Chinese whispers
Yesterday, the Khaleej Times carried a story that HM Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said had awarded $50million to "help Lebanon recover from the devastation inflicted by the Israeli offensive on the country."
The grant was reported to be additional to funds which had been pledged by His Majesty before the war, to build an Omani-Lebanese cultural centre in Beirut.
However, by the time this item reached The Raw Story in the USA, apparently from a report by the dpa German Press Agency but which echoes the Khaleej Times, the story had changed. "Oman has granted Lebanon 50 million dollars to build a Lebanese-Omani arts centre in Beirut's central district.." it ran.
This throws a completely different light on the gift, making it seem that Oman is overlooking the more urgent day-to-day needs of the Lebanese in favour of promoting its own ends by using the money to build an arts centre, even if it is in central Beirut, which is still being reconstructed after the 1975-1990 civil war
Added to which, the item reported that the total damage to the Lebanese economy was 3.5 billion dollars, making the 50 million dollar donation seem relatively small, particularly compared to gifts from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Which it isn't.
The amount of money awarded for building the arts centre has not been disclosed, according to the Khaleej Times.
The Raw Story, which says it offers 'alternative news', states that its 'goal is to unearth and spotlight stories underplayed by the popular press, in particular those which highlight betterment and open people’s eyes to injustice throughout the world.'
Which makes you wonder now. Which version of the story is accurate?
The grant was reported to be additional to funds which had been pledged by His Majesty before the war, to build an Omani-Lebanese cultural centre in Beirut.
However, by the time this item reached The Raw Story in the USA, apparently from a report by the dpa German Press Agency but which echoes the Khaleej Times, the story had changed. "Oman has granted Lebanon 50 million dollars to build a Lebanese-Omani arts centre in Beirut's central district.." it ran.
This throws a completely different light on the gift, making it seem that Oman is overlooking the more urgent day-to-day needs of the Lebanese in favour of promoting its own ends by using the money to build an arts centre, even if it is in central Beirut, which is still being reconstructed after the 1975-1990 civil war
Added to which, the item reported that the total damage to the Lebanese economy was 3.5 billion dollars, making the 50 million dollar donation seem relatively small, particularly compared to gifts from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Which it isn't.
The amount of money awarded for building the arts centre has not been disclosed, according to the Khaleej Times.
The Raw Story, which says it offers 'alternative news', states that its 'goal is to unearth and spotlight stories underplayed by the popular press, in particular those which highlight betterment and open people’s eyes to injustice throughout the world.'
Which makes you wonder now. Which version of the story is accurate?
Threading a path through political minefields
Now that I have had a little time, I thought I should re-examine my last post, about the statement of Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdallah, Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs, to Oman's Press Club earlier this week.
His first point pertaining to Iraq reveals, I think, a conflict of interests. Oman hosts US bases which serve the US army in Iraq. Oman's Renaissance Services did win a major contract in the country to provide accommodation, catering and other services to US forces. Condemning the situation in Iraq would sit uncomfortably with the Sultanate's friendly relations with the US, about to be reinforced by a visit from John Hillen, Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs, who last was on a round of trips in the Gulf in May this year.
Support for Lebanon and Hizbullah is unequivocal, but it is what is NOT said about Israel which is interesting. Oman has recently hit the radar of a group of analysts in the States, known as Stratfor. I did subscribe to Stratfor a few years ago, but found the posts to be long, involved, biased, built on conjecture (ed. I should talk!) with allusions to anonymous contacts in high places, alarmist, and sometimes downright wrong. However, Stratfor did report two or three weeks ago that Yusuf bin Alawi had had 'secret meetings' with the Israeli foreign minister, Tzipi Livni, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York in September. This meeting was subsequently also reported in the Khaleej Times. The two foreign ministers were said to have discussed “ways of promoting the Israeli-Palestinian peace process,” while the Israeli foreign minister also updated Alawi about her meeting with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on September 18 in New York.
There's nothing wrong in that, however much you may disapprove. It only goes to show that Oman's foreign policy masters believe in keeping lines of communication open in order to promote diplomatic discussion to resolve crises and differences.
In referring to the victory of Hamas in diplomatic elections, the use of the word 'astounding' is, I think, quite strong in diplomatic terms. Perhaps Oman expected the old guard, Fatah, which was the basis of the Palestinian Authority to win simply because it was an established government. Arab countries are organised on a hierarchical basis in which one strong man rules, in a dynastic line. So a departure from that, as shown in the Palestinian elections, must be seen as astounding from an Arab point of view. But Hamas is not succeeding in Palestine, because it is being starved of funds, by Western and Arab governments alike. And it will not succeed while it continues to call for the abolition of the state of Israel.
Note that Alawi proposed a return to an old Palestinian constitution that granted unlimited power to the president, a return to strong-man government in the more comfortably acceptable Arab style. Did Alawi tell the Israeli foreign minister that this is what Oman would like to see?
His first point pertaining to Iraq reveals, I think, a conflict of interests. Oman hosts US bases which serve the US army in Iraq. Oman's Renaissance Services did win a major contract in the country to provide accommodation, catering and other services to US forces. Condemning the situation in Iraq would sit uncomfortably with the Sultanate's friendly relations with the US, about to be reinforced by a visit from John Hillen, Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs, who last was on a round of trips in the Gulf in May this year.
Support for Lebanon and Hizbullah is unequivocal, but it is what is NOT said about Israel which is interesting. Oman has recently hit the radar of a group of analysts in the States, known as Stratfor. I did subscribe to Stratfor a few years ago, but found the posts to be long, involved, biased, built on conjecture (ed. I should talk!) with allusions to anonymous contacts in high places, alarmist, and sometimes downright wrong. However, Stratfor did report two or three weeks ago that Yusuf bin Alawi had had 'secret meetings' with the Israeli foreign minister, Tzipi Livni, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York in September. This meeting was subsequently also reported in the Khaleej Times. The two foreign ministers were said to have discussed “ways of promoting the Israeli-Palestinian peace process,” while the Israeli foreign minister also updated Alawi about her meeting with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on September 18 in New York.
There's nothing wrong in that, however much you may disapprove. It only goes to show that Oman's foreign policy masters believe in keeping lines of communication open in order to promote diplomatic discussion to resolve crises and differences.
In referring to the victory of Hamas in diplomatic elections, the use of the word 'astounding' is, I think, quite strong in diplomatic terms. Perhaps Oman expected the old guard, Fatah, which was the basis of the Palestinian Authority to win simply because it was an established government. Arab countries are organised on a hierarchical basis in which one strong man rules, in a dynastic line. So a departure from that, as shown in the Palestinian elections, must be seen as astounding from an Arab point of view. But Hamas is not succeeding in Palestine, because it is being starved of funds, by Western and Arab governments alike. And it will not succeed while it continues to call for the abolition of the state of Israel.
Note that Alawi proposed a return to an old Palestinian constitution that granted unlimited power to the president, a return to strong-man government in the more comfortably acceptable Arab style. Did Alawi tell the Israeli foreign minister that this is what Oman would like to see?
A glimpse into foreign policy
Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdallah, Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs, spoke to the Press Club in Muscat on 10th October.
These are what I consider to be key features of his speech as reported in the Oman Observer published 11th October. My comments refer only to what was reported rather than what else might have been said.
The Iraqi situation shows some improvement compared to what it used to be in 2003. (ed. a diplomatic answer)
Alawi hailed the Lebanese people’s determination to stand together, considering Hizbollah an inseparable part of the nation. (ed. Oman recognises Hizbullah as a political institution and supports Lebanon but doesn't go as far as saying that the Sultanate supports military opposition to Israel.)
As for the Palestinian front, the victory of Hamas in the democratic elections astounded all. (ed. Oman was astounded too? But the elections were democratic.)
Alawi did not see an easy end to the Palestinian political crisis. For things to move on according to ground reality, democracy has to be given ‘a holiday’, he said, pointing out that this would take the whole situation back to the times of the old Palestinian constitution that granted unlimited power to the president. (ed. does this mean that Oman favours power being handed back to Mohammed Abbas in an attempt to restore governance in Palestine?)
On concerns over Iran's refusal to suspend enrichment of nuclear fuel, Alawi said that all efforts should be used to protect the ‘golden age of our region’. GCC states are determined to push forward the efforts of peaceful dialogue, he said. (ed. Oman does not, very understandably, want to see military action which could result in regional devastation, and will promote, along with other GCC states, continuing dialogue).
North Korea is different because it withdrew from the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, but Iran is still committed to its pledges. The main problem is that Iran has a lack of confidence with ‘others’. (ed. all those countries 'talking' to Iran should focus on building up trust, rather than trying to undermine Iran's national identity. North Korea has broken the rules).
These are what I consider to be key features of his speech as reported in the Oman Observer published 11th October. My comments refer only to what was reported rather than what else might have been said.
The Iraqi situation shows some improvement compared to what it used to be in 2003. (ed. a diplomatic answer)
Alawi hailed the Lebanese people’s determination to stand together, considering Hizbollah an inseparable part of the nation. (ed. Oman recognises Hizbullah as a political institution and supports Lebanon but doesn't go as far as saying that the Sultanate supports military opposition to Israel.)
As for the Palestinian front, the victory of Hamas in the democratic elections astounded all. (ed. Oman was astounded too? But the elections were democratic.)
Alawi did not see an easy end to the Palestinian political crisis. For things to move on according to ground reality, democracy has to be given ‘a holiday’, he said, pointing out that this would take the whole situation back to the times of the old Palestinian constitution that granted unlimited power to the president. (ed. does this mean that Oman favours power being handed back to Mohammed Abbas in an attempt to restore governance in Palestine?)
On concerns over Iran's refusal to suspend enrichment of nuclear fuel, Alawi said that all efforts should be used to protect the ‘golden age of our region’. GCC states are determined to push forward the efforts of peaceful dialogue, he said. (ed. Oman does not, very understandably, want to see military action which could result in regional devastation, and will promote, along with other GCC states, continuing dialogue).
North Korea is different because it withdrew from the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, but Iran is still committed to its pledges. The main problem is that Iran has a lack of confidence with ‘others’. (ed. all those countries 'talking' to Iran should focus on building up trust, rather than trying to undermine Iran's national identity. North Korea has broken the rules).
A young person's observations on Oman
There's a new blog from Oman on the block. It's written by an American student, who is staying with a host Omani family while writing a research proposal and finding out more about the country.
There are some excerpts which I would like to share with you:
Which makes one wonder about the efficacy of the Oman-US FTA as a tool for promoting democracy in the Middle East.
On visiting MacDonalds with Omani family and friends:
There are some excerpts which I would like to share with you:
"if we do things that our homestay families consider inappropriate, our homestay families will not tell us directly but contact [our advisor] and complain. They are going to make it seem as if everthing is peachy. Kind of the mindset of oman in general. If you read the newspapers you’ll notice that nothing ever goes wrong here."
"Sheik Hal Fahn, [ ] a very important imam came to speak to us. He used to work for Petroleum Development Oman(PDO) [ ]. He is the only person who was allowed to address the public in Oman when the Danish Cartoons came out.
Here are some things he said to us:-
- The most important value in Arabia is relationship. It's all about networking and exchanging info, supporting each other. He made it a fact to say that the west is all about self-reliance and independence. “In Arabia if I don’t know you there is no business.”
- The second most important value is Seniority, in the order of : Allah, prophet, sultan, government minister, tribal leader
- “Democracy will never work in this part of the world. We've lived too many years with these values."
"According the Quran a man can have up to 4 wives. The Sheik said that most men in oman don’t have more than one. However if they do it’s for the good of society. [ ] The Quran also says that he must treat each one of the equally. According to the Sheik it has nothing to do with sexual relations. This is a responsibility rather than a luxury."
"One of my peers was shown that movie of how September 11th was a conspiracy created by the U.S. government. [We were told] many Omanis still admire Osama Bin Laden because they don’t believe he had anything to do with the terrorist attacks. [ ]. They think Americans have no idea what goes on around the world. [In fact, we were told at the start that] most Muslims actually believe that the terrorists attacks are not done by Muslims at all and that it is someone else."
"Ahmed Ali M. Al- Mukhaini came to talk to us about Tribes, Patronage and Politics in Oman. [ ] Here in Oman there are no political parties, only tribes. His Majesty is an Al Bu Said, one of the biggest tribes here in Oman. He is of the Qahtani tribe which is from the south. The Nizari tribe is of the north. Ahmed told us that democracy is not appropriate for this side of the world."
Which makes one wonder about the efficacy of the Oman-US FTA as a tool for promoting democracy in the Middle East.
On visiting MacDonalds with Omani family and friends:
"The girls that are not in [my organisation] are uncovered. It makes me think badly about them. They are dressed in Western clothing. Their clothes are so tight. I can’t believe my eyes."Even though I have been away from the Middle East for several years now, I still blanch at the sight of girls and women in skimpy tops and dresses, and I will always put on an overshirt if I am wearing a sleeveless dress outside my house. Which just goes to show how strong cultural pressures can be to conform and cover.
The educational system in Oman and the rest of the Middle East is so bad. Based on memorization, nothing more. All of the important people here go elsewhere for their education. They don’t teach political science at the universities.
We knew the place where the museum was located. We thought. We took a taxi to what we thought was the museum block and proceeded to follow the signs. The first sign we saw pointed to an empty parking lot. Super. So after an hour and a half of walking through the hottest weather ever, we finally found it. [ ] To our “surprise” the museum was closed. More than closed actually. There were x’s all over the windows and doors. Way to go Omani tourism.I shall be interested to observe this student's commentary and reactions over the coming months. It's a refreshing perspective on the country, albeit, the young person is perhaps a little naive in thinking that the authorities won't mind.
The poor you always have with you...
The Oman Charitable Organisation (OCO) is an active association which supports orphans, higher education and healthcare support for the underprivileged, housing, and maintenance services in Oman and also funds charity projects in the Palestinian territories, Afghanistan, Pakistan-administered Kashmir, and Aceh province (Indonesia).
During Ramadan this year, OCO aims to distribute RO400,000 (approximately US$1,039,000 at today's rate of exchange) worth of food aid to 13,100 families in all 60 wilayats of Oman as well as mobilising cash donations through SMS pledges to the needy, thanks to a Ramadan campaign sponsored by Oman Mobile.
The Khaleej Times, but not the Oman Observer which also reported the story, mentioned that the 13,100 families actually accounted for 75,000 individuals.
The newspaper quoted Ali Ibrahim Shenoon Al Raisi, Executive President of OCO, as saying that, "the actual number of people requiring such assistance is nine times greater.." Perhaps the quote was not in context, since that puts the number of people accounted as being needy at 675,000, roughly a quarter of the total Omani population. Could that really be true?
At any rate, full marks to OCO for its work and may it go from success to success.
During Ramadan this year, OCO aims to distribute RO400,000 (approximately US$1,039,000 at today's rate of exchange) worth of food aid to 13,100 families in all 60 wilayats of Oman as well as mobilising cash donations through SMS pledges to the needy, thanks to a Ramadan campaign sponsored by Oman Mobile.
The Khaleej Times, but not the Oman Observer which also reported the story, mentioned that the 13,100 families actually accounted for 75,000 individuals.
The newspaper quoted Ali Ibrahim Shenoon Al Raisi, Executive President of OCO, as saying that, "the actual number of people requiring such assistance is nine times greater.." Perhaps the quote was not in context, since that puts the number of people accounted as being needy at 675,000, roughly a quarter of the total Omani population. Could that really be true?
At any rate, full marks to OCO for its work and may it go from success to success.