternatives and positive ones that can meet everyone's demand but the response here and the actions speak for themselves.


More pictures can be found here:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/album.php?aid=251683&...

[Kathy Sullivan]

I don't know what visitors the GAM and MOTA are catering to - none of the hundreds of family, students and friends I have escorted to the Qala'a have ever expressed any interest in taking a photo of that huge flagpole - which was only recently planted into the landscape in an effort to create a world record. It is a kind of phony "landmark" without a real history or meaning rooted in the community. (No disrespect to the Jordanian flag and its rich symbolism, intended.) It is a classic case of a created "photo opp" for busloads of tourists who will be TOLD they should be interested in that thing and will be HERDED across the street to take the requisite photo. "Build it and they will photograph it." But what do you learn from it? Nothing! Instead, my visitors instinctively are drawn to the amazing panorama of our city and the rich, diverse, layered effect of the antiquities, homes, shops, places of worship and people that enliven its hills and valleys. They are thrilled by the pigeons and kites swooping over rooftops, the kids studying or playing football and the call of the muezzin echoing around the hilltops. It is a very precious place where any person, no matter where he or she is from, can feel strongly connected to the past, the present and the future.--feel HUMAN and FREE. Any "improvements" to this site should first seek to preserve and promote the human footprint (living and past) and also its unique "spirit of place". Seek input from the people who live there, and others who know it and love it. Involve them, don't exclude them.