Globe Roundabout reopens but Rusayl Industrial Estate blocked again

Muscat: Almost after a month, the Globe Roundabout in Oman's industrial port city Sohar finally reopened to traffic but workers again blocked the Rusayl Industrial Estate (RIE) on Wednesday morning.

According to reliable sources, protesters gave in after a high-level government official held talks with them on Tuesday at the main roundabout in Sohar, which has become the symbol of protests in the country.

The demonstrations held in Oman since January 17 have been largely by workers demanding better working conditions, better employment opportunities and higher wages with some raising issues of corruption in government.

The country's monarch, Sultan Qaboos Bin Saeed, has reacted positively to protesters' demands.

The reforms announced by the leader included creation of 50,000 jobs, 150 Omani riyals unemployment allowance, raising minimum basic salary to 200 Omani riyals, increasing pension for civil service employees and raising allowance given to citizens under the social security scheme.

The Sultan also made drastic changes in the Council of Ministers and inducted new ministers, who were elected by the people of Oman during the Majlis Al Shura elections in the past.

He even granted legislative and regulatory authority to the Council of Oman, which is a joint house of 84-elected Shura members and 59 members selected by the ruler to the Majlis Adawala.

Even after reforms and reshuffling of cabinet, including removal of the country's Inspector-General of Police and Customs, the sit-ins have continued at Globe Roundabout, outside Shura office in Muscat and outside Governor's office in Salalah.

The number of people turning up at these sit-in sites has been dwindling but the strikes are spreading to the private sector with almost every day employees of one or the other company staging demonstrations outside their offices.

Last week, Oman's first industrial estate in Rusayl witnessed a shut down for two days as workers raised their demands. Efforts of the Manpower Minister, Abdullah Bin Nasser Bin Abdullah Al Bakri, to break the deadlock failed but Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) Chairman Khaleel Bin Abdullah Al Khonji intervened and work resumed at the estate.

However, on Wednesday morning, access to the Rusayl Industrial Estate was again blocked by workers of industries from Gala area.

"We also want all the benefits given to the RIE employees therefore we have blocked this area to raise our demands," a striking employee said. He said that as Gala was not an organised gated industrial compound they decided to stage demonstrations outside RIE.

Meanwhile, a SMS is doing the rounds in Muscat in which drivers of Shell oil tankers have threatened to shut work on Wednesday evening.