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Renewed protest in Oman, despite sultan's promise of jobs

Arab World Materials 28 February 2011 22:53 (UTC +04:00)

Protesters gathered in the industrial city of Sohar in Oman Monday for the third straight day to call for political reform and an end to corruption, dpa reported.

The rare showing of public discontent in the Gulf sultanate comes despite promises by Sultan Qaboos to create more job opportunities.

Sohar is located some 250 kilometres north of the capital Muscat.

Although a supermarket in the city was set ablaze, the protests were largely peaceful. Sunday saw clashes between police and protesters, in which police used tear gas in a bid to disperse the gathering before firing at protesters.

The Ministry of Health said one person was killed, but medical sources put the death toll at two.

A group of about 200 intellectuals staged a demonstration outside parliament in Muscat Monday urged authorities to investigate the violence and hold those responsible accountable.

Last week, hundreds of peaceful protesters took to the streets in Oman, calling for greater freedoms and more power for the elected parliament. They also asked for better salaries and social security.

On Sunday, Qaboos promised people 50,000 new jobs and a monthly stipend of 150 rials (around 390 dollars) for job seekers. The Omani ruler also ordered a cabinet reshuffle that saw six ministers replaced.

According to the government, Oman has 25,000 registered job seekers. Unofficial estimates show national unemployment of 15 per cent.

Oman, which is located on the south-east coast of the Arabian Peninsula, has a population of just under 3 million, of which a little more than half are Omani citizens.

Qaboos bin Said Al Said came to power in 1970 in a palace coup in which he overthrew his father.

The Oman protests are the latest in a wave sweeping across the Arab world and Middle East, from Tunisia to Egypt, Libya and Yemen.

However, unlike in Libya and Egypt, demonstrators in Oman have only voiced discontent with officials, but not the ruler.

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