Democracy in Oman?

There has always been a culture of reverence for Sultan Qaboos amongst locals (and most expats) in Oman. Most see him as being a leader who can do no wrong. This veneer of perfection was cracked slightly last year when the Arab Spring arrived in Oman. Although the riots and protests were not directly aimed at the Sultan, the fact that he is the head of government and, to all intents and purposes, a dictator, meant that any criticism of the government was a criticism of him.

The door or dictatorship in Oman was cracked open and democracy was allowed to briefly raise its head in the form of  protest and free speech. The ability to criticise anyone within the bounds of slander or libel is a fundamental right of democracy.

Alas, the door has been firmly shut again ...

http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/oman/a-lese-majeste-detainee-in-oman-released-on-bail-wednesday-1.1053680

How sad that a country which has so much going for it, led by a leader who has done so much good for his people, cannot take that final step and allow the people to think and say what they will without fear of reprisal.

Look around at Oman these days and you see a brand new, shiny 21st century country. Scratch the surface and the old medieval one still lurks beneath.

Olympics Fever!!

Well, what a two weeks this is turning out to be....

• I watched the Opening Ceremony and thought it was brilliant.
• Saw the mens cycling live. Madness and great all at the same time. Those guys are heros.
• Saw Andy Murray become Olympic Champion at Wimbledon!
• Was in Hyde Park watching the greatest night ever for British althletics as Team GB brought home three golds in the space of 45 minutes. Watching with 40,000 fans was amazing. The noise was deafening!
• I'm off to the wrestling on Friday.
• Then I have tickets into the stadium to see the Para Olympics in a couple of weeks.

Such a special time here in the UK. We're all sports mad! I cannot ever remeber watching clay pidgeon shooting on TV and being enthralled; or watching a triathalon and being nervous as hell! Bloody marvellous!!

How is it being broadcast in Oman? Are they even interested? Haven't seen any Omani athletes in action yet but did see them at the Opening Ceremony.

Go Team GB !!!!!!!!

Oman's drug problem - action at last

I first came to Oman in 1995 and even back then I found the drugs problem amongst young men to be frightening. There was no awareness of the dangers and problems drugs cause and the attitude of these young guys was to "have a good time" and not think about tomorrrow. I saw several friends of mine be systematically destroyed by drugs to the point where they could not cope any longer. Two of my friends died. There was no support system for people addicted to drugs. They became "outsiders" in society.

I've just read in the latest edition of The Week that the drug problem in Oman is finally being addressed (Issue 487 - Cover Story) by the proposed provision of 50 beds at an Amerat detoxification clinic and the conversion of a section of Ibn Sina Hospital into a rehabilitation centre. A good start, but not enough. The drugs problem in Oman is large. Unemployment, boredom, a feeling of not achieveing anything all contribute to young guys (and, most likely, women) falling into a drugs habit which they cannot get out of. The ROP response to drugs trafficking, focussing on high profile cases but not having a comprehensive approach, does not help either. But at least this is a start.

Perhaps the next step would be for the Omani Government to fully recognise the HIV problem they have on their hands and tackle this with some seriousness.

A British Summer

The view outside my widnow on a lovely summer's day in the UK

I understand it is hot in Oman right now. OK, well that's a bit of a foregone conclusion really as it is basically hot there every year in the summer. Well I wish you could send some sunshine and heat over here to the UK. No doubt those vaguely interested in the tennis at Wimbledon have been watching the miserable conditions at the tournament.

Since the first week in April (yes ... April) it has been raining virtually every day, except for a brief respite in late May of about a week. Yesterday, and we're talking July here, the mercury reached the dizzy heights of 14 degC. midsummer and it is colder than an average november day in London!! The Diamond Jubilee celebrations were a cold, rainy and miserable affair (and that's not even taking into account the fact that the organisers wheeling out relics such as Paul McCartney, Elton John and Cliff Richard), Wimbledon is a mess, the cricket is washed out and I cannot see anything changing before the Olympics.

What a summer!!!

Sorry.....that's a lie; there's been no summer, just a slow progression from early spring to late autumn.

Rumour has it ........

This from the Oman Observer on 6th June, 2012:

Rumours deplored

Wed, 06 June 2012

His Majesty is the pride of the nation — By Zainab Al Nasria — MUSCAT — The Majlis Ash’shura has condemned recent rumours circulated by electronic media and mobile phones that targeted His Majesty Sultan Qaboos. The Majlis, at a press conference here yesterday, expressed its strong rejection of the abusive allegations made against His Majesty the Sultan, who, the members said, is the founder of modern Oman and the pride of the nation. This came in response to the statement issued on Monday by the Public Prosecution Department.
The Majlis Ash’shura had already deplored the rumours during its session on Sunday and called for action to penalise the perpetrators. During the press conference, a team of the Majlis Ash’shura agreed that there is serious defect in the laws that organise how rumours should be dealt with. The team voiced support for the Public Prosecution Department in its legal stance, particularly as the perpetrators had the audacity to target the pride of Omani citizens.
The members said they would propose revision of the laws so that rumours targeting individuals can be tackled more firmly. The members said that they are not against freedom of opinion and the use of solid fact to support views, but they wish to see action taken against those who spread rumours. They added that the Majlis Ash’shura is there to represent the citizens and it always welcomes the opinions of citizens. However, the members said, no one should be allowed to fiddle with the country’s political, security and economic stability.
Citing an example, they noted that rumours were behind real estate market instability in 2007. The Public Prosecution Department earlier said that it observed a rising trend in offensive writings and inciting calls by some individuals who target personal life under the pretext of free expression of opinion. It advised all citizens and residents that it will take necessary legal action against the perpetrators of such statements or acts, as well as those who promote or provoke or assist them.
It considers such behaviour as a blatant violation of the sanctity of personal life and warned that with such rumours on the rise, the national interests can be put at a stake. The Public Prosecution Department also pointed out that these verbal or written insults are contrary to our religious teachings, rich traditions and noble morals that are deeply integrated in the Omani society.

So what were these rumours about? Anyone know?


If it is that he's rumoured to be gay, well  ....... yawn! Old news!!

God Save The Queen - Good Old Liz turns 60!

Well, I did have a good time last weekend. Firstly, it was a 4 day weekend which, if you've ever lived in the UK for any length of time, you'll understand is a rare event! We get 8 public holidays a year. Oh how I think back fondly to the time when I got what seemed to be about 50 public holidays a year in Oman. It only took someone tenuously connected to the Sultan to pop his clogs for us all to get 3 days off in mourning! I did most of my grieving at the beach.

Back to this past holiday weekend - a Jubilee Weekend, no less! Good old Liz turned 60 on the throne. Of course, she's much more ancient than that. I think she is 86 years old and what a good old bird she is. Stomping around the festivities with that "old woman grumpy face". It was great. We love her to bits! If her Mum's anything to go by, we'll have another 4 day holiday weekend in 10 years time for the Platinum Jubilee and perhaps one after that. I'm not even sure what you'd call an 80th Jubilee - a Geriatric Jubilee?

All of this makes poor old Qaboos seem like a bit of an upstart for only being sat upon his throne for a mere 42 years. Get a move on mate! :-)

Google Blogger Changes Its Interface - and it is confusing!

So here I am, coming back on to write a post oafter a few weeks and I find the Google Blogger page updated out of all recognition. I don't like change (well not when it comes to IT). I like my / their old-fashioned templates. I'm used to them. I hate reading "Using our new ......" help pages. It's all so confusing. Has anyone else felt like this?

Thankfully, my posts look the same. You really don't want to konw how many hours it took me to set up a boring page format like that!

A long year

It's been a long, long year and it's only early April. I've been back to Oman for a couple of weeks and loved it - seeing old friends again and showing my partner where I lived for so many years was great and fulfilling. The holiday was both relaxing and filled with activities. Lots of time was spent at the beach (mainly Qurm and Shatti Qurm as they're my "home" beaches). I played golf ... on grass ... at the Wave! Nice. Wadi A'Shab was a disappointment - so dirty and devoid of character now. I guess it was badly affected by Gonu. The Chedi is great for an evening out. Almost got to go to the Royal Opera House but a screw up in timing meant we couldn't. Still that's something for next time. Shangri-la was a bit of a disappointment. It has no character whatsoever - just vacant opulence. Still, the beach cafe was nice. The Grand Mosque was awesome. Overall - a wonderful escape from the UK winter and a fabulous return to Oman. It's a pity it went so quickly.

Sadly, my Mum died in February. No matter how much you prepare for something like this it still comes as an awful shock and you grieve terribly. Two months later and I still find myself grieving. The process is long and difficult but I'll get there in the end.

Spring has come to the UK. We had 24 degC a couple of weeks ago. Now it is snowing in Scotland. Typical spring - there's not a better place to be at this time of year.

So a lot has happened in 3 short months.

It's almost time!

Less than 6 weeks to go before I'm heading back to Oman for a holiday with my partner. I have a few questions which some may be able to answer or give advice on. It's been over 6 years since I lived in Muscat and over 4 since I have been back for a vacation. Knowing how fast things change there, it'd be good to get some advice. So here goes:

• We're looking to go scuba diving. Is ODC still the place to go? Any other companies and/or locations reliable and good?
• How do you get to go see the turtles these days? Last time I went, I drove down with an Omani friend of mine and we slept on Turtle Beach at Ras al-Had to wait for the turtles to come in, which they did. I imagine that's way too "unofficial" these days;
• Is Jabrin Fort finished yet? Would love to go as it looked very interesting;
• Best bar in town? I liked Al-Ghazal at the Intercon so we will likely go there for old times' sake. But other ideas would be welcomed;
• How can we get to play a round of golf on a grass course? It was all sand when I lived in Oman!
• Best shopping experience? I lived in Qurm and I see there's a City Centre there now. Is it better than the Seeb City Centre? Always felt a bit short changed there;
• I hear A'Seefah beach is being developed. Is it still worth a visit for a day out at the beach? If not, where's the best place to go? I used to go to Qantab Beach but I hear it has declined lately;
• Is Wadi Shab still a not-to-be-missed experience? I know there's a black top all the way there these days (what a shame) so it is well within striking distance, but if it is not as it was then we'll give it a miss and go somewhere else;
• Any other advice?

Thanks a lot. See you in Oman (we may pass each other in the street - or the beach - or the shopping centre) and never know!

Slave labour in Oman - does nothing change?!

I've just been flicking my way through the 14th September edition of The Week. Having read the lead article on the plight of the eight construction workers from Orissa, India, who resigned due to the appalling treatment they were given by the company which employed them, The Al Kindy Distinct Project, I'm astounded that this sort of practice continues in Oman today.

The cogs of Omani society are oiled by TCNs doing the work that some locals deem to base and demeaning to do (not all locals, I venture to add, just some) but if you're employed to do this work then you should be paid a fair wage and given decent working/living conditions - no matter what type of work you do.

I first lived in Oman almost 20 years ago and even back then there were labour laws which set out the rights of the worker. Why doesn't the Omani government implement these laws? It beggars belief that Oman is held in such high regard by the international community for its progress over the last 40 years when it has such scant regard for many of the labourers who built the country and continue to sustain it day in day out, year on year.

Shame on the Al Kindy Distinct Project for their cruel and reprehensible behaviour towards its expatriate workers and shame on the Omani government for allowing such companies to exist and thrive in a country which deserves better.

Eid Mubarak! (Enjoy your drink!)

Texted a few friends back in Oman on the occasion of Eid. Two were standing in separate lines ready to pay for booze after the long slog through Ramadhan. Nice to see some things haven't changed since I left!

News of the World .....

I didn't buy the last ever copy of the News of the World. It was a souvenir copy, advert free (except for charitible ads) and all money was going to charity. Despite all of this, I'd rather give my money to charity directly than support an organisation which condones its newspapers to hack into vulnerable people's lives.

Just what did the NotW think they would achieve by listening to the voice mail of a murdered girl; or reading emails of a soldier who died in battle?

Just what did they think they could report?

It is quite sickening.

Oman has quite strict press censorship. I raged against it when I lived there, aching for the time when the press opened up and reported what was really happening, rather than what the government wanted to tell the people.

Well, if the greedy need for information from a liberated press pushes news reporters to infiltrate into people's lives without consent, compounding the grief of recently bereaved relatives or reveal personal details of those in the public eye, then I'd rather stay with the state controlled media.

I want to read news, not scandal.

Coming to Oman!

Just booked up some flights for me and my other half to visit Oman on holiday in early 2012. It'll be four long years since I was there. We'll be staying with old friends (OK, friends - they're not too old). I used up some precious air miles for the flights, so all in all it'll be a nice (and cheap) winter break full of relaxation, socialising and reminiscing!

I'll be interested to see how things have changed since I left in 2005.

I always said that living in such a 'young' country as Oman, a year was like a decade living elsewhere - buildings pop up from nowhere; shops, restaurants, cafes come and go; urbanisation creeps ever outwards as the suburbs become bigger.

When I first lived in Oman, there was nothing north of Bowshar until you got to Seeb other than the airport. There was one cinema showing English language movies (Star Cinema in Ruwi). There was no satellite TV, only a 15 minute daily news programme in English on Oman TV. There was no Muscat Festival (thank God!), no Hyatt Hotel, no road along the beach at Qurm, no paved road from Quriyat down to Sur, no City Centre, no big auto showrooms on Honda Road, no tourist visas at the airport, no Grand Mosque, no flyovers anywhere....etc....etc...etc...

Like I said, it'll be interesting to see how things have changed.

What should I be looking out for when I come?

A major reshuffle - good enough?

So Sultan Qaboos has ordered a "major reshuffle" of his cabinet - presumably meaning that some high profile ministers will be axed or moved. No details yet but one questions begs an answer - is it enough to assuage people's anger and give them reassurance that their demands have been met?

Probably not.

If the chess pieces are just moved around a little, it's still the same board.

Even if some of the ministers are axed, it's the system that is rotten, not only the guys at the top. Root and branch changes are needed, not just a cosmetic makeover.

Those holding out at Sohar don't just want to see another sycophant at the Ministry of Labour, or a self server at the Ministry of Oil and Gas. They want to see honest, selfless and professional leaders who will sweep away the "wasta" and corruption which is endemic in the ministries.

So....a message to His Majesty....think hard before you make you decisions. The future of your country as you know it is at stake.

Oman Demonstrations

The winds of change are blowing through the Arab world. Dictators are falling and will fall. And the breath of fresh air has finally reached Oman. Those in power are fightened. Already, hastily drawn-up laws are being rushed through into existence. Money is being thrown at the populace. Do they not learn? Do they not see? This isn't about money or food prices or wealth. This is about FREEDOM.

Sometimes the birth of a truly democractic nation is truamatic. Whether you are under the rule of a despot or an all-powerful monarch, you are STILL under the rule of a dictator. You have no say in where your country goes. You have no way of protest. In democracies, a person can demonstrate and disagree - moreover your right to demonstrate is protected. In dictatorships, good or bad, you are not free to do this. You are thought unworthy to do so; made to live out your life without a say in how your life is led.

I fervently hope that Oman, a country I love, does not degenerate into the violence seen in Libya but equally, I fervently hope that the Omani people gain freedom to have a full say in their own country. This can only happen if those in power, including the Sultan, realise that they cannot reign above those they subjugate by right alone and that the masses will no longer be bought off with a quick cash advance or made to cower beneath the sword or the whip.

Gone are the days when the ruling elite should be there because of their birthright. Gone are the days when an accident of birth or who you know should be the only criteria for high office. We all live in the 21st century. All of us, everywhere, should have a say in how we live our lives and, moreso, how the country we live in is managed.

The Sultan is a wise man; an enlightened man. I am sure that he will do the right thing. I am sure that he will allow his people to have a say in the running of their country. He has pulled Oman out of the depths of poverty and myopic introspection and made the country into a jewel in the Gulf. He cannot and, I hope, will not allow all of that to be undone by not moving towards true democracy.