Municipal Council Elections Oman

The first ever Municipal Council Elections in Oman will be held soon (scheduled for December 22, 2012). These elections are to create an elected council on the wiliyat level that will be involved with development and service projects. Wilayats are smaller regions within larger governorates (mohfada) areas in Oman. For a complete list of governorates, wilayats and cooresponding number of Council members, please see end of post. 

  Highlights

• Royal Decree No. 116/2011 set out the requirements for the elections.
• Candidates could self-nominate between May 9, 2012 and (the extended deadline) June 6, 2012.
•  Open to all Omani citizens. All candidates must be over 30 years old.
•  Members of the Shura council and government employees are barred.
•  Number of elected members is based on population in units of 30,000.
•  There are around 546,000 (roughly 20% of the population) valid voter registrations in Oman.
• Interestingly, a relatively large number of candidates self-nominated; in Nizwa there are a reported 59 candidates, in Ibri 60 and 1636 in total (49 or nearly 3% women).
•  The Wali (mayor) from each wilayat recently met with the candidates.
• Candidacy exposure and news of the election has been quiet thus far; however, one can find posters of candidates around towns and positioned at roundabouts. Government banners introducing the elections have been spotted along major roadways.
• Election hotline number: +968-2468-6777 

'Municipal Council Community Partnership'

Local Candidate

Possible Drawbacks  

• Tribes: Some are concerned people may vote along tribal alliances. 
• Goats for Votes: Others worry that votes might be bought even though there are laws in place with penalties to deter such behaviour.  

List of Governorates & Wilayates   

1-:Muscat Governorate (number of council members)

The wilayat of Muscat (2), the wilayat of Muttrah (4), the wilayat of Al A’mirat (4), the wilayat of Baushar (6), the wilayat of A’Seeb (6) and the wilayat of Quriyat (4). ( Total 26 persons)

2-Dhofar Governorate:

The wilayat of Salalah (6), the wilayat of Taqah (2), the wilayat of Mirbat (2), the wilayat of Rakhyut (2), the wilayat of Thumrait(2), the wilayat of Dhalkut (2), the wilayat of Al Mazyounah (2), the wilayat of Maqshan (2), the wilayat of Shaleem and Halaniyat Islands(2) and the wilayat of Sadah (2). (Total 24 persons).

3-Musandam Governorate: 

The wilayat of Khasab (2), the wilayat of Diba (2), the wilayat of Bukha (2) and the wilayat of Madha (2). (Total 8 persons).

4-Al Buraimi Governorate:

The wilayat of Al Buraimi (4), the wilayat of Madha (2) and the wilayat of Al Sinainah (2). (Total 8 persons).

5-A’Dakhiliyah Governorate:

The wilayat of Nizwa (6), the wilayat of Bahla (4), the wilayat of Manah (2), the wilayat of Al Hamra (2), the wilayat of Adam (2), the wilayat of Izki (4), the wilayat of Sumail (4) and the wilayat of Bidbid (2). (Total 26 persons).

6-North Al Batinah Governorate:

The wilayat of Sohar (6), the wilayat of Shinas (4), the wilayat of Liwa (2), the wilayat of Saham (6), the wilayat of Al Khabourah (4) and the wilayat of A’Suwaiq (6). (Total 28 persons).

7-South Al Batinah Governorate:

The wilayat of A’Rustaq (6), the wilayat of Al Awabi (2), the wilayat of Nakhal (2), the wilayat of Wadi Al Ma’awil (2), the wilayat of Barka (6) and the wilayat of Al Mesana’ah (4). (Total 22 persons).

8-South A’Sharqiyah Governorate:

The wilayat of Sur (6), the wilayat of Al Kamil & Al Wafi (2), the wilayat of Ja’alan Bani Bu Hassan (2), the wilayat of Ja’alan Bani Bu Ali (4) and the wilayat of Masirah (2). (Total 16 persons).

9-North A’Sharqiyah Governorate:

The wilayat of Ibra (2), the wilayat of Al Mudhaibi (6), the wilayat of Bidiyah (2), the wilayat of Al Qabil (2), the wilayat of Wadi Bani Khalid (2) and the wilayat of Dema & Tayeen (2).( Total 16 persons).

10-A’Dhahirah Governorate: 

The wilayat of Ibri (6), the wilayat of Yanqul (2) and the wilayat of Dhank (2). (Total 10).

11-Al Wusta Governorate: 

The wilayat of Haima (2), the wilayat of Mahout (2), the wilayat of A’Duqm (2) and the wilayat of Al Jazir (2). (Total 8 persons). 

(www.omanet.om) 

Recent News about PDO Strike and Detention of Three Activists

Last week staff from PDO contractors went on 'strike' demanding better benefits. Technically, it is illegal to strike as there is no organised labor in the Sultanate. Last Thursday, three activists who stood with the PDO demonstrators were detained and no one has been able see them since. Today, there was news of a small band of protesters rallying in Muscat for their release. 

It is reported that the situation is calming down and most workers reportedly have returned to work and talks are in progress. Apparently, members of the Shura Council went out on their own accord in a non-official capacity to meet with workers on the oil fields to help resolve the situation. 

Since last year's protests, the government has been working hard to address some of the issues and has implemented some changes including but not limited to: the shuffling and sacking of Ministers, separating the Public Prosecution from ROP, giving the Shura Council more legislative powers and controls, and changing wilayets into regional governorates that will have elected Municipal Councils tasked with providing services at a local level.

The government also provided new jobs in the public sector and unemployment benefits. The Sultanate is a peaceful place and the protests and demonstrations are unique and quite different when compared to other nations with violent uprisings such as Yemen and Bahrain, and, in my opinion, not in the same category. However, the representation is sometimes muddled in the media abroad. 

Some recent news articles:

Rights activists held over oil field strike in Oman

Former Omani volleyball player Habiba Al Hinai and two others detained by security forces

• Staff Report
• Published: 13:08 June 1, 2012
• 

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Dubai Three activists were detained from Fahoud oil fields on Thursday for visiting the site to show solidarity with the striking workers from contracting companies, working for two oil companies in the country.

Former Oman volleyball player Habiba Al Hinai, Sohar activist Esmail Al Muqbali and Yaqoub Al Kharusi were held by security forces, according to a rights group in Oman.

The three had gone to support the striking Omanis, who are working for Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) and Oxy Oman contractors.

The workers are on strike for more than a week demanding better wages, risk allowance and provision for pension.

The strike has been termed illegal and workers have been asked to report back by around nine contracting companies. The workers have been warned they could risk losing jobs if they continue the strike.

Some of the Shura members and prominent citizens have tried to intervene.

According to a Facebook post by an activist, the last contact with Esmail Al Muqbali was on Thursday morning.

Esmail Al Muqbali, Habiba Al Hinai and Yaqoub Al Kharusi are among some activists who formed an independent human rights body. Oman already has a Human Rights Commission.

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Oman’s Shura Council to discuss labour unrest tomorrow

Striking oilfield workers agree to resume work with immediate effect, say council members

• Staff Report
• Published: 16:33 June 1, 2012
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Muscat Representatives of Oman’s elected Shura Council have announced an end to the weeklong strike by Omani oilfield workers that had hobbled operations across much of the country’s oil belt.

Salim Bin Ali Al Ka’abi, Deputy Chairman of the Council, who led a mission to negotiate an end to one of the worst labour crises to hit the Sultanate’s critical oil industry, said on Thursday the striking workers had agreed to resume work with immediate effect.

In a statement to the official Oman News Agency (ONA), Al Ka’abi said many of the protesting workers — primarily unskilled Omani employees of private contractors providing oilfield services to a number of oil companies — had returned to their respective workplaces on Wednesday while others would return tomorrow after the weekend break.

Emergency session

Al Ka’abi also said the Shura Council would convene in emergency session tomorrow to discuss the crisis as well as the workers’ demands. The Minister of Oil and Gas and his colleagues, as well as the head of the country’s largest oil producer, Petroleum Development Oman (PDO), and other major oilfield companies and contractors will attend.

The protesters, numbering several hundred Omanis working primarily as bus drivers and helpers, were demanding pay increases, medical insurance, a hike in their social insurance, and a special ‘risk’ allowance to compensate for alleged ‘hazardous workplace exposure’.

No centralised leadership

It was not clear if the pledge to end the protest covered all of the striking workers who hailed from different contractors and subcontractors and lacked a centralised protest leadership. This disparate nature of the protest had forced negotiators to travel from one oilfield location to the next to confer with different groups of striking workers.

Oil output had fallen marginally during the weeklong crisis, PDO’s managing director Raoul Restucci revealed late last week.

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Muscat Daily

PDO SAYS THAT IT HOPES TO SETTLE CONTRACTING STAFF DISPUTE SOON.

Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) is striving to bring the industrial dispute with its contracting staff, which began last Thursday, to a speedy resolution by working closely with the government, Majlis A'Shura, Royal Oman Police, contractors, and other authorities.

A release stated that operations at Qarn Alam have resumed and further talks are taking place at Fahud.

Raoul Restucci, managing director, PDO, said, “We are striving to  resolve this dispute legally and fairly as soon as possible.”

The company, however, refutes the allegations that it has been trying to end this matter by denying vital supplies to the facilities affected.

PDO said it was doing its utmost to protect the welfare and safety of its staff and contracting personnel. Restucci added, “The unfortunate fact of the matter is that those who have mounted this illegal strike have been blocking the delivery of water, diesel and preventing others from going about their daily business.”

PDO stated the disruption has reduced oil production, but, “thanks to the non-striking contractors staff, the volume lost so far has been small,” Restucci said. He further thanked Majlis A'Shura for the exhaustive efforts they have made to conclude this matter.”
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Three human rights activists ‘detained’
Cairo, Egypt - Cairo based Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) has issued a press release calling for the release of what it claimed were three human rights activists, Habiba al Hinai, Ismail Muqbali and Yacoub Kharousi. ANHRI said in a release that the trio were detained on May 31 while on their way to Fahud to meet workers who were on strike.
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Times of Oman

Protestors demand release of activists in Oman

June 02, 2012
Muscat: Members of 'Humanitarian Initiative for Human Rights in Oman', a newly-formed community body working on human rights issues in Oman, organised a sit-in opposite the Ministries District in Al Khuwair, yesterday.

They were protesting against alleged human rights violations and were demanding the "release- of former Oman volleyball player Habiba Al Hinai, Sohar activist Esmail Al Muqbali, and Yaqoub Al Kharusi, who are all allegedly "missing- since Thursday.

According to the activists, Habiba, Esmail and Yaqoub were "detained- from near the Fahoud oilfields on Thursday. They had visited the oilfields to show solidarity with the striking workers.

"On Thursday, we were aware that all the three had gone to the Fahoud oilfields to express their solidarity with the striking workers,- Khalfan, a member of Humanitarian Initiative for Human Rights in Oman, told Times of Oman.

"But after they made their visit, we heard they were summoned by the police. Their cellphones were switched off after 12pm and we lost contact with them. Till now we don't know where they are. Some say they are being brought to the police station in Qurum. But even though we went there with the lawyer, we were not allowed to meet them. So we decided to go for public protest against this 'unlawful arrest',- Khalfan added.

'No news'

The national oilfield workers were on strike for more than a week demanding better wages, health insurance coverage, risk allowance and a provision for pension.

"The three activists went to the oilfields after hearing that some of the facilities allowed for the workers were withdrawn. There were reports of power cuts in the camps as the workers were continuing their strike. They only went to check whether it was true or not. But there is no news after they left the camp,- Khalfan pointed out.

However, Attorney General Hassan Al Hilal said in a statement that officials from the Public Prosecution had met the activists who had gathered in Al Khuwair.

"Officials have heard the protesters' demands and have assured to provide a lawyer for them,- Hilal added.

Meanwhile, the strikes at the oilfields were called off on Thursday evening and the workers have returned to work. On Thursday, representatives of the Shura Council had announced an end to the week-long strike by Omani oilfield workers.

Salim bin Ali Al Ka'abi, Deputy Chairman of the Council, who led a mission to negotiate an end to the crisis, said on Thursday that the striking workers had agreed to resume work with immediate effect.

The Shura team that went to resolve the strike said they had no pressure in tackling the issue."We stood for the workers' rights,- they said.

There were also reports that a special Shura team had held talks with the officials of the Ministry of Manpower, Ministry of Oil and Gas, Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) and the sub-contracting companies to discuss the issues related to the oilfield workers' strike.

According to the human rights activists, a similar strike was held in front of the Majlis Al Shura building yesterday to protest against the alleged "removal- of some of the oilfield workers who went on strike.

"More than two dozen activists held a sit-in in front of the Shura building to protest against the alleged 'removal' of the workers,- Khalfan said, while adding that they would continue their fight against human rights violations in the Sultanate.

(Follow timesofoman.com on Facebook and on Twitter for updates that you can share with your friends.)

VOIP underground market flourishes under Omantel's block of Skype

Oman is one of a handful of countries that blocks Skype. Skype is a peer-to-peer phone service using an internet dialer. Even Oman's neighbor KSA allows Skype and does not consider it against the social, cultural and religious morals of the country. It appears the block's rational is based upon keeping up Omantel's profit margin.

Many low-wage expat workers are in need of inexpensive international phone service to keep in touch with their loved ones abroad. It is seemingly unfair these expats have to spend 10-20 OMR ($25 - $50) per month out of their 65-90 OMR ($169 - $234) salary on phone service to chat with their families and friends residing outside of Oman. A call to India is about 50 cents (200 baiza) peak time per minute according to Omantel's rates. So, if an expat called his family for 20 minutes per week in India, he would spend about $40 or 25% of his salary on telephone expense.

Hence, an underground market for VOIP phone service has developed and is flourishing in the Sultanate.  Selling alternate VOIP service has become a source of  "under the table" secondary income for many of the expat workers. One building cleaner I knew increased his salary by 50 OMR per month through sale of these services.

Many internet cafes have login codes for these VOIP dialers (they are printed on snippets of paper generally out of sight which you can discreetly request from the guy working there) for sale for at a cost of 3-4 OMR that give you about 12 hours international talk time. These login details work with VOIP dialers that can be downloaded to one's computer. Some of the dialers work on mobile phones with an operating system. Some common dialers which may work despite the block are:

• MubarakTalk /   http://www.mubaraktalk.com/
• SwissVOIZ /     http://swissvoiz.com/
• Viber /     http://www.viber.com - 'Viber is an application for iPhone®, Android™, Windows Phone and Blackberry phones that lets you make free phone calls to anyone that also has the application installed.'
• Gmail Voice/Hangouts / Works as of 2013

Pay VPN Services: https://www.bestvpn.com/blog/6738/5-best-vpns-for-oman/

An alternate method to reach VOIP phone service such as Skype is to go through a proxy server. 

• Http://www.imo.im  /  IMO Instant Messenger / Login and chat on Skype  Update: Microsoft (owns IMO) decided to not allow Skype due to competition in 2013.
  
• UltraSurf / http://ultrasurf.us/   or search for "ultrasurf" keyword in Google to get an alternate download site if the main site is blocked. It is about a one megabyte program. After connecting to the proxy, it is possible to connect to Skype or view other blocked sites in the Sultanate. These types of proxies were possibly created with the assistance of governments.
  
  'The tool was originally designed for internet users in Mainland China, where the internet is heavily censored and internet users' activities monitored. With the advent of Ultrasurf and other circumvention tools, these internet users are provided a lifeline to access and share information freely. After nearly a decade of development, our technology has proven extremely resilient and adaptable in the face of increasingly advanced censorship techniques and aggressive blocking attempts.'

• Many company's have their own virtual tunnels which also seem to break the block if you are logged on.

In addition, it is possible to purchase an international SIM card (such as OneSim / www.onesimcard.com) which works in multiple countries through the internet.  Generally, the international rates are lower through this type of SIM card.

I sincerely hope the Sultanate of Oman will lift the block on Skype and on other censored sites on the basis that Oman considers itself to be a more open country (Oman is one of three countries worldwide that blocks Skype) and is currently spending billions to develop integrated tourism complexes (ITCs) along the Omani coast. It would be a step in the right direction for the country in opening for international tourism and in being more friendly towards international visitors and residents, as well as, in being a gesture of good will. Or, in alternate, provide a VOIP phone service for a reasonable cost through the local carriers.

Most of those who would use Skype are currently using other cheaper services either legally or illegally and have rejected Omani phone carrier service for this purpose. Last September, Omanis staged a "do not use Omantel for the whole day" in protest to Omantel's pricing policies publicized on SablatOman forum. I am not sure how successful it was; however, Omantel ran quite a few promotions that week.

Update 2013: Nawras is now offering international service through VOIP for 30% off - dial 0902 before the number and charging a rate of 49 bz per minute anywhere in the world between 8pm and 10 pm. Omantel has a similiar special. Omantel has unblocked Google Voice.

Skype: Blocked Website in Oman

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