A SULTAN WHO CARES blog # 3

A SULTAN WHO CARES 

Blog #3

February 23, Saturday

When John suggested going to Oman, I had to check a map to see where it was.  Bordered on one side by Yemen, another by Saudi Arabia and Iran across the gulf...  plus set in a region of Arabic turbulence, religious and political unrest and turmoil I wondered about the wisdom of this as a choice for an American woman on holiday. Maybe I should bring my Canadian passport? Consequently I was completely unprepared, but pleasantly relieved to find this country to be a calm and peaceful society as well as a geographical wonder. Perhaps this might be one of the safest countries in the world - politically and environmentally. It has a Cinderella story - only this time it is the enlightened Sultan of Oman (Quaboos) who is to be loved as a monarch but perhaps not by a princess but a prince. 

Oman’s Past History

Oman has a past history of being the first to embrace Islam fully (AD630) and be under Imam rule until 1154 – a previously rich country with extensive trade and an uneasy, warring past with the Persians and Portuguese in the 16th and 17th centuries. Finally a treaty with Britain results in Oman’s ability to oust the Portuguese and assure its peace at sea.  Eventually the country is weakened until it becomes the poorest Arab country.  Four decades ago in the 70’s when I was in graduate school, Oman had only 3 schools (just for boys), 1 hospital, no paved roads, electricity or running water... life expectancy was in the 30’s and ruled by a Sultan from between 1938 to 1970 who was self-centered, controlling and afraid of change. Even when oil was discovered in 1964 permitting the possibility of funds to help the people, the Sultan (Said bin Taimur) refused to spend money on development projects, opposed changes in education and health care and sought to keep Oman isolated from the modern world. 

In 1970 the Sultan's 30-year-old son who had been educated in Britain staged a non-violent coup against his father with British support. Exiled to London, Sultan Qaboos took over and is still in power now at age 72. He is known as the Sultanate of Oman. In four decades he has used the oil money to transform Oman by building an infrastructure of good roads and housing, health care, and schooling. All people have free health care and university educations (for men and women).  There are now 5 universities and 15 colleges that create work in applied services and technology. There are 17,000 students presently in college. And to my amazement there are no income taxes! Life expectancy is reported to 75 and 76 years for men and women. 75% of the Islamic people are of the Ibadhi faith known to be more tolerant and accepting than other Islamic sects and to mainly live in Oman. Considering where Sultan Qaboos started in the 70's these advancements represent an incredible transformation. He appears to be attentive both to the need for modernization and for increasing global relationships as well as for ensuring Oman culture and preserving culture and some traditional ways of life. UNESCO said that Oman has done more for human development than any other country in the world. This in sharp contrast to the current Syrian monarch, also British educated, who has turned out to be even worse than his father in caring for the people. Ironically the Oman Sultan who has brought all this about has no children for succession and is said to be gay - an extraordinary Islamic Sultan whose identity is not up for discussion but deserves to be loved (in his own way).

Sultan's Palace 

Currently there is a 5-year Oman plan to diversify economic resources and to rely less on oil for income (a billion barrels of oil a day). Today we went to Jabel Akdhar, a spectacular mountain 6000 feet high where we walked through a village where people are growing desert roses, peaches, pomegranates, walnuts, and lemons on terraced lands. A massive 3 km road has been built up the side of this mountain to bring tourists as well as water, schools, medical care and to transport goods. Much of the vegetables, rose water and spices we viewed in the Nizwa market in the morning came from these areas.

Our New Guide Don 

Our new guide Don makes me feel so uneducated.  He is from Sri Lanka, worked in the Oman navy and speaks English, Arabic, and German with ease plus his own language and he is a talking textbook with facts and history about everything. We can ask him a question and get a detailed and thorough reply. His family is still in Sri Lanka and he returns home in the hot months of June through August. He has been in Oman 17 years but it is unlikely he will be able to receive citizenship. He has to renew his visa every year and doesn’t pay taxes. About 28% of the people currently living in Oman are expatriates.

Today Don explained the history of Oman back to AD400 and eventually we had to ask him for a break because we couldn't absorb all the information. I wanted to take notes but didn't have my trusty notebook so likely am only retaining 1%. 

As we walked through the old Nizwa market he showed us special medicinal herbs for lowering cholesterol and strange looking vegetables we had not seen before. 

As we had noticed yesterday, there were practically no women to be seen ~ men run all markets while the women remain hidden inside. How long can this last with women now receiving education? 

At the top of the mountain Don took us to a very nice hotel where we had lunch prepared by a Sri Lanka cook and served by a Philippine woman. The women we have been able to talk to are from other countries such as India, Sri Lanka, and Japan.  The Omanian women are a mystery to me .. very shy and mostly hidden. I wonder about their parenting skills.

Tomorrow we leave for the desert and tenting and hope to see some Bedouin people. We will have no internet. Still have been unsuccessful in sending out my blogs but will persist!