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R 111245Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY MUSCAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7271
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MUSCAT 001468 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KDEM KMPI MU
SUBJECT: OMAN MOVES EARLY TO INCREASE VOTER REGISTRATION 
 
 
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SUMMARY 
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¶1.  (SBU) The Omani government has started an early media 
campaign to increase voter registration.  In addition to 
placing announcements on the radio and in newspapers, the 
Minister of Interior held an unprecedented question-and- 
answer session at a gathering of the Oman Journalists 
Association to discuss the 2007 elections to the Majlis 
al-Shura.  End Summary. 
 
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HITTING THE AIRWAVES AND THE PRESS 
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¶2.  (U) Beginning in early September, Omani radio stations 
began airing announcements - in both English and Arabic - 
urging Omani citizens to register to vote in their home 
district (wilayat) for the 2007 elections to the Majlis 
al-Shura, the lower house of Oman's bicameral consultative 
body.  The radio spots, replayed several times a day before 
and after news bulletins, reminded Omanis that it is "their 
right" to take part in the Majlis elections.  Print notices 
of the announcements concurrently appeared in local papers. 
 
¶3.  (U) One of the radio announcements specifically targeted 
Omani women.  These broadcasts, and corresponding newspaper 
notice, stated:  "Omani women have proved to be a real and 
effective partner in the development of the Omani (Majlis 
al-Shura).  Omani sisters, please register your name in the 
elections register for the Shura elections in 2007." 
 
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A FIRST: MINISTER ADDRESSES JOURNALISTS' GROUP 
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¶4. (SBU) The seriousness of official outreach regarding the 
Majlis elections was demonstrated by the October 2 speech of 
Minister of the Interior Sayyid Saud bin Ibrahim al-Busaidi 
to the fledgling Oman Journalists Association (OJA).  The 
event marked the first time that a ranking official spoke to 
this group, as well as the first time that any sitting 
minister engaged in a public dialogue with an Omani private 
association.  As such, the evening was a rare opportunity for 
an audience to hear not only directly from a minister, but to 
question him.  The resulting give-and-take was, by local 
standards, surprisingly lively. 
 
¶5. (SBU) The special Ramadan program, organized by the OJA, 
was attended by a primarily young, mostly male audience of 
about 80 journalists, professionals, and members of the 
diplomatic corps.  Al-Busaidi opened with prepared remarks in 
which he outlined his Ministry's accomplishments in the 2003 
elections for the current session of the Majlis al-Shura: 
convening an election commission, setting up polling 
stations, providing a legal framework by issuing decree 620 
(which enumerates voter rights and establishes the voting 
process), registering voters, and supervising the vote. 
Al-Busaidi explained that the Ministry of the Interior will 
continue these efforts for the 2007 elections, along with new 
initiatives including on-line voter information (part of 
wider Omani e-government efforts) and visits to Oman's 
embassies abroad that will host voting centers. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) By participating in the last Majlis elections, the 
Minister said, "citizens had shared in the decisions of their 
country, and in democracy."  He continued that the government 
hoped to "spread the culture of elections" in Omani society. 
Al-Busaidi added that the Ministry of Interior valued the 
participation of non-governmental organizations and 
associations, such as the OJA, in raising awareness of the 
importance of elections. 
 
¶7. (SBU) More interesting than the Minister's speech was the 
hour-long Q&A session that followed.  Opportunities for 
public interaction at such a senior level are virtually 
unheard of in Oman, and questioners were relatively 
forthright, particularly on tribalism and its role in Omani 
elections.  The Minister attempted to deflect these concerns, 
saying there is only "positive" tribalism in Oman, and that 
the only meaningful tribal divisions in Oman are on paper. 
Following up, one journalist - an Egyptian expatriate - 
disagreed and asserted that the issue was and would remain a 
factor in Omani politics (and that the Minister's predecessor 
had said so.)  The Minister laughed, saying that tribalism 
"is only a problem in your mind."  Frustrated, albeit 
good-naturedly, the questioner sat down, muttering that 
discussion on the subject was of no use.  Despite the 
challenging questions, the mood of the session was not 
acrimonious, and the evening was punctuated with laughter. 
 
 
MUSCAT 00001468  002 OF 002 
 
 
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COMMENT 
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¶8.  (SBU) The government's early efforts to increase voter 
registration and stir up interest in next year's elections 
likely reflects a firm desire to raise the relatively low 
number of participants in the 2003 Majlis contest.  (Note: 
Only 262,000 of an estimated 821,000 eligible Omanis 
registered to vote for the 2003 elections.  End Note.)  That 
a cabinet minister would tackle unscripted questions on the 
subject of elections demonstrates the government's resolve to 
make the elections a focus of public interest.  Given Oman's 
very reserved public discourse, reflected in the usual 
timidity of its press, the questions asked of the Interior 
Minister and the critical thinking they reflect are 
indicative that at least some Omanis are looking outside 
accepted comfort zones in examining their society and are 
increasingly willing to express their thoughts in a public 
forum. 
FONTENEAU