We don't need no edukation! Riots & multiple Arson attempts in Omani high schools

Oman's students are revolting. Oh yes, protests have broken out at schools across the Batna coast. Some schools were closed by the ROP, and there were multiple arson attacks - one successful. As the newspaper Times of Oman, Anees Al Zedjali's much admired throbbing organ of the Omani 4th Estate, put it here, the crimes were committed by "miscreants" [I love the olde worlde English the expat staff at ToO use, especially when the thesaurus comes out!]

Photo: Widespread school protests in Oman are leading to acts of Arson.

Arson in Al Khoud school
Seeb: Unidentified miscreants yesterday morning set ablaze some classrooms in an Al Khoud school, located in the wilayat of Seeb.

Sources said that the culprits set the classroom afire with the help of tyres.

This incident follows a wave of protests that has lashed some schools in some regions of Oman following the high failure rates in the examinations and discontinuation of the previous promotion policy by the Ministry of Education.

Investigations are on to nab the culprits, a spokesman from the Royal Oman Police said.

And it's great to see it being reported, again in ToO. The kids are upset that they actually have to pass exams, and are blaming the teachers. How the arson helps their cause, I don't know.


Omani Student's are demanding to pass their exams, 'or else'.

High failure rate leads to protests in schools

Muscat: Students of some schools in the Sultanate launched protests against the high rate of failure in the examinations for Grades 10 and 11, citing the abolition of the earlier promotion system for this.

Some schools reportedly also witnessed acts of arson following the protests that occurred last week.

Scores of students gathered at Moosa bin Nadeer School in Al Hail area and went on a protest in the morning protesting the high failure rate in the school compared to other Muscat schools. The students blamed “unqualified” teachers for their failure in the examinations.
...

The Majlis had a meeting about Education a couple of days ago. As with all Majlis reporting, there is zero information about their discussion, problems, goals, progress, actions, et al.

Majlis panel meets to find solutions to education snags

Majlis panel meets to find solutions to education snags
Muscat: The Education and Culture Committee of the Majlis Al Shura yesterday held its meeting under the chair of Khalid bin Hilal Al-Nabhani, head of the Committee.

During the meeting, members reviewed the suggestions sent to the committee by citizens and took appropriate decisions.

They also discussed a number of educational issues and the problems facing government and private educational institutions and sought to find solutions to overcome these issues.

Excellent. Good to see the problem is in safe hands, and that plans are in place! This does not bode well for Oman's education system. There are already huge issues with teachers allowing plagiarism and rampant cheating. The schools in general churn out poorly educated & unmotivated students. English is terrible. The cirriculum is based on repetition and rote.

But at least they can line up at the 'job seekers' office later on and get $400 a month. Or 'supervise' an Indian worker.

In the same edition, Editor in Chief Essa Al Zedjali raves about the 1 Omani who just got a patent in Spain for an energy invention (which is good news, I agree), and goes on to claim this indicates how Omani education is soaring, and heralds an intellectual renaissance in the Sultanate. [Note, I'm advised all of the Opinion pieces are actually written by the (Indian) senior Editor, and then tweaked by Essa. LOL]

...
Sheikh Hilal is a product of this Blessed Renaissance — an empowered and unfettered mind and a child of liberalism ushered by the visionary ruler, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said. Einstein said: “All of science is nothing more than refinement of everyday thinking.”

The uninterrupted run of peace and modernisation of the past 41 years of Omani Renaissance has indeed helped many brilliant Omani minds to refine their everyday thinking. Sheikh Hilal has proved the paradigm true.

A brilliant mind, hard working and competent to his core, Sheikh Hilal has proved our yet another conviction. Given the right ambience, opportunity and encouragement, Omanis too are competent enough to prove their worth in every conceivable field of human activities, especially in science and technology. Sheikh Hilal is the brightest testimony of the fact that Renaissance has been a benign movement and the country is indeed moving along the right track of modernisation.
...

Looking at the photos of the protestors, I can see they all look like the sort of bright talented hard working young minds that will be generating patents, creating world dominating businesses and being nominated for Nobel prizes.


Hey, at least we're better than Yemen.

Breaking News: Dutch MP Queries readers of Muscat Confidential.

There's going to be another royal visit it seems, and antiglobalist-occupy-hipster-Dutch MP Harry van Bommel wants you to send him an email with your honest opinion about Oman.

Go for it readers of MC!

Send him a short email NOW in answer to his questions. If you can, cc me on your answer!


Photo: Harry. He wants to ask you about Oman. He's Dutch, isn't that weird?

Dear friends,

Do the new powers of the Shura mean anything? I would like to know since our queen is coming to your country. Please mail me at hvbommel@sp.nl

Best regards

Harry van Bommel MP

---------------

Dear friends,

Her Majesty the queen of the Netherlands is planning a state visit to Oman. Of course this is giving food for thought in my country. Our prime minister today said the situation in your country is 'stable enough' for a visit of the queen. What is your opinion? Have recent political changes really made a difference? Please mail me at hvbommel@sp.nl with your opinion.

Keep up the good work!

Harry van Bommel MP

He's a real live Netherlands Member of Parliament, and he wants to here from you. Give it a go. You might get on CNN...



[no other news BTW.... hope you enjoyed Eid and National Holidays!]

Shura given new powers. Oman to offer asylum to Ghaddafi family? News round up.

So the Shura elections were held successfully, with just 1 woman elected (Congratulations to Nu'amah Bint Jamayel Al Busaidi). 1 is better than zero I guess, although most observers were hoping for more female representatives.


Photo: Happy young voters with photo's of their preferred candidates. Sunil K. Vaidya/Gulf News

After the elections, as promised to the protesters earlier this year, HM also issued the first major constitutional change since the Basic Law of the State was issued in 1996, granting (limited) legislative powers to the Shura and allowing the Majlis Ash' Shura to elect their own Chairman. The law even allows 15 members of the Majlis Ash'Shura to summon a 'Services' Minister for a grilling.

The decree updated the process of how a successor to the Sultan is selected, replacing the Defense Council with a small committee that includes the Majlis Chairman.

These are certainly big changes, and represent another step on the path to more effective representative government. Muscat Confidential has long held the view that HM has a goal of leaving Oman with a Constitutional Monarchy, and this is a key part of such a transition. Local legal-eagle BluChi wrote a good summary of the changes here.

Oman Daily Observer
Fri, 21 October 2011
...
Article 58 (bis 35): The draft laws prepared by the government shall be referred to the Majlis Oman for approval or amendment and then directly be submitted to His Majesty to issue them. In case of any amendments by the Majlis Oman on a draft law, His Majesty may return the same to the council for reconsidering the amendments and then shall be submitted again to His Majesty.

Article 58 (bis 36): The Majlis Oman may propose draft laws and refer the same to the government for assessment and returning the same to the Majlis, procedures provide for in Article 58 (bis 35) shall be followed in approving, amending or issuing the said draft laws.
...

Article 58 (bis 43): On a request signed by at least 15 members of the Majlis Ash’shura of any of the services ministers may be subject to interpellation on matters related to exceeding their prerogatives by acting in contrary to the law. The Majlis shall debate the same and submit the outcome to His Majesty the Sultan.
...

The results of the election showed how most of the voting is still done along tribal lines, with some people reporting that they were even told to vote for the local tribal leader. As political parties remain illegal in Oman, this is probably no surprise. Without a coordinated party structure, it is hard for potential Shura members to establish a cohesive manifesto, and even harder for voters to really know what they are voting for wrt specific policies or new legislation. But at least the ban on all polital parties keeps out the election of a dedicated religious extremist party.

It is questionable whether the Shura has the capability to use these new powers. This would require the Shura members be given the budget and authority to assemble a staff of advisors, who could then analyse the draft legislation sent from the Council of Ministers, and have a bigger chance of doing a decent job writing suitable amendments. The Shura need independent lawyers and experienced technocrats to take on the civil servants in the Ministries.

Oman still struggles to overcome the historic burden of tribalism and family-related favouritism. But, hey, this new law is a good start in a region not known for democracy.


Bit of a catch up on miscellaneous news.

Oman to offer Ghaddafi family asylum?
Strange report today that Oman was prepared to give the Ghaddafi family political asylum. Interesting.

While Oman is a signatory (in December 2000) to the International Criminal Court treaty, they have not yet ratified the treaty and so are not at present a 'State Party' to the ICC. So how any ICC arrest warrants would apply in Oman is a bit vague.

Oman 'ready' to give Gaddafi family policial asylum
Oct 27, 2011 22:16 Moscow Time

The authorities of Oman are prepared to grant political asylum to the members of Muammar Gaddafi’s family, Ash-Shark al-Ausat newspaper reports with reference to Libyan sources.

The authorities stressed that members of Muammar Gaddafi’s family will not be involved in politics in Oman.

According to other sources close to Gaddafi’s family, its surviving members may go to South Africa in the coming days where they will be joined by Gaddafi’s son Saadi who is now in Niger. (TASS)

If true, I wonder if we'll see this story in the Times of Oman?

Meanwhile.

Iranian Threat prompts Oman to buy advanced US anti-aircraft missile systems.
It seems releasing Iranian hostages can help get you access to some nice military kit. Oman is buyinga suite of advanced US anti-aircraft missiles. These would be capable of shooting down unmanned drones as well as helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. While the Iranian airforce may not be up to much, I guess it's always nice to be prepared.



Photo: the SLAMRAAM anti-aircraft system by Raytheon. Toys for the boys.

October 28, 2011: The Persian Gulf state of Oman is buying 18 American Avenger anti-aircraft systems, as well as 266 Stinger anti-aircraft missiles for them. Also being purchased on 290 SLAMRAAM (ground launched AMRAAM air-to-air missiles) and twenty Hummers to serve as launchers. A Sentinel radar system is being bought to support the SLAMRAAMs.

Avengers are hummers with a turret mounted on the back. The turret contains two missile pods (each containing four Stinger anti-aircraft missiles). Under one pod there is an M3P .50 caliber (12.7mm) machine gun. The weapons operator has use of a FLIR (night vision device) and a laser range finder. The machine-gun, however, can't be depressed sufficiently to fire at ground targets towards the front of the vehicle. The missiles have a range of four kilometers, the machine-gun about half that. The usual price is $12-15 million per Avenger system, including Stinger missiles, training gear, spare parts and training and technical assistance.
...

Sweet.

They just don't get it.

Quick post.

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 'sleepyExotic Oman' this winter dear?"

"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 photostream


A 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.

Oman Air dodges a bullet. new oil discoveries in Oman

Welcome to another mid-week, a busy day for the news today.

Promising Oman newspaper Muscat Daily reported that we are running out of electricity generating capacity because the Government has systematically under-invested in new generating capacity while giving away what power we do generate at heavily subsidised rates of the phenomenal growth in the country's economy. Perhaps a pricing strategy re-assessment is what's called for, as well as asking the power companies to squeeze more from existing facilities? Meanwhile, expect more power cuts and brown-outs over the next few years folks.

The Majlis Al Shura also finally questioned the sanity of the Oman Government's cunning plan of importing filthy coal for the long proposed Duqm power plant. HE The Undersecretary of the MOG responded by saying that it wasn't committed to it being a coal fired plant at all. Well done chaps! Don't give up. Muscat Confidential has long rolled its eyes at this crazy scheme to get nice fat consulting payments for the boys to spend our hard earned foreign currency on dirty coal while we export LNG gas to Korea, when we should instead be forging ahead with massive solar power plants.

Oman Air dropped lemon just in time?
It seems Oman Air dodged a bullet today, as the Ethiopian Airlines' Boeing 737 plane that exploded on take off in Lebanon was an ex-Oman Air rental. Oman Air leased the relatively new plane in 2008 and only got rid of it last year. Whew!

...
The plane involved in today's incident, a 737-8BK, was comparatively new, according to one report. Built in 2002, it went into service in June 2007 with Flyglobespan, was leased to Oman Air between May 31 2008 and May 8 2009, before being delivered to Ethiopian Airlines in September. It passed its latest maintenance test on December 25 with no technical problems.
...

Good news for the Oman oil business too.
Tethys Oil reported that a test on their well Farha South 3 flowed over a 1000 barrels a day of oil after they put a pump in the hole. That should be a nice little earner for cash strapped operator Consolidated Contractors Energy Development (Oman) Ltd.

I'm also told that our majority-Government-owned giant oil company Petroleum Development Oman, aka PDO, discovered a really big field called Al Ghubar South last year, although it won't be officially announced 'till HM gives the OK according to my MOG friends who confirmed the leak. According to my reliable source in PDO:

Al Ghubar South. The oil is heavy and although seen for the first time in 1964 it was then deemed immovable and almost forgotten while easier opportunities were pursued, We drilled 4 appraisal wells this year and managed to flow some oil under steam stimulation (steam in an exploration well is actually a first in Oman if not in the world). It will probably be amongst the 10 biggest fields in Oman but will take a lot of effort and money to develop (using massive steam injection to lower the oil viscosity)

.

Excellent news! Well done PDO.

One for the boat-spotters
Meanwhile, famously huge cruise ship The Queen Mary II due to dock late on Tuesday morning at Port Sultan Qaboos.

Photo: Queen Mary II: A really big boat.

Should be a nice spectacle. Avoid the Souk on Tuesday and Wednesday I guess is the best advice!

Omani Tourist Dies in Thailand
In breaking news, an unfortunate Omani tourist in Pattaya, a 36 year old Mr. Hamid Said Al Abri, was found dead in his hotel room, apparently no foul play was involved according to Pattaya People news. Cops are investigating and the Omani Authorities have been informed. Condolences to his family and those who knew him.

Oh, and the infamously huge scam that is the 'Oman web awards' were awarded to whoever paid some dodgy company to make up an award for them in return for cash and a slap-up dinner. Excellent.

Coming this week: More news on Blue City and the return of AAJH! Watch this space Blue City fans...

Democracy in action in Oman - weekend move or not?

On the usually quiescent Oman Community blog, there's a post from Mohammed about the proposed move of the Omani weekend to Fri-Sat [from Thu-Fri], and how the pseudo-intellectually heavyweight Omani bloggo-fora commentators were opposed to the move by the elected Majlis Al Shura to recommend such a shift, (The Majlis are an advisory body to the Council of Ministers [who run things]).


The Majlis Al Shura


To a certain extent, the argument depends on whether a majority of Majlis Al Shura members were elected with a stated policy of switching the weekend.

If 'Yes', well, that's democracy for you. And the fora should maybe try to be positive in their criticism - highlighting real problems the move would cause, and proposing solutions to mitigate the side-effects. Or just bitching, that's OK too.

If 'No', it gets a bit trickier. This is one of the downsides of an absence of political parties (and their publicly stated platform of policies and priorities).

In the end, even without parties, you can have an agreed constitutional body making decisions, and at the same time still have valid debate, disagreement and challenge. Where such decisions are made, they will fall within the constitution and powers delegated under the rule of law. In the British system, there would be a separation between those parties in charge of governance, and those who form the so-called Honourable Opposition, whose constitional duty is to oppose the Government's proposals through suggestions of alternative solutions and force of argument.

This is why Freedom of speech is also a big part of the democratic process - it's not just about elections. And usually there is a commitment to protection of minority rights, to avoid a 'dictatorship of the majority'.

How the issue progresses in Oman may be a cute experiment on the decision making system. But it also shows how the Majlis has been successfully directed into worrying about such minutiae as this, reading long-term coal studies, and the moon sighting issue. IMHO, the Majlis has a long way to go. And perhaps the fora could be finding better things to focus public debate onto...

National Day Holiday period, slow times in Muscat

Its been hard to find any real news lately, as Oman settles down for a long period of holidays (National Day and Eid coming in early December).

First: Occidental and the Abu Dhabi government's Development investment company Mubadala were awarded rights to a piece of Oman to explore and produce gas. The Omani Government took a 20% percentage via Oman Oil Company. The deal is good for Oman, especially in these tight credit times, because it will provide an effective loan of $500 million to fund development, money that will only be liable to be repaid from gas production. The area already contains some small undeveloped gas fields previously discovered for the Government by Petroleum Development Oman, and the area excludes fields already found and developed by the Government (like the Kauther field).

Haven't heard if OOC's 20% piece is 'carried' (ie if they will have to pay their share of the costs or not), but as with all such deals for gas in Oman the key question is: who will pay market price for the gas? Another 2 more similar deals are being lined up for next year, one with Malaysian state oil company Petronas and another with a small US company called Hertitage Oil and Gas. [post press correction: that's Harvest Oil and Gas, not Heritage. Mis-remembered!] The terms of these deals are still being negotiated apparently. And word from my fiends in the Ministry is that the Occidental deal will be expanded to include oil, but the terms couldn't be finalised in time for National Day so only a gas deal was inked.

NEW YORK, Nov 24 (Reuters) - Occidental Petroleum Corp (OXY.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and Abu Dhabi investment firm Mubadala Development Co have signed an exploration and production sharing agreement with the Sultanate of Oman, the companies said in a joint release on Monday.

The agreement allows the parties to develop four existing gas fields and explore for new discoveries in a newly formed contract area in Northern Oman. The 20-year agreement covers an area of 2,269 square kilometers (876 square miles).

Occidental will serve as operator under the agreement and hold a 48 percent interest, with Mubadala holding 32 percent and the Oman Oil Company holding the remaining 20 percent.

Total capital investment in the contract area is expected to be about $500 million over the next four years.
...

Second, the infamous rape at PDO viral-email flurry.
I've been trying to track down any actual facts on the email, alleging a serious sexual attack in PDO on the fireworks night of Nov 6th, that ripped around the Muscat expat community. The email and PDO's official statement were posted on comments to an earlier post of mine on PDO. I had received the emails as well of course, from many sources, but I hadn't posted the story because, well, it was highly inflamatory and there was no independent evidence at all of such an attack, plus the email talked of a cover up by Senior Managers at PDO which did not ring true at all.

That lack of evidence continues to be the status. My sources tell me that there has been no actual complaint made, and no comment from the supposed source of the original email despite emails and public appeals, there remains just that original email. So, for now, my verdict is that its probably not true, and the email was either a case of Chinese whispers gone wrong, perhaps based on some real or imagined teenage underage sexual adventures, or a deliberate hoax. There are now hybrid rumours circulating, such as one I was forwarded that talked of the event being captured on CCTV. There are no CCTV cameras at PDO cub, BTW.

I'll keep a watch out, but the signs are not good for any more actual facts in this case.

Lastly, the mighty brain trust that is Oman's Majlis Al Shura apparently rubber stamped the 2009 budget drafted by HE Mr. Macki, Minister of the National Economy. The story is almost comical. The idea that the Majlis can effectively challenge someone as smart and well supported as HE Macki on something this important is a joke. Not only are the Majlis members elected mostly on local tribal grounds and are banned from forming political parties, but they have no effective independent civil service to back them up. As a result, they are as effective a challenge as a moist towelette to someone as well prepared as HE Macki. See Times of Oman story.

They do, however, serve as an important source of patronage and 'wasta' within Government for low level things. As a result of their close contacts within the Government, and their ability to kick up a fuss, they have bypassed the previously powerful system of local Walli. So if your drains are a problem, or your roads full of potholes, a complaint to your Majlis member is of more use than the Walli.

Majlis okays economic panel’s report on draft of 2009 budget
ONA
Monday, November 24, 2008
MUSCAT — The Majlis Al Shura yesterday held its second session of the second annual sitting of the sixth term under the chairmanship of Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Isa’ee.

The Majlis discussed the report of the economic committee on its study on the state general draft budget for 2009 in the presence of Ahmed bin Abdulnabi Macki, minister of national economy and deputy chairman of the Financial Affairs and Energy Resources Council and a number of senior officials at the national economy and financial sectors. The Majlis approved the committee’s report on the draft budget, and decided to refer it to the Council of Ministers, in accordance with the Majlis internal regulation, issued by Royal Decree No. 71/2004 on principles of reviewing the state’s general budgets and plans.

Sheikh Isa’ee underlined the importance of cooperation between the Majlis and the government to achieve the national development goals at all levels and sectors. Macki briefed the Majlis on major aspects of the state’s general draft budget for 2009.

Those pesky runaway expats - but we don't deserve Tier 3...

Following on from the Tier 3 knee-jerk reaction, this beauty from yesterday's papers (in this case the Tribune version) on those pesky runaway expats. I was shocked myself that there are apparently over 64,000 expats that are effectively missing. Gee, I wonder why, seeing as things are so great here for all expats, why 64,000 would abscond? I mean, the number seems to indicate about 50 expats per day go missing, or 'runaway'.

Or at least, I hope they absconded, and aren't just buried in the desert somewhere. Do you think the ROP would actually investigate any of these cases?

And the response is not to wonder why they runaway and perhaps think about what that means, but to enforce 'strict penalties'. Go Oman! The expat labourer's paradise...

Majlis A’Shura focuses on runaway expatriates
Muscat Majlis A’Shura held its 10th regular session of the first annual term under the chairmanship of HE Sheikh Ahmed Bin Mohammed Al Isa’ee on Sunday.

Omar Bin Ali Al Hosoni, deputy chairman, read out the legal committee report and pointed out that the study of the legal committee to the proposed amendments on the labour law has been delegated by Majlis A’Shura and was limited only to the articles to which the amendments will be introduced.

“The first part of the report addresses the issue of runaway expatriates by applying strict penalties, which the ministry believes, will provide a radical and decisive
solution to the problem which has a negative impact on job market,” he added.

Majlis A’Shura appr-oved the report of the legal committee on the proposed amendments to the labour law. The report included the recommendations of the committee and the proposed amendments on some of the labour law provisions, especially those related to the runaway expatriates.

The number of run-away expatriates, as at the end of 2007, stood at 64,487, a 33.97 per cent growth compared to the last two years, he said.
...

News update: Cement and No Tibet please, we're Omani

More so-called updates on Oman's continuing battle against raising inflation lately, and a burning stick passes through Oman.

The Government will import 100,000 tonnes of cement from Pakistan, as reported in The Tribune . 'Course, this is less than 2 weeks worth of internal cement production, so hardly a huge effect would be expected. Although not stressed in the article, it seems pretty clear that Government is now effectively going to nationalise almost the entire distribution system of cement in Oman. I'm not a big fan of Government's running businesses as they are usually so very very bad at it. Just look at Omantel.

Related to the cement is the recent imprisonment of people Court sends price manipulators behind bars . What's interesting is the article never actually says what they were selling, or what they actually did that broke the law. I can only presume it was those 'Asians' recently caught selling cement at 3 rials a bag.

The powerful Majlis announced they had found time in their busy schedules to talk a lot about Inflation though. (an excellent and traditional Government appoach to problems here), as reported in the almost totally information-free Times Of Oman Majlis panel discusses steps against inflation .

Free Tibet Rally Peaceful
Meanwhile, the Free Tibet rally, oops sorry, the Olympic Torch Parade passed off without incident, naturally. Sultanate celebrates Olympic spirit
Anyone around the route would have noticed the quite incredible security presence, there to make sure any protesters fool-hardy enough to turn up in support of the occupied country of Tibet could be given a dose of what the Chinese Government has been giving the protesting Bhuddist monks lately. I don't think anyone did.

The reception crowd of dignitaries were however, all given a briefing note of instructions that told them explicitly, if interviewed by the press, to say nothing what-so-ever about Tibet.

It was, quite rightly, seen as a diplomatic gesture of favour upon Oman by the Chinese, who do, after all, buy the majority of Oman's oil production. Oman is in no position to play around with China by allowing nasty protestors. Although I'm not sure there would have been any protests anyhow, to tell the truth. I don't think many Omani know anything at all about Tibet or its history, nor would they feel it was worth embarassing their guests with such things. It would not be at all polite.