My sources in Sohar tell me that the police broke up the crowds at the Globe Rounadbout in the early hours of the morning, and many were arrested. You can follow the details and photographs at Jillian & Dan's, (Jillian first = ladies first), our only source of news from Sohar. So, it looks like authorities are finally (trying) to put an end to the sit-ins/strikes/demonstrations around Oman. The three major remaining sit-ins have been at Sohar, Muscat, and Salalah. The Salalah sit-in started on Friday February 25th. Today is March 29th. One of my friends was at the sit-in just a few moments ago and claims the protesters plan to remain in their place. Judging by the photos on Jillian & Dan's, I wouldn't be surprised if we're next. . .
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Oman gets mentioned in this article (you don't have to publish this comment) just wanted to let you know...
ReplyDeleteHugs XOXO
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/mar/31/arab-revolution-economics-politics
yah but unless the dhofari's decide to:
ReplyDeletea) block an entire highway and (in individual cases) charge cars to pass by;or
b) charge into 2 government offices with microphones and sticks kicking employees out
Like they did in Sohar, then I doubt they'll be arressted.
My source: family friend who works for ministry of education in Sohar who was pulled out of her office by the ''peaceful'' demonstrators.
-adg
Breaking news!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5j1t6UcsUhhalNFSFPviQqiy3pxng?docId=CNG.1fd1c4853d22c9c6fd2476a783525b0d.6e1
Police shoot one dead in Oman protest: witnesses
(AFP) – 1 hour ago
MUSCAT — Omani police shot dead a protester on Friday in the port of Sohar, north of Muscat when they opened fire to disperse demonstrators demanding the release of prisoners, witnesses told AFP.
It was the second death in the port during the current wave of unrest sweeping across the region, after police killed a protester at the end of February in Sohar, an industrial area some 200 kilometres (124 miles) north of the capital Muscat, particularly badly hit by unemployment.
Salalah does not appear to be Sohar ....
ReplyDeletepeople who burn supermarkets, offices, vehicles, who attack members of the public, extort money from the public , intimidate government officials, assault security forces with bricks and armed with guns are arrested in many countries, should Oman be different?
Doing the arrests in the middle of the night, supported by appropriate legality, is often the only method of locating the suspected criminals. It happens so frequently elsewhere that it is commonplace when dealing with breakdowns of law an order.
If the families of the arrested people are confident of their individual and collective innocence then why attack the forces who are there to create public order. The security forces are now not the public prosecution. Nor is brute force by the friends and families any difference to wasta in obtaining preferential treatment. Should the Omani authorities send a recorded delivery letter or an email, text, tweet , Facebook post to advise the wanted people to present themselves at court?
The protestors in Salalah are not rioting and so on they also deal with a government Minister with some respect – quite different from the appalling reports about a ‘mish-mash’ of people who forced an entry into a Ministers office and made slanderous accusations. Sheikh Mohammed Al Hinai probably should have anticipated the questions he was presented with and clarity from all sides is needed rather than ‘fudging’ the answers.
But there seems to be no reason why the protestors in Salalah should be moved on by force