Still no signs of a frank call for national unity from HM.
'Gimme more' protests continue apace, while the non-hydrocarbon exporting parts of the economy crumble... "A nice (albeit pricy) holiday in '
"I think not - aren't they rioting?" will be the typical answer.
This news release from Oman's official news agency seems - at least to me - to highlight the generation gap affecting the political dialog not just in Oman, but the region at large.
State Council's Social Committee Meets
Muscat, March 22 (ONA) --- The State Council's Social Committee today held its 6th meeting of the 4th annual sitting for the 4th term under the chair of honorable Dr. Su'aad bint Mohammed bin Ali Sulaiman, Head of the Social Committee in the presence of honorable members of the committee and the Assistant Secretary General for Sessions and Committees Affairs.
The meeting approved minutes of the previous meeting and viewed the report of following up procedures of implementing its decisions. The committee also continued discussing its study's topic "Contemporary Youth Issues in the Sultanate of Oman," which aims at addressing the status of contemporary youth issues and their needs, as well as, reviewing the role of the governmental and local institutions and departments in solving these issues, highlighting their most important challenges and proposing the appropriate recommendations to face them.
The committee reviewed other items listed on its agenda upon which it took the appropriate decisions.
--- Ends/AH/KH
Oh yes, lots of talk of agendas, and committees, and taking "the appropriate actions", with no description of any of the issues, points for and against, decisions taken or actions agreed.
What a load of bullshit.
Photo: 'Generation Gap' ripped from MadinahVision.com's photostreamA committee of old men discussing right now "Contemporary Youth Issues in the Sultanate of Oman"?
How about:
- Unemployment
- Inability to get married (and thus have sex, regular sex, with a member of the opposite sex, before the age of 35)
- The perceived inequity of seeing the young relatives of Oman's rich and powerful oligarchs cruising in their Porsches and Lexi (?) with an apparently well funded stipend from on high
- Wasta, especially in Government or Government owned and/or supported companies
- No freedom to discuss these issues in the media, especially print media
- Voting and how the elected people can actually be responsible and accountable for legislation
And the default setting - of everyone - it that it's up to the Government to fix these problems, rather than as is often the case, how it's the Government policies that are causing them in the first place. And protecting the precious dears from reality is high on the list.
More soon.
Good one and absolutely point on. I have been listening to the rioters and they made same points as you did and it is time for the old buggers with expired sell by date and mentality to retire and let new blood in to solve this issue. People of Oman have finally woken to what we have all be sating is wrong for years and they will not give up now until there is a new beginning minus the OLIGARCH's. From the time I was kid to now over 50 it has been same people controlling Oman and anyone who wanted to do competing business were either destroyed or forced out of country - plenty of Omanis in UAE running successful business which they couldnt in their own home country. Time for HM and his Governemnt to wake to reality and get their heads out of planet Me, Me, Me.
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I must say you got the facts wrong this time buddy. the ppl who are now still protesting next to Majlis al shura (The State Council) is viewed by most as a positive thing, they camp out there to make sure that everything that was said they "The State Council" will do and also the peacful protesters there are demanding that the criminals get accounted for "Maki and Makbul". I mean think about this "Maki" in just 5 yrs is worth 40 billion.. that is higher thn the GDP so yes he should be accounted for and prosecuted, so while you are not even in the country and just go with what the EU Media tells you id say make sure of the facts. Secondly, the media here are covering and talking about the protests as they come. The local News and Media have taken a new shape now. I read about the protests on Observer, Y, and also Oman local TV. Once again, pls get your facts right before you put your sad comments. you are no longer as valuable due to the fact that you are not in the country and you are going with what other media say ( watered down information) id say !!
ReplyDeleteOur Omani staff made a list of complaints to the Ministry of Manpower (same old thing, low salaries, not enough leave etc.), and we were graced with a surprise visit from a couple of MoM representatives. They held out the wishlist from our staff and said 'do these things or we'll fine you. Or maybe put you in jail. I guess it depends how we feel at the time'.
ReplyDeleteOur very relevant and sensible arguements to each item as to why we could not comply were met with blank stares and a Nike-style 'just do it' response.
As my few and far between Indian colleagues would say, what to do?
I like how point #2 is where it is, I think it's the biggest issue!
ReplyDelete"Inability to get married (and thus have sex, regular sex, with a member of the opposite sex, before the age of 35)"
Read carefully, there's a lot there!
Let me say upfront. Its getting crazy day by day. I dont write-off all demands. Yes, certainly there is some genuineness. But few guys are now skirting their greedy agenda under the genuine demands. How about treating Omanis at par with expats ? Is it not a demand ?http://www.omantribune.com/index.php?page=news&id=87117&heading=Oman... If thats so, why are expats labour class treated like herds..
ReplyDeleteThe oil part isn't doing too great, either. All the workers are striking so that the rigs are going offline. Today the gas stations are running out of gas because the truck drivers are on strike. I'm not sure how they managed to run out of gas within 2 hours of the rumors starting, so perhaps they've been on strike for a while and no one cared 'till today.
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hahah i had sent a comment n u did not post it, i guess it was 2 hot for u as it was the facts and i take it you did not like it
ReplyDeleteI started off by supporting the demands but now it's becoming childish and selfish.
ReplyDeleteI've completely revised my view of the Omani's and, as I prepare to leave, have advised people to stay away until someone takes a stand and there are signs of sanity being restored.
You guys have no idea of the goodwill you have lost.
Its new freedom taste. It might be wild, uncontrolled, stupid, angry, unfair, whatever. But the truth is: Oman is reshaping, and it is happening faster than we think!. I wonder if HM will be wise enough this time to really understand the size of the problem and address it correctly!!?. It looks like a heavy bar of iron between his time and our time is already in place, and it is really hard to overcome it.
ReplyDeleteWhat I love about all this is that still HM is most beloved amongst his people regardless of all the corruption!.
God bless Oman!
Any idea why HM hasn't come out and said anything? I feel that a lot of tension could be reduced, a lot of what's going on would simmer down, if he just came out and said something along the lines of, we're all Omani, we care about our country, etc. There must be a reason why he hasn't thus far?
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