Sultan Qaboos Of Oman Dies Aged 79 Cousin Named As Successor

BBC: Sultan Qaboos of Oman, Arab world's longest-serving ruler, dies aged 79

Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said of Oman, the Arab world's longest-serving ruler, has died aged 79.

The sultan deposed his father in a bloodless coup with British support in 1970 and set Oman on a path to development, using its oil wealth.

Widely regarded as popular, he was also an absolute monarch and any dissenting voices were silenced.

No cause of death has been confirmed. His cousin Haitham bin Tariq Al Said has been sworn in as his successor.

A family council had three days to choose a successor as Qaboos had no heir or publicly designated successor. Instead they opted for opening the sealed envelope in which Qaboos had secretly left his own choice.

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More News On the Death Of Sultan Qaboos Of Oman

Sultan Qaboos bin Said, who modernized Oman, dies at 79 -- AP
Oman Sultan Qaboos has died: state media -- AFP
Haitham bin Tariq sworn in as Oman's new sultan -- Al Jazeera
Cousin of late Oman sultan sworn in as new ruler -- AFP
Sultan of Oman dies and is succeeded by cousin -- The Guardian
New Oman ruler chosen by agreement, or secret letter -- AFP
Oman's Sultan Qaboos dies; successor vows to pursue peace -- Reuters
Oman's new ruler backs policy that made kingdom vital mediator -- AFP
New Oman ruler vows to uphold late sultan’s peaceful policy -- AP
Oman's new sultan promises both continuity and reforms -- AFP
Sultan Qaboos ushered in Oman renaissance, quiet diplomacy -- Reuters
Oman's new ruler chosen to provide continuity -- Alexander Cornwell, Reuters

'Loss for region': World reacts to death of Oman's Sultan Qaboos -- Al Jazeera
Israel's Netanyahu mourns Oman's 'great leader' -- AFP

Oman's Sultan Qaboos, a negotiator in a volatile region -- Al Jazeera
Oman: the discreet Gulf mediator -- AFP
A new era for Oman nears under Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said -- DW

Will Oman Escape The Unrest That Is Sweeping The Arab World?

Oman Offers Some Lessons To A Region Embroiled In Protest -- New York Times

MUSCAT — More than half of Oman’s 2.8 million people are under the age of 20, and 83 percent are under 35. It is not surprising then that a chief complaint of Omani citizens is a lack of jobs and training for the sultanate’s young population.

Yet when the wave of unrest sweeping the Arab world led to violent protests in late February in the port town of Sohar, they quickly fizzled out.

Sultan Qaboos bin Said, who has ruled Oman for 40 years, eventually replaced two-thirds of his government and gave pay increases to civil servants and government pensioners. He also raised the minimum wage to 200 Omani rials a month, or $520, from 150 rials; introduced unemployment allocations of 150 rials a month; and announced plans to create 50,000 jobs in various areas of the public sector.

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My Comment: With more than half of your population below 20 years old .... you are going to have a problem in satisfying the needs and aspirations of these youths when they get older. While "bread and circuses" will provide a temporary relief .... in the end .... if there is no accountability within government itself .... the people will revolt.

Unrest In Oman -- News Updates March 8, 2011

Protests To Continue In Oman -- UPI

MUSCAT, Oman, March 8 (UPI) -- Protesters in Oman said they plan to continue their peaceful demonstrations despite the major cabinet reshuffle announced by Sultan Qaboos Bin Saeed.

A spokesman for the protesters told Gulf News the demonstrations would continue because the group has wider goals.


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More News On The Unrest In Oman

Oman protests continue despite reforms -- News24
Oman's Sultan Shuffles Cabinet for Third Time -- Voice of America
Oman Removes Powerful Economy Minister -- Wall Street Journal
Oman replaces 3 high-level officials amid protests -- Sify news
Oman sultan orders major cabinet reshuffle -- AFP
US encouraged by Oman's reform moves -- AFP
From Oman, With Love -- Najma Al Zidjaly, New York Times

Unrest in Oman -- News Updates February 28, 2011

Protests In Oman Spread -- New York Times

BEIRUT, Lebanon — Demonstrators blocked roads and clashed with police on Monday in Oman, the normally quiet oil-rich country along the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, as three-day-old protests calling for political reforms and better living conditions spread to Muscat, the capital.

In the northeast port city of Sohar, where the protests originated, demonstrators blocked roads to the port, Oman’s second biggest, and an industrial area that includes a refinery and an aluminum factory, according to two witnesses in Sohar and news agencies. They also set a supermarket on fire and clashed with the police. Protesters have also been camped out for three days in the city’s main square, called Kurra Ardiyah Roundabout, despite efforts by police and army to push them out, a resident in Sohar said by e-mail.

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More News On The Unrest In Oman

2 dead as protesters, police clash in Oman, witnesses say -- CNN
Oman protesters unmoved by sultan's offer -- CNN
Oman concessions fail to stop protest -- UPI
Oman police tear gas protesters -- Financial Times
Oman protests intensify as Sultan struggles to appease demonstrators -- Christian Science Monitor
Oman protests do not halt oil product shipments -- Reuters
Omanis Protest for 3rd Day in Key Industrial Town -- Voice of America
Looting reported amid Oman protests -- Al Jazeera
Oman Youth Protests Enter a Third Night as Sultan Promises to Create Jobs -- Bloomberg
Oman protests: More unrest despite sultan's reform vow -- BBC
Oman's Second-Largest Port Blocked By Protesters -- RTT News

My Comment: Who is next?