Protesters across Oman demand reform, jobs

[Turborama]

Source: Reuters

Hundreds of Omanis demanding jobs and political reforms demonstrated across the Gulf Arab sultanate on Friday, staging protests from the southern port of Salalah to the northern industrial town of Sohar.

Around 200 protesters gathered in capital Muscat at the headquarters of the Shura Council, a quasi-parliamentary advisory body, where some had camped out overnight in tents.

Similar numbers demonstrated in Salalah, the eastern coastal town of Sur where Oman's liquefied natural gas export facilities are based, and Sohar where medical sources said six people were killed in clashes with security forces earlier this week.

Unrest in the normally tranquil oil-producing state, ruled by Sultan Qaboos bin Said for four decades, follows a wave of pro-democracy protests across the Arab world.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/04/us-oman-protests-idUSTRE7234LK20110304

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Related LBN OP from earlier in the week: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4751425">Oman protests spread, road to port blocked

[JCMach1]

1. Protests were much bigger than what Reuters Stated- from Gulf News

The peaceful protest peaked on Friday in Sohar, Salalah and Muscat as a large number of people joined in and even offered prayers at the protest venues.

On the other hand, government ordered an impartial, transparent and thorough inquiry, including autopsy of the first victim Abdullah Bin Ali Bin Mohammad Al Ghamlasi, with an announcement that the inquiry would be made public.

A congregation of over 2,000 people offered Friday prayers at the Globe Roundabout, where a much bigger tent was pitched to accommodate more people. "It was much more organised gathering and peaceful," an eyewitness told Gulf News from Sohar... The protesters also continued their sit-in outside the Shura office in Muscat as speakers took turn to air their views through a megaphone while volunteers marshalled the traffic throughout Thursday evening and Friday afternoon.

The protests in Salalah saw the number swell to over 8,000 as people offered Friday prayers at the Minister of State and Governor of Dhofar's Office parking area, which is now popularly called 'Freedom Square'... http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/oman/peaceful-protests-in-oman-gather-steam-as-more-join-1.771606

[Turborama]

2. Thanks for that

Can't find much other news about what's going on there. Al Jazeera English don't have any updates on their website but they have been covering it on TV.

[JCMach1]

3. Just next door... Sohar is about a 3 hr. drive from Sharjah and Muscat

is about 4.