Salalá (Oman) .- Some 3,000 people demonstrated in the coastal town of Salala, in southern Oman, to demand political reforms, conducting one of the largest concentrations from two months ago began protests the country. Instead of praying in a mosque, as usual, a preacher, has rallied the faithful in an outdoor parking next to the governor's office.
After the sermon have been marching through the streets of the city. "The Omani people are not afraid to protest as it takes to be carried out reforms. The most important thing is to be tried in court to government officials who have been embezzling funds for years," said the cleric Amer Hargan told the crowd.
The Sultan of Oman, Qaboos bin Said, who has 40 years in power, announced last Sunday, two months after the start of the protests, inspired by that have occurred in other Arab countries, the government allocated 1,000 million rials (about 1,800 million euros) to improve the standard of living of the population.
Protesters demand Omani higher wages, jobs and an end to corruption. In addition, many complain that the ministers dismissed for corruption allegedly committed crimes were not prosecuted. Dozens of people remain camped in the capital, Muscat, against the Majlis al Shura, the lower house of the National Council (a sort of parliament).
Instead, they remained seated for several weeks in the city of Sohar, the epicenter of the protest movement in the country, ended following the intervention of security forces, who detained hundreds of people. This week, authorities announced that 234 people arrested during the demonstrations will be pardoned, but did not specify when they will be released.
Sultan Qaboos has offered a series of reforms in the workplace, as a monthly allowance for the unemployed and increasing the salary of staff. And last March, has promised to give some legislative powers to the National Council, an advisory body. Currently, only the Sultan and his government can legislate. 
After the sermon have been marching through the streets of the city. "The Omani people are not afraid to protest as it takes to be carried out reforms. The most important thing is to be tried in court to government officials who have been embezzling funds for years," said the cleric Amer Hargan told the crowd.
The Sultan of Oman, Qaboos bin Said, who has 40 years in power, announced last Sunday, two months after the start of the protests, inspired by that have occurred in other Arab countries, the government allocated 1,000 million rials (about 1,800 million euros) to improve the standard of living of the population.
Protesters demand Omani higher wages, jobs and an end to corruption. In addition, many complain that the ministers dismissed for corruption allegedly committed crimes were not prosecuted. Dozens of people remain camped in the capital, Muscat, against the Majlis al Shura, the lower house of the National Council (a sort of parliament).
Instead, they remained seated for several weeks in the city of Sohar, the epicenter of the protest movement in the country, ended following the intervention of security forces, who detained hundreds of people. This week, authorities announced that 234 people arrested during the demonstrations will be pardoned, but did not specify when they will be released.
Sultan Qaboos has offered a series of reforms in the workplace, as a monthly allowance for the unemployed and increasing the salary of staff. And last March, has promised to give some legislative powers to the National Council, an advisory body. Currently, only the Sultan and his government can legislate.
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