OMAN ONLINE: THE QURAN, THE COLLEGE, AND THE COPS

UNCLAS MUSCAT 000819

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARPI, NEA/PPD, NEA/P, IIP/G/NEA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO SOCI MU
SUBJECT: OMAN ONLINE: THE QURAN, THE COLLEGE, AND THE COPS

REF: MUSCAT 764 AND PREVIOUS


1. Summary: The Omani Internet chat rooms "al-Sablah" and "al-
Majarra" are the liveliest and most comprehensive Arabic-language
fora for political and social discourse in the country, touching
on issues and personalities rarely addressed in the conventional
media. While not totally free, nor wholly reflective of Omani
public opinion, these popular sites nevertheless offer a
worthwhile window into the hot topics and unvarnished views of
the day. This edition of Oman Online contains the following
topics:

-- Discussions of the alleged Quran desecration
-- Rumors about the College of Sharia and Law
-- Advice for those under investigation

End summary.

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Before The Retraction
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2. Nearly one hundred al-Sablah members weighed in on the
allegations that U.S. military interrogators defiled a Quran at
the detention facility in Guantanamo Bay. Anger characterized
nearly all the responses. One individual wrote, "What more do we
expect from the enemies of Islam, who tear the Quran and burn and
destroy our mosques?" Another declared fervently, "God preserve
the Quran, and destroy the Americans who express, by their
actions, their animosity towards Islam and Muslims!" Many felt
that the Islamic countries had not done enough to counter the
alleged desecration; one writer questioned, "Where is the Islamic
ummah [nation]? The Holy Book is desecrated and nobody does
anything!" Another suggested, "Islamic countries must unify to
stop the desecration of our shrines and sanctuaries."


3. Emotions such as sadness and suspicion likewise rippled
through the Internet message board. One of the more poetic
members observed, "The Quran, the sacred book that enlightens us,
raises our sprits and gives us joy when reciting its verses, is
desecrated! The defilers pretend to be enlightened, but they are
ignorant of civilization and do not respect other religions."
Still others viewed the U.S. response with skepticism: "The
American `investigation' is a mere lie, because they supervised
the desecration in the first place."

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School's Out?
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4. A rumor surfaced in al-Sablah that "Muscat's College of Sharia
and Law will be shut down, and instead a new law school will be
established at Sultan Qaboos University." This rumor prompted
many readers to wonder about the underlying reasons. "Maybe the
recent arrests have made the government reorganize their strategy
towards Islamic education," and "Perhaps this is a way of tamping
down the rise of Islamist tendencies in Oman" were two common
speculations. Other members worried about the academic
consequences of such a development: "Will the students be allowed
to finish the semester?"

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Community Service Announcements
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5. No doubt inspired by the recent arrests (reftel),a number of
al-Sablah writers have dispensed advice about the Royal Oman
Police's investigative techniques. One writer warned, "Be aware
that the investigators will try to trap you, and make you confess
to a crime you did not commit." Another offered, "The
investigator will ask you to sign two documents: one states you
will not reveal the content of the investigation, and the other
authorizes the continuance of the investigation. However, the
small print at the bottom of one document reads, `I confess to
being involved in secret organizations.'"

BALTIMORE