Khaberni - The Amman Group for Future Dialogues organized, on Tuesday evening, a panel discussion titled: "How We Protect Our Social Customs and Traditions from Distortion", in which a member of the Council of Notables, Sheikh Dhaifallah Al-Qallab, spoke, attended by several interested in social and cultural affairs.
Sheikh Al-Qallab said, during the seminar, that the tribal armistice represents a temporary truce granted by the victim's tribe to the offender's relatives, a entrenched norm in Jordanian society, aimed at preventing the escalation of conflicts and the shedding of blood. He explained that this truce is organized by an official document and conducted through the mediation of community leaders and tribal sheikhs to ensure security and order during the armistice period.
He clarified that the purpose of the armistice is to give the offender's family time to arrange their affairs, prevent any reciprocal aggression, and achieve justice concurrently with official judicial proceedings, pointing out that the armistice is based on the principles of "defense and fulfillment"; "the defense guarantor" pledges to protect the offender and his family from any physical attacks, while "the fulfillment guarantor" commits to fulfilling the financial and moral obligations incumbent on the offender in case of his default, as stipulated in the armistice document.
Al-Qallab emphasized that tribal judiciary was, and still is, an authentic Jordanian heritage that has undertaken the responsibility of settling disputes among people for hundreds of years, forming a supportive cornerstone for community stability, until it was abolished in 1976 with the exception of matters related to honor, blood, and "face-cutting".
He mentioned that a tribal judge must possess the qualities of trustworthiness, insight, and inherited experience, and must be honest in his judgments among people, confirming that Jordanian tribes have committed to reducing "the displacement" to only include the head of the family, whereas it used to cover the entire tribe in the past.
Al-Qallab called for adherence to the contents of tribal documents that advocate reducing costs of weddings, condolences, and social occasions in light of the current economic conditions, appreciating the initiatives of a number of tribes that have committed to this.
He pointed out that "the coffee cup" is a key to dialogue, not a solution in itself as some believe, praising the Salt Document that contributed to enhancing social solidarity values and relieving burdens on citizens.
Participants appreciated the initiatives that called for shortening the mourning and funeral days to only two days, and opening the houses of mourning and tribal councils after four in the afternoon, affirming that it was a wise step towards reducing the burdens on citizens.
They mentioned that the researcher and historian, Rukhs bin Zaid Al-Azizi, has documented many cases and tribal customs that have formed a rich legacy in the history of Jordanian tribal judiciary, seeing it as an integral part of the national identity and intangible cultural heritage.
