Muscat: Recent violent protests and demonstrations have damaged Oman's image at a time when the government was hard at work to introduce reforms, according to Syed Fahd Bin Mahmoud Al Saeed, Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers.
Talking to owners and editors of local newspapers on Sunday, he said the damage caused by the protests was certainly not in keeping with Oman's long-standing values and traditions of voicing concerns in a civilised manner.
"Protesting for one's rights is not about obstructing the daily work of employees or disrupting public life," he was quoted as saying by the government-owned English daily Oman Daily Observer.
He added that protests in a civilised manner were welcome. However, "[protests] accompanied by chaos have nothing to do with Omani traditions".
Al Saeed said people had the right to voice their concerns and some protesters had demanded genuine reforms. "Many of their demands have either been met following recent initiatives announced by the government or are being scrutinised by experts for suitable action," he said.
Oman's ruler Sultan Qaboos Bin Saeed had also pledged to look into all the genuine demands for reforms, Al Saeed said, and stressed that malpractices in the political sphere would not be tolerated and the government has pledged to end them.
According to him, the government recognises that the citizens are the fulcrum of the whole process of development, and, therefore, the beneficiaries of the country's progress and prosperity.
The minister reiterated that it was the duty of every citizen to make sure that protests and demonstrations are not held in a way that might tarnish Oman's image as a nation of peaceful, courteous and civilised people.
"The government is already busy looking into all the legitimate demands of the people for reforms and is all set to make an impact within a reasonable time frame," he said.