Oman: The People Want an End to Corrpution
Posted 26 February 2011“The people want an end to corruption” chanted thousands of Omanis, who have been protesting since Friday in Salalah and Sohar, as well as other parts of Oman.
Last week's similar - but smaller protests in Sohar and Muscat - have brought about a cabinet reshuffle today, where Oman's Sultan Qaboos bin Said changed six ministers. The announcement was made today but that didn't seem to stop the wave of protesters who have gathered to demand more rights over the previous two days.
According to Dhofari Gucci, who blogs from Salalah, the protesters demands are as follows:
What demands? They want the following from His Majesty the Sultan:
.
(1) An end to corruption in the government
(2) More jobs for people in need
(3) increase in salaries for the poor, widows and divorced women
(4) Lowering prices
(5) An end to financial and administrative wasta (influence/nepotism) in the government and private sector
(6) And other demands.She continues:
Evidently protests have erupted in Sur, Sohar, Shinas, and more in Muscat. What is going on in the Arab world?!!
Tweets:
Following are reactions on the protests, as well eye witness accounts on the ground, from Twitter: Evidently protests have erupted in Sur, Sohar, Shinas, and more in Muscat. What is going on in the Arab world?!!
Al Hurra: Eyewitness: Thousands are protesting in Oman. Protesters are unhappy about the ministerial changes, calling it the same faces.
@monaeltahawy Currently 200-300 protesters in Sohar #Oman, demanding pay hikes&replacement of specific ministers. Protesters blockin main rd
Protests in #Oman; that is when you really know the revolutionary fervor has spread; sultan reshuffles cabinet in response
Omani1970 tweets:
"According to a source, the number of protesters at the Sohar roundabout has reached 4,000 and it is increasing as more protesters join from neighbouring governorates."
#oman على حسب المصدر تقريبا عدد المعتصمين في دوار صحار وصل 4000 شخص والعدد فيي ازياد من الولايات المجاورة
Omani1970:
"There is an electronic radio station at the demonstration square in Salalah: http://www.dhofari.com/radio/radio.html "
#oman إذاعة إلكترونية من يدان الاعتصام في صلالة http://www.dhofari.com/radio/radio.html
Omani1970:
"There are unconfirmed reports that the army has cordoned Sohar Port after protesters announced that they would march to the port. The number of riot police, according to a policeman, has reached 2,000."
#oman أخبار غير مؤكدة ان الجيش طوق ميناء صحار بعد اعلان المتظاهرين توجههم للميناء وقوات الشعب بحسب افادة احد افراد الشرطة وصل عددها الفين
Omani1970:
"The protests in Salalah and Sohar continue."
"We want the Shura Council to have legislative powers!" doesn't exactly trip off the tongue. http://t.co/xGN53vE #oman
Sit-in in Sohar town in Oman forces hypermarkets to close down. http://j.mp/g1cgdf
Sohar, #Oman protesters r pulling truck drivers out of vehicles&taking their keys to block the main highway.Also some looting of supermarket
@yvonneridley @Elshani2010 @ArabRevolution No its definetly Oman, they reshuffling/panicking to avoid further protest. http://t.co/4h5Am4t
While Oman sultan shifts deck chairs on the Titanic protests break out insisting changes in cabinet are cosmetic. They really dont learn!
Surprised 2 hear about #Oman protests.Seemed fairly progressive last time I was there.Sultan Qaboos is not stupid.I think he will see reason
Apparently 'protests' have been occurrin other parts of #Oman as well.Gov's office in #Salalah, #Muscat, #Shinas? http://bit.ly/etsbjlVideos:
This video, from khawar107, shows protesters in Salalah last night chanting for an end of corruption:
And this video, from sohar9999, shows scenes from today's protests in Sohar:
Saturday 26 February 2011
Oman: The People Want an End to Corrpution · Global Voices
