(MENAFN- Jordan Times) The Jordan Artists Association (JAA) on Monday demanded that Culture Minister Salah Jarrar either apologise for allegedly "insulting the country's artists" - charges the minister denied - or resign.
JAA President Hussein Khatib charged that Jarrar had accused artists, many of whom have been holding a sit-in at the association's headquarters for the past 24 days, of "constantly whining about their conditions without doing anything to address the issue" during a conference on culture and arts on Sunday.
"The minister's speech was insulting to artists" he referred to our sit-in and said we were constantly complaining without doing anything" I consider these remarks an insult to all artists in Jordan," Khatib told The Jordan Times, calling on the minister to apologise or resign.
The minister, however, said he had merely urged participants in the conference, which attracted several artists, to identify problems facing artists and propose practical solutions to their problems as complaining is not enough.
"Usually participants in such conferences do not come up with practical measures and just complain instead of addressing the root causes of the problem" All I said was that complaining is not enough, but solutions to the problems are needed. I did not mean to insult anyone," Jarrar told The Jordan Times.
"I support the Jordanian artists' demands and I recently went to the tent where they are holding their sit-in to show solidarity with them and their demands," he noted.
According to Khatib, the artists want the government to fulfil an alleged promise to establish a drama production company, grant artists land and provide them with first-class medical insurance.
"The government should pay more attention to Jordanian artists and enhance their conditions," he said.
Jarrar said the ministry spends most of its budget on supporting art groups and art-related activities, and does not have the financial capabilities to establish a production company.
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