Egypt: The View from Jordan · Global Voices
Nadine Toukan

This post is part of our special coverage of Egypt Protests 2011.
Jordan is not a regional domino in political terms since our general discontent is with our government, policies and a broken system, and not about HM King Abdullah II; even if we don't agree with all his decisions. We do have a lot of work to do to address big internal challenges and failed reform attempts, something that is slowly evolving into a sincere and open conversation, and that's the work ahead for us inside Jordan. Jordan prefers chess to dominoes.
On the other hand, sentiments are generally high on the Jordanian street in support of the uprising in Egypt. People are tuned into the news and events, there is Egypt related chatter at various socio-economic, cultural and political levels, and some are taking to the streets to voice this support. The Jordanian community active on social networks continues to cheer on, engage with and amplify the voices of pro democracy Egyptians. What is indeed felt and acted on in Jordan is about a desired Arab sentiment. Arab pride. Egypt today is hugely symbolic of that. Jordanians, like others, want to belong to a new and proud Arab world of freedom and human dignity.
Protests have been taking place in front of the Egyptian Embassy in Amman, with one to two hundred passionate people from various walks of life determined to support the stand of Egyptians at Tahrir Square in Cairo and in other locations around Egypt, come rain or shine. These crowds include Egyptians, part of an approximate 500,000 living and working in Jordan and an integral part of our work force. Egyptians who are proudly voicing their solidarity with their own back at home.
Dina, an architecture student, blogged about one of the local protests she joined in Amman:
“…The people also chanted in support of Tunisia, Yemen, Iraq, Palestine as well as Sudan, communicating the importance of a popular revolt and how it is the way to the reform the entire region needs.”
Here are some of Dina's pictures:
Egypt, Egypt free. Mubarak get out.
Egypt, Jordan is with you.
Yesterday we were Tunisians. Today we are Egyptians. Tomorrow we will be free.
Aramram shares the  video below from one of the protests, along with popular chants, some messages here are recorded from Jordanians to Egyptians:
The signs read, in order of appearance:
“Take note, I'm Arab”
“Enough lying promises”
“Rise up Arabs, Egypt has risen”
“United with the free youth of Egypt”
And the messages from Jordanians to Egyptian protesters are as follows:
“We salute the great Egyptian people. They have always been revolutionary since Gamal Abdel Naser days. We salute you and hope to overcome the Mubarak regime. The people of Egypt have been oppressed and have long tolerated a corrupt system. They lost billions and lived in poverty and unemployment and we hope they emerge victorious, God willing.”
“We support the Egyptian people, and we are all one. We feel with everything every Egyptian is going through. We have similar unemployment here, and all dictatorships must fall, and that is the domino effect.”
“Congratulations to the people of Egypt who bring back the days of Abdel Naser.”
“They deserve it and we are with them.”
“Keep going until they bring down the Mubarak regime. We in Jordan are with them all the way. The Egyptian people don't need support, we are with them. Egyptians are the leaders of the Arabs.”
“We are with you, keep going, don't stop. We're with you till the end.”
“I salute them and say continue with your revolt. God willing you emerge victorious and achieve what you want.”
And then the UN umbrella came up, only as shelter from the rain.
This post is part of our special coverage of Egypt Protests 2011.