freedom of expression in Oman

It has been widely discussed that the issue of freedom of expression in the Sultanate of Oman is a much taboo subject. Something that not many people have freedom to talk about, freely.

This subject is under the microscope of contradticory developments in the media expansion process which is now underway in Oman with the release of many new publications to come into the Omani market.

But forget about what is the underwritten law of which you should never talk about politics, or relegion or even social pattens in the Omani social community. Forget about all of that for just a second. What is it that we really are discussing here in Oman, anyhow? It is the internal affairs of a state and not something that would (God forbid) cause an overthrow in the power of the political system. But what we are discussing are things that would develop the social, environmental, economical and perhaps political cycle to a better momentum.

Now that's not something bad, is it now?

So then, we come to another question in this topic. Where does one usually do this to grab the attention of the audience?

The media, of course.

But the media is subject to the Ministry of Information's beauractical hierarchy of communcation systems just like any other government organization in the country that has been operational since 35 years. And it is to this ministry that the responsibility goes to discuss the implications that could or would have dire consequences on the country's stability in the social spectrum.

Given that as a reason for the benefit of the doubt, there is, though, not much freedom to say what should be said about the country that would help bring in the developmental cycles into overdrive.

Something that a lot of people, up there, should be thinking about.

Hope you're hearing us, people.