Omán: ¿empiezan las protestas?

Empiezan a aparecer algunos twits en ese sentido. No veo nada de momento en otras fuentes:

@EbrahimSea: قنابل غاز على المتظاهرين في صحار، tear gaz in Sohar demonstrators by polic. #oman

La importancia de Omán es que, junto con Emiratos, su posición es extremadamente estratégica al pertenecer a su territorio la orilla sur del estrecho de Ormuz, en el Golfo Pérsico. En particular, el extremo de la península de Musandam es omaní, y es también la llave del estrecho.


Musandam Governorate - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Omán, como otros países del golfo, tiene altos estándares de vida para la media de los países arabófonos, con un PIB per cápita de unos 25000 dólares en una población pequeña y manejable (unos 3 millones), con baja densidad de población. Además, pecando del mismo problema que otros emiratos y sultanatos del Golfo, que es la excesiva importación de mano de obra exterior (de los 3 millones, algo menos de uno son extranjeros, cifras mucho menos dramáticas que las de Kuwait o Barhein), Omán lleva desde los años ochenta un programa de "omanización" por el cuál se pretende formar a personal nacional para ocupar la mayor parte de esos puestos de trabajo (fundamentalmente personal especializado de la industria petrolera; también personal financiero).

Economy of Oman - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Problemas: Omán es una dictadura islamista al estilo del Golfo, un sultanato hereditario, con un jefe de estado, el sultán Qaboos bin Said Al Sai, que lleva gobernando ya más de 40 años (desde julio de 1970; solo le supera Gadafi en ese entorno, con 41). Con lo que esto, inevitablemnte, suele suponer: represión de la disidencia, como en todas las dictaduras.

Las causas de fondo de una posible revuelta en Omán podrían ser:

1) Hastío del dictador y deseo de libertad. Quizá la más evidente, a pesar de los buenos niveles de vida.

2) Que la "omanización" laboral esté creando tensiones entre la población viajero y los locales.

3) Lucha interna de clanes (con tribus, etc, al estilo de Libia; Omán, Jordania, la propia Arabia y alguno más de esos países tienen también estructura tribal de origen ancestral).

En todo caso, inspiradas en las revueltas del resto del mundo árabe.

Omán produce casi un millón de barriles de petróleo al día (Libia: 1.7; Argelia: 2.2). Y, dato interesante: no pertenece a la OPEP.

Pero lo de menos es su producción. Un eventual cierre del Estrecho de Ormuz tendría efectos desvastadores sobre el suministro de crudo al resto del mundo. Opino que, en este caso (y en el de Emiratos), los intereses de USA y Europa están muy lejos de cualquier tipo de revuelta en Omán, Emiratos y, por supuesto, Arabia Saudí (por su volumen de producción). Quizá sean los tres países más estratégicos en este momento (junto a Irán).

Edito: se confirman las protestas. Ya está en la prensa omaní:

Google Translate

PD: Otra peculiaridad de Omán es su única combinación religiosa, con una rama del islamismo (ibadíes) casí endémica y mayoritaria del país, y otras dos ramas, mayoritariamente iraníes, como segunda y tercera en el país (chiítas y zikríes). Una auténtica isla religiosa dentro del mundo árabe. Lo que no sé es si esto puede ser fuente de potenciales conflictos.

Si empiezan en Omán y acto seguido en toda Arabia Saudí, ya podemos prepararnos para el Mad Max energético. 8:

Al-Jazeera...no podrá cubrir la noticia de las revueltas de Omán, por falta de medios técnicos sobre el terreno.

Mode no creo en las "manipulaciones informativas" OFF

protest in sevral places in oman # Sur. Sohar. Sohar. Salalh. Salalh. Shenas. Shenas. and S. and S. Qabos make small Decisions. about 4 hours ago via web Qabos make small Decisions. about four hours ago via web

Lo está contando este twitero. Traduzco el árabe con google:

Ebrahim Saeed (EbrahimSea) on Twitter

Pero de momento no veo nada más en la red.

Esta foto es de Omán, reciente, pero no sé si son las protestas exactamente:

Atención, se reconfirma independientemente por otros twiteros. Protestas en Omán en varias ciudades:

@ AhmedAlShibli : demonstrations and sit-ins in the Sultanate of Oman in the states (Shinas - Louis - Khabourah - Sohar - Photos - Salalah) since the morning # Oman . 6 minutes ago via YoruFukurou

Confirmación: Omán se levanta:

Oman: demonstrations, strikes and people want to drop corruption

Amman [por Omán, error de traducción] has seen this morning, Saturday, a number of popular protests in different areas, which claims raised political, economic and social.

In the city of Salalah, the capital of Dhofar, turned the demonstration, which started yesterday afternoon to night protest outside the gates of the governor's office and continues to demonstrate sustained.

Demonstrators chanted slogans including "People wanted to drop corruption" and "holding on holding on .. sit-sit," and waved banners demanding freedom of expression and the fight against poverty, unemployment and holding ministers accused of corruption.

They stressed the peaceful protesting, while avoiding contact with the demonstrators and the police cooperated with them, witnesses said that members of the Internal Security Agency tried to sabotage the peaceful sit-in but they did not succeed.

And published on the Internet rumors during the sit-night talk about the burning buildings and vehicles to the police immediately found to be groundless.

The activist said Oman's wall "on demonstrators in all areas of vigilance in the face of such rumors and provocations by the will of the members of the security, and documented them, reporting them."

Demonstrators and prepared a list of political demands, economic and social to be delivered to the governor of Dhofar.

In the eastern city of Tyre, Muscat, hundreds of citizens who gathered on the occasion of the presence of a number of senior officials in the government to open a project, demanding higher wages and to fight corruption and unemployment.

As organizers of the wall yesterday, hundreds of protesting in the meantime, in front of the Ministry of Manpower in the northern city of Sohar, Muscat, demanding jobs and increase wages and improve their careers, and shouting and dropping the Minister of National Economy.

In the education sector, teachers went on strike today in a number of schools in the inner regions (north) and phenomenon (west).

And 125 teachers went on strike in the state of the Wii, which led to the cancellation of the school day in some schools.

He said one striking teachers in the Wii to the wall, "we call for increased salaries and reduced working hours cumbersome, and returns the amount that was deducted from the salary in the system of the new retirement, as well as an apology and Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education, for her statement which said that the mind of the teacher Oman fossilized."

And, ***owing invitations to demonstrate increased frequency since yesterday, as well as huge demonstrations in Muscat, is being prepared in the predetermined dates during the month of March.

Wall - a mid-day times are GMT

Update: demonstration of Sohar

More than a thousand demonstrators blocked the roundabout in Sohar the meantime,

And chanting "the people want reform of the system" and "hardly a Sultan."

Google Translate

A ver si empezamos a ver pronto los primeros videos de ahí.
Cuando cierren internet será la señal de que están acojonados los sátrapas del lugar... ienso:

Más noticias. Una "sentada" para cortar la autopista a los emiratos. Dispersión con lacrimógenos, pero la gente vuelve a manifestarse, ahora con eslóganes para la dimisión del hombre fuerte del sultán (el ministro de la oficina real) y del jefe de policía. Docenas de vehículos antidisturbios hacia el lugar de los hechos. Todo de esta mañana. Se podría estar liando parda:

Amman [Omán]: Police fired tear gas and demonstrators chanting the fall of the biggest figures two security

Hundreds of demonstrators staged a sit-afternoon in the Sohar Roundabout (220 km north of Muscat), which means disrupting Alseraly highway between Muscat and the UAE.

لكن الاعتصام لم يدم طويلاً واستجاب المتظاهرون لطلب الشرطة وغادروا المكان ليعتصموا أمام مركز الشرطة، لكن قائد المركز ونائبه قاما باستفزاز وتهديد المتظاهرين وتفوها بإساءات لفظية مما نتج عنه اشتباكاً، قامت بعض العناصر الأمنية المندسة بين المتظاهرين بتغذيته. But the sit-in did not last long and the demonstrators responded to the request of the police and left the place to Iatsamua outside the police station, but the head of the Centre and his deputy, and they provoked the demonstrators and the threat Tvoha verbal abuses resulting in the clash, some elements of security among the demonstrators shabby replenishment.

وأطلقت على إثر ذلك الشرطة قنابل الغاز لتفريق المتظاهرين، غير أن المتظاهرين استمروا ووفدت إليهم جموع جديدة. And fired at the police after tear gas to disperse the demonstrators, but the demonstrators continued Ovdt and masses of them new.

وفي هذه الأثناء، السادسة مساء بتوقيت مسقط، أفاد مراسل جدار أن عدد المتظاهرين في ازدياد، وأنهم غادروا مكان الاشتباك إلى دوار صحار مرة أخرى، وتوقفت حركة السير من الإتجاهين. In the meantime, the sixth pm All times are GMT, correspondent wall that the number of demonstrators on the rise, and they left the scene to Sohar roundabout again, and stopped traffic from both directions.

ويضيف "حدث تحول نوعي في الشعارات بعد الاشتباك مع الشرطة فقد هتف المتظاهرون بسقوط مالك بن سليمان، وعلي بن ماجد". He adds "There was a qualitative shift in the logos after the clash with the police have chanted the fall of Malik bin Sulaiman, and Ali bin Majid."

الأول هو قائد الشرطة ووزير سابق لعدة وزارات ويشغل رئاسة العديد من اللجان الحكومية العليا. The first is the police chief and former minister for several ministries and the chairman and several senior government committees. والثاني هو الفريق أول وزير المكتب السلطاني أعلى الأجهزة الأمنية ورجل السلطان قابوس القوي. The second is the team's first Minister of Royal Office Top security services and Sultan Qaboos strong man.

المتظاهرون يعلنون أنهم باقون في مكانهم في دوار صحار، وأنباء عن تحرك فرق مكافحة الشعب باتجاههم. Protesters declare they will stay in place in the Sohar Roundabout, and news about the movement of teams against the people towards them.

تحديث: Updated:

مالك بن سليمان المفتش العام للشرطة والجمارك يصل إلى صحار على متن مروحية. Malik bin Suleiman, the Inspector General of Police and Customs up to Sohar on board the helicopter.

وشوهدت عشرات من ناقلات قوات مكافحة الشغب على طريق مسقط - صحار And viewed dozens of riot police vehicles on the road to Muscat - Sohar


Google Translate

Atención: en realidad, llevan ya unas semanas con protestas. Aquí manifestaciones pacíficas de hace una semana:

<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/HXzkaCVWhs0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Llevan desde enero:

Muscat Mutterings: Rain, and last weeks Green March

Oman Tribune - the edge of knowledge

gulfnews : Omanis protest high cost of living, corruption

Curioso, amigos: NO HA SALIDO EN NINGÚN MEDIO, nada, ni en español ni en prensa occidental mayoritaria, hasta donde he mirado. HAY SILENCIO SOBRE OMÁN. El Golfo Pérsico es muy delicado, pero no esperaba esto. Esos videos son suficientemente explícitos de que la cosa es importante.

Oman tiene una poblacion de 3 millones de habitantes...pero geoestrategicamente esta en un punto muy interesante

Ese artículo de ese blog es especialmente ilustrativo:

Muscat Mutterings: Rain, and last weeks Green March

Last week, on Monday the 17th January, 2011, approximately 200 (source is this Gulf News article) Omani's demonstrated in the Wizarat Ministries area protesting over the rising cost of living, low wages and corruption. As far as protests go, this was pretty poorly attended. Which surprises me because there was clearly quite some organization in getting an approval to come and protest, yet spreading the word about the protest did not seem to be done very well (it seems it was done via SMS messages). The Gulf News article seems to attempt to link this demonstration with those that have recently been occurring in Tunisa. No idea why, and I think perhaps the author was trying to spin something into their article that simply wasn't there.

People were chanting:

Salaries! Salaries! Jobs! Jobs! No to corruption! No to corruption!

Now, the cost of living here in Muscat has indeed increased pretty sharply in recent years, and I certainly believe that there are many Omani nationals here who are under-paid for one reason or another. I have no doubts in my mind that there is corruption here as well.

I think the pay scale should be the same for many jobs here. There's plenty of competent and capable Omani's who are paid less for doing the same job as an expatriate worker. [El problema de la falta de especialización de la mano de obra local] Let's be clear here, Salary is different to living allowances, which are often paid to expatriate workers to cover their incurred living expenses for moving here to the Sultanate. That is another kettle of fish but is essentially the carrot to bring people like me over here.

For me, the single biggest piece of news here was that a demonstration was allowed to even take place. I'm going to put myself out there a bit and say that for the most part, Omani's are very fortunate people, they have these ***owing nice perks:

* Free healthcare
* Subsidized fuel, power and water (heavily subsidized)
* Omanization protecting jobs (you wont see this in Europe)
* Practically free land awarded via lottery frequently
* No income tax
* No property/council tax
* No road tax (just the RO 20 per year renewal fee for the mulkia)


However, the minimum wage for Omani's (holding high school diploma certificates) is pathetically low (its around RO 150), and as the cost of basic food items has increased, and continues to do so, this minimum wage has not been increased. This rise in food costs is reflecting the world market's general trends as a whole, but many people do not see an uplift in their salaries each year to account for inflation.

It appeared that the demonstration was targeting the Merchants who are charging increased costs for these basic foodstuffs. That could really only miccionan flour and rice, seeing as how Oman locally produces dairy products, meat, vegetable and fruits, and the cost of these items are low.

Merchants such as Lu-Lu's, Carrefour, The Sultan Centre, Al Fair and so on are naturally charging for items to generate a profit, this is the nature of a free market. Perhaps what is needed is a combination of increased salaries (revised minimum wage) to those in low-paying jobs, and an industry watch-dog to ensure that merchants are not gouging customers at the tills.

But that is not the entire story. It is all too often a common story when you hear about people and their debt's here. That is another blog post in itself, and one I probably would not do justice, something more up Muscati or Undercover Dragons street. Possibly people here are living beyond their means, [vaya, tenemos burbujita a lo hispanistaní] and I'm generalizing and know full well that not every Omani is living beyond their means, but as a general trend, it seems this way. People changing their phones every few months, brand new cars and so on. So perhaps a little attitude change from people is required as well?

I'd hazard a guess that the three big loans that any Omani (man, women would be a slightly different story) has to obtain are:

1. Car
2. Marriage
3. House [pero qué pequeño es el mundo...]

You start work, and you need a car. So one is financed. How many people buy brand-new cars on finance, when realistically they should do what many other people just starting out around the world do, and buy used? (read: really used! - my first car was a Citroen ZX 1.4 and it was a dog, it kept over heating, one time the brakes even stopped working when driving in rush-hour city traffic!).

Why throw an over-sized wedding if you can't afford it? Why must Dowry's be paid? These seem social issues that are effecting the economic health of the citizens of this country. And as Oman matures as a developed nation, the harsh reality that having a large number of children is not something that can be sustained economically.

And finally, the single biggest commitment most of us will make in our lives (and no I don't miccionan saying "I do") is getting a mortgage to buy a home. [una única humanidad, un único gen pepitil]

It's a fact of life for almost all of us in this world - we do not have enough money to buy a home, and so we need to borrow the money to do so. And hopefully over time the value of our home increases and we can build our financial stability around it. How are people earning these low wages meant to feed and clothe themselves, before even attempting to start buying a home?

It would seem that the minimum wage is simply too low. People need to earn more money to keep up with inflation.

What do you all think?

le fin.

Azrael_II dijo:

Oman tiene una poblacion de 3 millones de habitantes...pero geoestrategicamente esta en un punto muy interesante

Hacer clic para expandir...

No te has leído la entrada, claro.

Y atención al último párrafo del artículo del Gulf News:

Demonstrations are rare in the Sultanate of Oman, as in most other Gulf states, where street protests are strictly prohibited and where trade unions and political parties are banned.

gulfnews : Omanis protest high cost of living, corruption

Un-tal-Ivan dijo:

Al-Jazeera...no podrá cubrir la noticia de las revueltas de Omán, por falta de medios técnicos sobre el terreno.

Mode no creo en las "manipulaciones informativas" OFF

Hacer clic para expandir...

Se les acumula el trabajo. Ya están cubriendo Libia con sus operativos principales, y tampoco pierden de vista a Egipto, Túnez, Jordania, Siria, Argelia, Líbano e Irak. Cuando acabe lo de Libia y pase a una fase como Túnez, tal vez puedan desplazar algún equipo para allá...

Minsky Moment dijo:

Esta foto es de Omán, reciente, pero no sé si son las protestas exactamente:

Hacer clic para expandir...

No veo pancartas, ergo no es una manifa.