Women and the Revolution in Oman
We reproduce below some extracts from documents of the first Omani I/I/omen's Organization (OWO) Congress in 1975 and the second congress in 1979. All passages are taken from an excellent document entitled News from Oman and Southern Arabia, No. 36 special issue "Women and the Revolution in Oman" (November 1980). This issue gives a comprehensive analysis of the background and development of the liberation struggle under the leadership of the People's Front for the Liberation of Oman and its present situation. It then gives a detailed analysis of the traditional role of the Omani woman, her role in the various phases of the liberation struggle and of the impressive results achieved. Particularly deals with the work of OWO and includes two interviews with Omani women. Also includes a bibliography on Oman and Southern Arabia.
It is edited by KROAG (Committee for the Revolution in Oman and the Arabian Gulf) and published by 9th June Publishers, Box 86, DK-1003 Copenhagen K, Denmark.
Cost US$2.00.
Since Oman, an Arabic State, is little known and written about, we give a brief historical sketch here, summarised from the KROAG publications.
In the mid 19th century the British intruded into the Gulf region ousting the prosperous Oman fleet and installing a Sultan in Oman, backed by their arms and money. Previously fairly prosperous, Oman's economy broke down and the country remained in a state of backwardness. During the reign of Sultan Said bin Taimur (1932 1970) the first attacks on British hegemony were launched : the growing need for oil in the West had brought the British oil company PDO into Oman where they found oil in 1954. In 1959 a revolt against British occupation broke out and this marked the beginning of the liberation movement In 1965 the Dhofar Liberation Front launched the armed struggle in Dhofar — a southern province in Oman. They made considerable gains in Western Dhofar after three years of violent fighting. In 1968 the front changed its name to the People's Front for the Liberation of the Occupied Arabian Gulf (PFLOAG) and aimed to liberate the whole of Oman, uniting with popular opposition in the whole of the Arabian Gulf The role of this organisation was to lead the struggle against the British and their local allies in the entire area. Both British and USA interests were threatened and their allies, especially the Iranians (under the Shah) started to play an important military role in Oman. In 1975 a total of 9 nations were giving milltary support to the Sultan
In the face of such force the Liberation Front was driven
out of the liberated areas, and today have gathered on the borders with the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen. They are reorganising and carrying out political education and rebuilding programmes.In June 1975 OWO was officially formed and held its first congress. On this occasion the organization adopted a working programme to comply with the obvious needs.
The following passages are from one of the documents passed by the congress:
"The liberation of women cannot be achieved through men making concessions to women, but through constant organized struggle by women on the economic, social, and political levels. The liberation of women is not indicated by the percentage of female workers or employees in government departments or corporations, nor by the number of employees or secretaries in Ministries, nor by the number of educated women or university graduates. The liberation of women is fulfilled through the effective contributions of women on the productive, social and political levels...
It is clear that an understanding of the significance of the women question coupled with an understanding of the importance of the participation of women in the national struggle is a first and essential step towards women's emancipation. The main task of the women's and of other organizations is to explain to all women their basic human rights, how they can fight for these rights, and what major role women can play in reconstructing society..."
The tasks of OWO are :
"1. To enlighten and mobilize women around the women question and women's liberation which cannot be achieved except through the liberation of the entire society from
colonialism and its puppets in the area.
2. To educate the broad masses of women in a patriotic spirit and to include these masses in the ranks of the Omani revolution under the leadership of the PFLO.
3. To educate women and eliminate illiteracy by opening literacy centres in areas populated by illiterate women.
4. To organize weekly courses on social and political issues.
5. To change women's situation by mobilizing them to join in mass activities, and in the struggle against the British and Iranian colonial presence in Oman.
6. To struggle against the incorrect ideas that women's only role is marriage and the production of children.
We are working to establish a special agitation department for women. Its first task is to meet the specific problems of the less-educated women, to raise their consciousness, and to lead them towards participation in the revolutionary struggle. The other task is to mobilize women to make demands in their capacity as woman, and to defend the right to for instance maternity, and child welfare programmes, the reduction of house work etc. We have made the basis for this work, and hope to develop it in the coming period...
The Organization of Omani Women is at present working to train women cadres who can lead the Omani women's movement as a whole, and form a women's vanguard. It will in no way compromise on women's demands for equality with men. Nor will it allow anyone to pacify women, or to stop them after the completion of the liberation struggle. We are well aware that traditional ideas remain in the minds of many people for a long time — even after a transformation of the social system. We are building a cadre force in order to lead women towards their liberation, so that they will reach the end of the road and not stop half way."
The Role of Women Today
Women in particular were affected by the general demobilization in the ranks on the PFLO following the military setback at the end of 1975. This resulted from the fact that women primarily had played a prominent role in the military field of the liberation struggle as they on the ideological and organizational levels suffered from the lack of experience and education. As mentioned earlier many men had received education and political experience when they worked in the Gulf states, thus before they joined the Front, while women had their first education and political experience when they as young girls joined the revolution. The military setback therefore removed the most important basis of women's position in the liberation struggle. At the same time women held only a limited possibility of playing a prominent role in other fields of the struggle due to the lack of skills in reading and writing, political knowledge and experience; and consequently many women in the border area were demobilized. They left the People's Army and the Schools of Revolution to get married and then relapsed into their traditional role.
In the light of this development the existence of OWO has
been of vital importance since the evacuation of the liberated areas. OWO has tried to implement the working programme of its first congress in the border area, and as this represents an important part of the general rebuilding programme, it has been given high priority by the PFLO. Since the setback OWO has worked hard to engage women in its activities. OWO has emphasised that women have to play a prominent role in the fields in which the practice of the Front is concentrated on today, that is the ideological and organizational fields. This is only possible if women engage in educational and political activities, so that they develop their capabilities and raise their consciousness on issues concerning women and politics in general. The primary obstacle to such an engagement is the traditional role of women where they are stuck with house work and child-caring. In order to overcome this problem OWO has organized child-care in connection with the various educational activities. Moreover, OWO has organized education for those women, who lived in the refugee camps near Al Gheida, and were not able to attend the ordinary education in the town because of their large families. Besides, the PFLO has tried to ensure young girls a better educational level by introducing a law that forbids them to marry before they have finished Secondary School.OWO has also taken the initiative in building up a centre for women in Al Gheida which represents a great step forward in the mobilization of women. Women living isolated will be able to attend educational, cultural and political activities, and simultaneously the children can be looked after at the same place. The number of activities will be increased and include for instance sewing and typewriting, and there will be a maternity and child welfare clinic. All this will make it more attractive for women to join the centre.
The Second Congress of OWO
The following quotation from a document of the Second Congress shows OWO's analysis of the connection between the liberation of society, the liberation of women and the relationship between men and women. "The struggle for the social liberation of the Omani woman is not only a necessity called for by the interest of the Omani
woman herself, but a general necessity imposed by the interest of the Omani society as a whole, as without the full liberation of the Omani woman, and the release of her energies and capabilities, it is impossible to achieve the full liberation of society.
To place obstacles in front of the Omani woman and in front of her freedom from subjugation, enslavement, injustice, and oppression is in fact the same as placing obstacles in front of the progress and development of the Omani society and in front of the realisation of its liberation from all forms of backwardness.
There is a great burden upon the shoulders of the Omani woman in having to escalate the struggle for winning her legitimate human and social rights so that she can share effectively in the construction of the new Omani society. In the first place the responsibility for this struggle belongs to the Omani woman herself, and the Omani woman has to take the initiative to fight for her cause, and refuse to be dependent on the man in order to achieve her rights, and further the progress of her cause.
When we point out the importance of the woman's active role in her struggle for her rights, we must, however, at the same time reject the point of view which considers the liberation of the woman to take place without the contribution of man and his firm backing. Since this point of view is lacking in understanding of the natural and organic relationship between men and women which is that they are complementing each other in the construction of society and in their life in general.
Moreover, to understand the social liberation of the Omani woman without national liberation and complete independence of the Omani homeland also shows a lack of understanding of the realisation and appreciation that the woman — constituting half of society — cannot obtain complete liberation without the liberation of society at large, and liberation first and above all from foreign hegemony.
In order for the Omani woman to make real progress towards her liberation, she has to know in depth the historical role of women and the results left behind by the struggles of women throughout history. Any negligence of the history of women, including their struggle and role in the historical development of society, would not only be at the expense of the future of the women's liberation, but also at the expense of the future of society as a whole."
The Objectives and Tasks of OWO
The second congress of OWO passed a number of resolutions on the future objectives and tasks of the organization. Here follows a summary of these :
— to fight for women's emancipation on all levels, that is the political, economical, social, and matrimonial levels, including the right to participate in political and social
activities, the right of employment and education, the right to choose freely one's partner and the right to apply for a divorce. Moreover, OWO demands a reduction of the
bride-price, and prohibition of humiliation and corporal punishment of women.
— to fight for special privileges in connection with pregnancy and parturitions, and for the establishment of nurseries and kindergardens all over Oman.
— to combat illiteracy and spread education and the national culture among Omani women.
— to train female cadres to lead the struggle of women.
Concretely OWO will continue its work to preserve the progressive social laws gained by the Omani women through their extensive struggles and sacrifices in the revolution. The OWO will continue its work to eradicate illiteracy among women and take further steps to develop women's skills through technical and political courses. OWO will also carry on political and cultural meetings and to preserve the national culture. The organization will expand its publicational activities by developing its monthly magazine, and by preparing publications on the struggle of the Omani woman and her role in society. Besides, OWO will continue its efforts to build up the above-mentioned cultural centre for women.