It is November 18th. As we walk this morning into the lobby of our hotel in Muscat, we hit almost a stepladder. On the top of it the receptionist tries to keep his balance while attaching a white-red-green striped balloon with an adhesive strip on the ceiling. "It's National day!" He calls out as soon as the balloon sticks securely. His white teeth flashed, while he's fishing, swaying dangerously, after the next one.
It's National day - Sultan Qaboos celebrates his 74th birthday. For forty-four years he has been in power after the overthrown of his father in 1970. In these forty-four years, he has united the, from the civil war damaged and impoverished Sultanate, modernized it and lead the people to a life in prosperity. Hardly any Omani who doesn't adore him and speaks full of gratitude and awe of him. In the new constitution the Sultan is presented as guard, custodian and symbol of national unity and to many it's not considered as an autocratic ruler, but as a kind of "father" of the whole country. A few days ago a taxi driver asked us how we like Oman and when we told him that we're very pleased to be here, he answered in full conviction: "Oman is the number one!"
Of course, the Sultan has done a lot. Even we've to admit it after our four week stay in the country. The roads are well developed, schools can be found in the most remote places which are attended by both boys and girls, and the health care is guaranteed and free for everyone. The old mud houses are left and people live in more or less tastefully built concrete houses, drive new cars and shop in huge shopping malls. Nevertheless, there is also the other side. We see how Pakistani immigrant workers are shoveling sand in the hot midday sun, how they roll, only with a handkerchief in front of the mouth, the steaming tar on the new road, how they collect trash along the streets. We see how they run out of the store or coffee shop once an Omani in his shiny car honks impatiently in front of it and gives up his order through the window.
Not only Sultan Qaboos has brought the country to where it stands today. Nearly thirty percent of the population are immigrant workers from Pakistan and India and they've played their part without getting big thank for it. Integration and family reunification are just as unknown to the Government vocabulary such as separation of powers and democracy.
But today certainly nobody will complain about, then the immigrant workers are enjoying the national birthday as well. For now many of the bumper sticker shops make their annual turnover. The whole car is styled on Omani. When we walk beside one of the numerous garages, a white 4x4 is stopping in front of. An elderly gentleman in a bright white dishdasha honks loudly several times and then let down the tinted window. Officiousness two Pakistanis come running and show him the different motives. The face of the Sultan outlined with black lines, clearly remembering the portrait of Che Guevara, the Sultan as a colonel in military uniform and with the navy in the background, the Sultan as an older gentleman with carefully looped turban and precisely trimmed white beard. The Omani nods, a Pakistani opens him the car door, while the second leads him to a chair in the shade. And now they put themselves onto work under the watchful gaze of the car owner. They draw carefully the design on the car door, heat the plastic film with the hot air blower and squeeze away any air bubbles. The older gentleman nods satisfiedly.
In the evening a big car parade takes place in Qurum, a northern district. Here they are, the fast cabriolets, the beefy Land Cruisers and elegant limousines. Honking and blaring they roll up the Avenue. Everything in honor of Sultan Qaboos.
But unfortunately the birthday child don't remark anything. The Sultan is ill. For a long time he's now being in a hospital in Germany for medical treatment. No one knows what he suffers, just as no one knows who will compete as his successor. His Royal Highness has no children. However, it's said that he has written a secret letter, which is kept in the royal palace, and in which is set, who will continue to lead the country after his death.
But no one thinks of this now. Just as no one thinks about what could be done against the unemployment of more than 20%, how the country may be lead out of the dependence from the gas and oil price trends and how it should evolve with the existing stark two-class society. No one cares about the challenges of the future today, then this day is a celebrated one. A happy day. Long live Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said. My hero - my Sultan!
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