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The following article is reproduced from Colonial Freedom News, the journal of the Movement for Colonial Freedom, firstly because tho facts are hardly known at all in this country, and secondly the attitude of Pri:ish imper ialism towards Oman is a good indication of the real face of Briti-n ‘mperialism when it does not have to Manoeuvre.
"The war in Oman began in 1954, the same yoar as Alger*:. +iunched hor war of independence, and the Omanis throughout these seven years hav displayed a resoluteness in defending their country, very similar to that shown by the Algerians, And yet, outside the confines of the Arab world, virtuaily nothing is known of tho rights and wrongs of the question. In this country, the Govern ment and most sections of the press have maintained a conspiracy of silence and have encouraged the spreading of many misconceptions,
"Por example, British Government spokesmen, in particular Mr. Selwyn Lloyd and Mr. Edward Heath, have persistently maintained that Oman is a depend~ ency of Muscat, and that Britain is fulfilling her obligations of alliance with the Sultan of Muscat by helping him against an internal rebellion. In fact Oman has for 1,200 years been an independent state, electing her own rulers. ad is the only democracy in the Arabian penisula, In 1920, after the Omanis 2ac iefeated one of tho Sultan's many attempts to conquer them, the treaty of Sik was signed, recognising the two states as separate entities and pledging them to non-interference in cach other's affairs. Capt. lccles, the British commander of the Muscat forces, stated in 1927, that "the Sultan in reality hac authority only in Muscat and a stretch of coast to the north and south, which sem be inate imidated by British gun—boats."
". closer examination of history and of lir. Lloyd's speeches shows that in fact Britain has no obligation to offer military aid to the Sultan. Let us examine the reasons for British participation with Muscat in a military adventure to conquer the indep:ndent state of Oman. In 1954, the Sultan of Muscat granted a concession for a British company to drill for oil on Omani territory outside his jurisdiction, The refusal of the Imam of Oman to recognise this concession, and the steps which he took to defend his country's independence constituted the "act of rebellion", by which the British Government justified the invasion,
"The military operations have continued unabated until now, with con= tinuous and merciless bombing of .civilian targets by the Royal Air Force, 17 villages in the Jobol Akhdar region have been obliterated and the five main cities of Oman almost destroyed. The British Government repeatodly clains that the "rebellion" has been suppressed, but your correspondent, on a tour of tie Persian Gulf recontly, found strong evidence that Omaris aro aolding oii,
"Thore are far more tragic human issues than more power politics involved in the issue, for the struggle on the battlefivlds of Oman is between the forces of democracy and human dignity, and those of mediaeval tyranny. The Sultan of Muscat, whom the Conservative leaders are pleased to call their staunch friend is one of history's cruellest slave owners. He possesses a harem of some 80 slave girls, and a male slave labour force of up to 300 men, according io a reliable source. The punishments and tortures used by the Sultan against his slaves have beon : described to your correspondent not only by Omani exiles but also by a British Army Officer in the lluscat forces,
"The record of the Imam of Oman is very different. From the time of his election in 1954 he made strenuous efforts to stamp out the slave trade in South Arabia, which is one -reason for the Sultan's great hatred of him. When one remembers that Britain first intervened in the Gulf area to combat the slave trade, the hypocrisy of the Government and its betrayal of Britain's ideals M becomes clear, In an interview with your correspondent the Imam affirmed his determination to continue working for the guarantee of his people's ueent id independence and for the eradication of the slave trade. He ete f th