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