First Anniversary: Dhofar Protests

I can't believe a whole year has gone by since the Arab Spring reached Salalah. So much has happened. So much changed. I have changed. On February 25th, 2011 a group of men went out onto the streets demanding change. They set up a few tents in the Governor of Dhofar's parking lot and stayed there until May 12th when the army arrested them. Between February 25th and May 12th, people demanded jobs, better benefits for orphans and widows, consumer protection, a new university, an end to government corruption, the ousting of several ministers. And guess what? They got what they asked for. During those few months my sleep was interrupted every few nights by messages from the palace announcing yet another Royal Decree from His Majesty changing this, changing that, firing this person, appointing that person, .... it was truly amazing to be part of that and no matter what anyone says, the protests were good for all of us. God bless Oman.

PS (I heard a few young men were planning to go out into the streets today to stage an 'Anniversary Protests'. Nothing happened. Not that I'm aware of anyway. There were plenty of police checkpoints though....)

Jailed Omanis on Hunger Strike

MUSCAT (Reuters) - More than 20 Omanis have been on a prison hunger strike since mid-December, a local rights group said Sunday, in protest at what they say are unfair sentences for taking part in demonstrations last year.
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Protests demanding jobs and an end to corruption hit the Arabian kingdom between January and May last year when Omanis, inspired by successful uprisings against veteran Arab leaders, took to the streets demanding political and economic reform.
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At least five people died in clashes with police, according to medics, and scores were arrested, however the scale of the protests and scope of their aims was much lower than elsewhere.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), set up by Oman's Sultan Qaboos bin Said in 2008, said it gained access to the jailed protesters after activists posted news of the hunger strike on social networking websites.
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"The prisoners complained about the sentences and demanded to be released," a statement from the Muscat-based NHRC said. "While some conceded their guilt, others said they were not happy with the sentences handed out," it added.
They were sentenced to between six months and five years on charges of possessing explosives, blocking roads, and forcing government employees out of their offices, said an activist who was held with the prisoners before being released in May.
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The activist, who declined to be named, said the 22 men filed an appeal in July but received no response.
The men are being force fed in a prison hospital in Samail, west of the capital.
Sultan Qaboos, a U.S. ally who has ruled the Gulf Arab country for 41 years, has promised economic and political reforms, raised state-sector salaries, initiated unemployment benefits and created thousands of jobs to ease discontent.
Elections for the Shura council, which has limited legislative powers, were held in October, but the body is largely consultative and political parties remain banned.

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Last month authorities demolished a roundabout in the northern industrial town of Sohar, which became a hub for protests last February. That echoed events in nearby Bahrain, where the government tore down a monument that was the center of pro-democracy demonstrations there.
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(Reporting By Saleh al-Shaibany and Nour Merza; editing by Sami Aboudi and Ben Harding)

Custody for Salalah Protesters Extended

Eight activists arrested in Salalah in May granted 15-day custody to complete probe on unauthorised gathering
By Sunil K. Vaidya, Bureau Chief (Gulf News)
Published: 13:14 June 22, 2011
;Muscat: The Appeals Court in Muscat on Tuesday granted additional 15-day custody for eight activists, who were arrested from Salalah on May 12. The prosecution had asked for an extension of the custody of the eight protesters as they wanted to complete investigations in the case of rioting and unlawful gathering near Governor's Office in Salalah in the south of Oman.
'The security agencies had broken up 77-day peaceful long sit-in outside Governor's Office in Salalah on last May 12 and arrested an unspecified number of activists from the sit-in camp. Now only eight protesters from Salalah remain in police custody and prosecution sought and got extension of their custody for two weeks. The eight are, Mussalam Saeed, Salem Mashani, Saeed Al Maahri, Mohamed Amiri, Ali Maahri, Shaikh Nasser Al Shakroon, Ahmed Tabuk and Shaikh Amer Hardan.
;"Each activist was called individually by the judge and was given time to explain why prosecution should be denied request for additional 15-day custody," Ismail Al Muqbali, an activist from Sohar, who attended the trial, told Gulf News. Ismail said that as solidarity with the Salalah activists, he along with the other Sohar protesters Ammar Hinai and Ismail Al Muqbali, attended the hearing. The lawyers for the eight detainees also argued against the prosecution demand and asked for bail for their clients. However, after two days in court, the judge granted an additional 15 days, maximum possible under law, detention for the all eight. Al Muqbali, who was also arrested twice and released, said that they hope the remaining detainees from Salalah would be released soon.

Updates

Two days ago one of the key speakers at the Salalah demonstrations, Mr. Amer Hardan (see his photo here) was arrested by the ROP. This may seem like huge news to all you Dhofaris out there since no one has been arrested or harmed since the protests started ten weeks ago. No, before you get excited and tribal about this, the reason for his arrest is rather amusing. He tossed his cup of tea (his supporters say it was an 'accident') at the governor of Dhofar's head of security. Anyway, he was arrested on Saturday after the head of security filed a complaint. Yesterday, protesters headed to the prosecuter's headquarters and set up yet another sit-in. They refused to leave until Amer was freed. He was finally released in the afternoon. The End.

.On another note, I have mixed feelings about the whole Bin Laden thing this morning. President Obama announced to the world that Osama Bin Laden had been killed in a mansion outside of Islamabad. Ok, so they've been looking for him for ten EFFIN years, and they caught him. Bravo. However, did CNN just HAVE to include in its announcement that Americans were outside the While House cheering and singing? Did they? I know he was a bad guy and he killed tons of people, but I don't know how any decent human can celebrate the death of another. No matter how bad he was, I have faith that God will handle his punishment. Most people around the world are relieved that he was caught. But to celebrate? There's something wrong about it. Ugh.

.A total of 37 drops of rain fell onto my windshield this morning. Yes, that was it. It rained for approximately 5 seconds. Torture. The heat is killing me. Dear Monsoon, please be early this year.
Faithfully yours, Dhofari Gucci

"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that." ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.~