With an evocative style worthy of an enchanting place and a magnificent monarch, the author introduces us to Oman and its leader:
“The air was always delightfully scented; here and there he would come across brightly-coloured clay incense burners with scented smoke rising in the still air. In Dhofar each residence, from that of the monarch to the nomad’s palm-leaf hut, was perfumed with frankincense.
With his first independent steps outside the palace came new, staggering discoveries: huge coconut-palm trunks reaching up to the sky; a strip of coconut palms beyond the wall forming a copse which separates the palace from the town; the smooth sandy seashore sloping gradually down to the ocean; and the ocean itself – a vast, glittering expanse merging imperceptibly with the distant sky. Sometimes the sea lay calm”
Oman was an isolated state having no relations with other Arab or Islamic countries and this isolation pervaded all aspects of Omanis’ lives. Healthcare was virtually nonexistent; in 1970, there was only one hospital in Muttrah and a handful of admission units in Muscat. Only three schools existed throughout the whole country.
The new dawn arrived on July 23, 1970 by the way of Sultan Qaboos’s accession to the throne. In his statement broadcast to the people of Oman on the day of his accession, he spoke of his promise to improve standards of living:
“I promise to proceed at once with the task of creating a modern government. My first act will be the abolition of all unnecessary restrictions on your daily lives. My people, I will proceed without delay to transform your life into a prosperous one with a bright future. Every one of you must play his part towards this goal. Our country in the past was famous and strong. If we work in unity and co-operation, we will regenerate that glorious past and we will take our rightful place in the world”.
The Sultan’s intimate concern to draw inspiration, enthusiasm and energy from Oman’s deep-rooted history and some of it’s charismatic political leaders is vividly illustrated:
“Once the young Sayyid Qaboos had learned the fundamentals of the dynasty’s history, he began to focus on the achievements of his great ancestor, in particular, his transformation of Oman into one of the great states of the Indian Ocean. He studied all the different facets of Said bin Sultan’s political life, because, from an early age, he dreamed of matching his ancestor’s great triumphs. The world in which Sayyid Qaboos lived was very different to that in which Said bin Sultan had carried out his far-reaching policies, but the country’s essential characteristics and people had not changed and the same potential for cuccess existed. The sky and the earth remained the same, the same people continued to live on the ocean shores, in piedmont oases and in the desert space – why, the, should one generation blossom, while another struggled for survival?”
The educational upbringing of Qaboos and the magical molding of his charismatic character enabled him to synchronise his awareness of his native history and culture with the pillars of western culture especially art and music.
“Classical music was another of Sayyid’s pastimes. His natural love of music had been fostered by the songs and dance melodies which were so much a part of his childhood in Oman. Music was an integral part of the many festivals held in Salalah during Qaboos’s childhood – not just the music of Oman itself, but the music brought to Salalah by merchants and sailors from throughout the East. Songs from Yemen, India, Iran and Indonesia pervaded the streets, the houses and the palace itself”
But Qaboos’s admiration and fascination by the west is neither blind nor is it taken for granted. His vision has always been in focus and well-composed as well as his intimate attachment to his society and culture.
“Pride in his native land’s history did not blind Sayyid Qaboos to the misery into which it had fallen after a century of decay. He was well aware of the dismal statistics which showed the sultanate lying near the bottom of the world table in education and public health. But the desire to change did not translate into a desire to reconstruct everything according to a European model. He appreciated the wisdom of the proverb recollected from his childhood: Better a raw thing made with your own hands than a ripe one made with the hands of another”
Sergey Plekhanov is an intelligent Russian writer and journalist. He noticed that unlike the past, when Oman was little known in the global arena, today’s Oman is different. Over the past 38 years, the Sultanate has made enormous advances and its story of a measured and successful approach to modernisation deserves wider recognition.
Indeed, when a visionary reformer is on the throne, everything else begins to fall in place and things move faster. In an interview with a Kuwaiti newspaper the Sultan stressed the need for openness and modernisation, while at the same time maintaining the country’s heritage. Qaboos said “I object to the dominance of modernisation over heritage. Our heritage is beautiful and it only needs some development to keep abreast of modernisation”. One of the wisest decisions th Sultan made in the early stages of his rule was to call on his compatriots to return to their native land and participate in the process of renovation.
“.....the response was extraordinarily enthusiastic. Almost immediately Omani youth began to flock to Muscat. Moved b patriotic enthusiasm, recent graduates of European universities did not seem to be in the least daunted by the difficulties that awaited them”
The previous Minister of Information, Mr. Abdulaziz bin Mohamad al-Rowas, who is presently advisor to His Majesty the Sultan on cultural affairs, was one of those who returned from abroad after the events of July 1970. He remembers that there were not enough houses for the numerous returnees to live in, so tents were pitched for them right on the beach. Nobody grumbled at the discomfort; everyone was eager to work for the sake of their country. Months and even years elapsed before these young intellectuals could find respectable accommodation. “Even now,” the Minister said in an interview in Muscat “when we get together, we remember that period as the happiest in our lives”
The Sultan’s longstanding desire to involve the world’s leading states in the affairs of the region, reflected his understanding of modern geopolitics as the cultivation of partnership and not of rivalry: To link as many countries as possible by common interests meant reducing the possibility of confrontation.
The policy of Qaboos’s government has always been characterised by reconciliation and quiet but effective diplomacy and an earnest desire for universal peace and cordial co-existence. This is vividly illustrated by one of his numerous speeches on this issue:
“Peace is the goal of the state. This is one of the principles that direct our external and internal policies. It is a strategic goal we strive to achieve and maintain for the sake of security, stability, growth and prosperity. The peace in which we believe is not the peace of those who are weak and cannot face aggression, or maintain the independence, sovereignty and the entity of the State. It is the peace of those who are strong and who are prepared and well-equipped, as God ordains”
Side by side with his intention to set up a strong Omani industry, the Sultan gives great attention to the environment. He asserted in a recent speech, that the establishment of a strong industry, that can play an active role in the economic and social progress of the country, must also preserve the environment. It is during his reign that Oman witnessed the establishment of the first Ministry of Environment in the Arab world.
The preservation of Oman’s centuries-old culture and traditions is also at the forefront of his concerns. He takes a personal interest in the restoration of the Sultanate’s many historic buildings and the encouragement of craftsmen to maintain the skills handed down by past generations. On an international level, he provided the Royal Yacht, Fulk A’Salamah for UNESCO’s historic voyage ‘Routes of Dialogue among Cultures’, which brought together distinguished scientists from many countries.
Today Oman is a prosperous, progressive society with a standard of living. The story of Oman proves that it’s true when you look to the future and take reformatory action, things will fall into place.
‘A Reformer on the Throne’, is a must-read for all those who want to learn about Oman’s unique development model and its measured approach to modernisation. Sergey Plekhanov’s book is a profile of a progressive person, cultivated and charismatic, whose priorities are faith in the Almighty Allah and a deep devotion to his citizens. The human being is the main instrument in the creation of progress and he is the beneficiary of this progress. As far as this progress can provide an honourable life for the individual and for society, all involved in it can take pride in its good and fruitful results.
Iran cuts ties with British Museum over Persian treasure