SUNDAY
October 16, 2016 14 Muharram 1438 AH
FROM THE WORDS OF HIS MAJESTY THE SULTAN
To the People, 1975
‘His Majesty’s Wisdom’ Oman is rich in resources and its resources belong to its people. Though oil is our main source of income at present, we know that we have abundant other resources which we need to exploit in order to promote the rapid progress and development we wish for this country.
Founded 1975 . Volume 41 No. 195 | 36 Pages . Baisas 200 . Subscription OMR63 | ISO 9001:2008 Certified Company | Chairman/Editor-in-Chief: Mohamed Issa Al Zadjali | Printed & Published by Muscat Media Group
TRAFFICKED: A VICTIM’S WARNING
BETTER LIVE IN YOUR OWN COUNTRY THAN FALLING PREY TO FAKE AGENTS
R O YA L D I R E C T I V E S
Oman helps rescue two US citizens MUSCAT: In response to the Royal Directives of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said for assisting the US government in the release of US citizens detained in Yemen, the authorities concerned in the Sultanate coordinated with the Yemeni authorities in Sana’a for the release of two American citizens. The two were transported onboard a plane of the Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO), yester-
day, as a step for their return to their country, an official source at the Foreign Ministry said. In response to the Royal Orders of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, the Sultanate received a new batch of injured Yemenis who will be treated at the Sultanate’s hospitals. They were transported to Muscat onboard the same flight of RAFO plane. —ONA See also >A3
INSPECTION VISIT
Batinah Expressway to be ready in 2017 TARIQ ZIAD AL HAREMI
tariqh@timesofoman.com
SORDID SAGA: Monica, 29, was duped by an Indian agent in Mumbai and sent to the UAE. – Supplied picture
Despite the tightening of rules, traffickers continue to lure women through false papers and promises and push them into flesh trade to say…it’s my plea.” Monica, an Indian women who came to Ajman in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and was then forcefully brought to Oman to work as a housemaid, is one of the lucky ones. Last week, she was rescued by a social worker from Sohar and moved to the Indian embassy. She has endured sexual assault, beatings and had her passport and phone taken away from her before being kept prisoner by a trafficking gang. Monica, 29, was duped by an
REJIMON K reji@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: “I migrated to support my family, but didn’t even dream that I would have to undergo this much trouble. I was mentally and physically tortured by agents and left to starve too… “I am begging everyone not to fall prey to fake agents. Please don’t migrate without knowing the details properly. Whatever you earn, try to adjust with that in your home country itself. You will be duped. This is what I have
Indian agent in Mumbai and sent to the UAE. “I was told that I was going on a visit visa to UAE. As I was not aware of the procedures, I did whatever they said. And when I reached UAE, I found that I had landed in the wrong place,” Monica said. Tortured “It was a shelter where many other Indian girls were also kept. They kept on torturing us. They seized our passports and phones. When I asked for the phone to call my children, they said I have been brought to do a job and not to make calls. Even a dog wouldn’t eat the food they used to give us,” Monica added. According to Monica, after a few weeks in the UAE, she was handed over to Omani trafficking agents for OMR500. “I don’t know what was the job
conditions and all. I was forced to travel to Oman. I begged in front of them, but they didn’t listen. I just wanted to return home but it didn’t happen,” Monica added. In 2011, tightening the recruitment rules, India and Oman, made certain changes aimed at protecting migrant housemaids from abuse and providing skilled manpower to Omani households. According to the changes, employers are required to produce a salary certificate of OMR1,000 and a bank guarantee of OMR1,100 before recruiting a housemaid. These changes have made the recruitment of Indian women as housemaids in Oman difficult for employers. According to the Indian government norms, any women below 30 years old cannot migrate as a housemaid or unskilled worker to a foreign country from India. Monica is 29. >A6
CHECK THE VIDEO ONLINE @TIMESTV
Photography exhibition honours Omani women
A4
UNVEILING CEREMONY
Big crowd awaited eagerly for iPhone7, iPhone7 Plus launch DEEBA HASAN deeba@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: From celebratory events to queues of people waiting to grab their handsets at midnight, the iPhone7 and iPhone7 Plus received a massive welcome as they were officially unveiled when the clock struck the midnight hour on October 14. Omantel and Ooredoo, two of the country’s biggest telecom companies held the launch for the iPhone7 and iPhone7 plus at their stores in the Muscat Grand Mall (MGM), amid cheers and excitement from customers and other attendees. An official from Omantel had
earlier told the Times of Oman newspaper that their store in MGM was only kept open for this official launch and that they were amazed with the large number of pre-orders they received.
A spokesperson from the MI store, Apple’s official reseller in Oman said they had opened all their four stores in Oman by midnight, just to celebrate the launch. “We received a wonderful response and it was a very successful launch; this year more than 200 people waited outside each of the four stores and once we opened, they all walked in to get their handsets.” The store also distributed chocolates and gifts among the customers to celebrate the launch. To celebrate the launch of the iPhone7 and iPhone7 Plus, Omantel has unveiled an exciting promotion under its Baqati post paid plans. >A6
MUSCAT: Commuting will become easier as the Batinah Expressway is expected to be completed by the end of next year. Dr. Ahmed Al Futaisi, Minister of Transport and Communication, along with the undersecretary of transport, inspected the road project’s progress in Barka on Thursday morning and concluded that the project should be completed by the end of next year. “We believe the project is go-
ing well and on schedule with some minor challenges being faced. The section from Barka to Al Hazm will be open by the end of the year,” said Al Futaisi about the 45-kilometre (km) road. “We also expect that by the end of the year, the sixth package for the road project in Shinas will be completed. So by the end of this year we will have two packages ready for use. By the end of next year we expect that all the sectors will be complete and the road will be completely open for use,” he added. >A6
TOP THREE INSIDE STORIES
OMAN
Will 2017 budget cushion the economy?
1
Oman has had a tough financial year in 2016, due to spending cuts and major projects being shelved, but the real challenge the government faces is to formulate next’s year budget. >A2
INDIA
MARKET
24 pilgrims killed in Varanasi stampede
Power tariff hike to hit industries
2
An increase in electricity tariff of large industrial and commercial users is expected to push up the operating cost of companies in Oman, leading to less competitive advantage for the local firms in both domestic and overseas markets, said industry sources. >B1
At least 24 people died in a stampede in the ancient city of Varanasi, officials said. Panic spread as hundreds of Hindu pilgrims tried to cross a bridge to a sacred site in one of the world’s oldest inhabited cities, at the heart of the constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. >A8
3