OMAN DECLINES U.S. AND OTHER FOREIGN ASSISTANCE IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L MUSCAT 000581 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/09/2017 TAGS: AMER AMGT ASEC CASC KHLS KMDR KPAO KSAC MU SUBJECT: OMAN DECLINES U.S. AND OTHER FOREIGN ASSISTANCE IN THE AFTERMATH OF TROPICAL CYCLONE GONU REF: A. MUSCAT 576 ¶B. MUSCAT 574 Classified By: Ambassador Gary A. Grappo for Reasons 1.4 (b, d) ¶1. (C) On June 9, the Ambassador extended another offer of U.S. humanitarian and other assistance to help Oman recover from tropical cyclone Gonu to Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs Yusef bin Alawi. The Minister thanked the Ambassador profusely for the offer, but confirmed that the government of Oman believed it had sufficient resources to respond to the storm-related damage and would not/not request assistance from the U.S. or any other country. Bin Alawi added, however, that there was a "possibility" that Oman could request some type of non-emergency assistance "down the line." ¶2. (SBU) Oman's decision to decline U.S. assistance is reflective of its stance on domestic relief efforts. While the government has appealed to Omani citizens to help aid storm victims, the National Committee for Civil Defense instructed that only Omani nationals may make donations or act as volunteers to receive and distribute assistance. ¶3. (SBU) Oman's two principal charities, Dar al-Attaa and the Oman Charitable Organization (OCO),are actively attempting to provide relief to storm victims. The CEO of the OCO appeared on national television June 7 and emphasized that his organization was accepting all donations, cash and in-kind, from Omanis. He stated that the OCO will use monetary contributions to purchase water, food, clothing, blankets and other basic necessities. The OCO is directing material donations to its headquarters in the al-Khuwair neighborhood, as well as to the Oman Exhibition Center near the Seeb International Airport, and is requesting Omanis with 4-wheel drive vehicles to join its current 300 volunteers to help deliver these items to hard-hit areas. Maryam al-Zadjali, president of Dar al-Attaa told emboff that her charity was presently assisting over 2,000 people either still in shelters or moving back to damaged homes, and was using cash donations to buy food, blankets, supplies and basic furniture. ¶4. (SBU) The decision of the Omani government to decline foreign assistance has generated grumbling among some Omanis. Echoing these sentiments, an uncharacteristically strong editorial in the June 7 on-line edition of the English language daily Oman Tribune made a plea for the acceptance of foreign aid to deal with the aftermath of Gonu. The article stated: "We wonder why we should not ask for help when we need it. After all, everyone in this world should have the grace to seek and accept assistance in times of crisis. We, who are reeling under the effect of a cyclone, are victims of nothing short of a catastrophe. It belongs to a category of disasters that makes advanced countries admit the fact of devastation and accept help even from less developed countries." ¶5. (C) Comment: Embassy is investigating the possibility of USG disaster assistance (per 12 FAH, Annex 3) to one or both of the relief organizations mentioned in para. 3. End Comment. GRAPPO