Tens of thousands of people were on the uppermost ramp, which is about the width of a five-lane highway. A few pilgrims fell, causing panic and chaotic stampede all around. In a matter of 27 minutes, 251 precious lives had been lost.
A solemn event that was to be a source of bliss and merriment to the Ummah had suddenly turned into a profound tragedy. The uneasiness of the pilgrims who went through the excruciating ordeal and the anxiety of their dear ones around the globe are not difficult to imagine. Both suffered immeasurably.
Yet, it was not the first time that mismanagement on the part of the organizers had marred the observance of Hajj. For the fifth time in eight years the event had been overshadowed by loss of precious lives. Last year, 14 people were killed. In 2001, 35 pilgrims lost their lives. In 1998, 118 pilgrims were trampled. Some 340 were killed in a fire in the tent city of Mina in 1997. And more than 1,400 pilgrims died in a stampede in 1990. Should Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, become synonymous with tragedy? Should the fulfillment of a cherished religious dream occasion death and despondency? Should the mismanagement of the grand Islamic event be casually dismissed as the ‘Will of Allah’? Surely, human failings cannot be attributed to Him who is the most Merciful and the most Benevolent.
A few candid observations on the tragedy seem to make this incisive point: “It is high time the Saudi authorities are held accountable for the lack of safety and subsequent deaths during every Hajj season over the last decade. Watching the Hajj Minister speak cold-bloodedly and without remorse about the recent deaths on television is frankly disgusting.” - Ashraf Helmi, London, UK
Another comment from New York: “As long as Saudi officials make statements that the pilgrims’ deaths were fate, I really can’t see how the Hajj can be made safer. If the host nation won’t take the logistical responsibility for millions of pilgrims, who will?”
Interestingly, barely a few weeks before the tragic stampede, Saudi authorities had promised better Hajj management this year. Seven government departments worked out “an integrated crowd control strategy for the ritual stoning at Jamrat during the peak days of Hajj …. Dr Mohammad Idrees, a senior official of the King Fahd Haj Research Institute, said the plan divides responsibilities among the seven departments. ‘Adequate measures have been taken to ensure better crowd management on the Jamrat Bridge,’ Al-Nadwa Arabic daily quoted Idrees as saying. The plan includes dispatching the pilgrims in groups to Jamra for the ritual ….
“The Hajj Research Institute, an affiliate of Umm Al-Qura University, has been conducting several studies on crowd management at Jamrat and has made a number of proposals to ensure the smooth flow of pilgrims in the area. In addition to the Hajj Ministry and the Institute, the Health Ministry, the Departments of Public Security and Civil Defense, the Saudi Red Crescent Society and Makkah Municipality will take part in the plan…” claimed a press report.
The February 1 stampede confirmed that a great deal more was needed to be done by the seven Saudi departments to avert the tragedy.
Besides the stampede, pilgrims also complained of mismanagement of sorts on the part of the concerned Hajj authorities. The sanitary arrangements, for instance, were far from satisfactory, especially at Mina and Muzalfa, where the pilgrims have to be pak - impeccably clean. Private transporters were invariably found rude and charged the passengers at will. Commuting between Makkah and Madinah, Makkah and Mina/Arafat became a tortuous ordeal. The quality of food and hotel facilities were hardly up to the mark. Little concern was shown by those responsible for collecting passports of Hajis performing Hajj in groups. The same was true for picking/dropping the groups at the airport. As for the ‘attractive packages’ offered by travel agencies prior to the Hajj, the less said, the better. The high-sounding promises never come true.
One does not doubt the intentions of the Saudi government in taking well-meaning initiatives for better Hajj management. The latest post-stampede $ 533-million redevelopment plan of the site where pilgrims flock to cast stones is a welcome one. The Council of Senior Ulemas, the Kingdom’s top religious authority, has endorsed the renovation plan saying it was “necessary to modernize the stoning site to ensure the safety of pilgrims.” Drawn up by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Institute for Hajj Research and the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs, the plan would make it easier for pilgrims to perform religious rituals. It will also enable the holy sites to cope with a larger number of pilgrims who flock to the shrines both during the Hajj and while performing Umra. Hajj figures are expected to touch an astronomical three million in five years and 3.5 million in 10 years.
True, nothing in the West compares with these figures and they hardly provide a frame of reference. Yet the plan’s efficacy would depend in a large measure on how stringently it is implemented. During the February 1 stampede, 10,000 policemen were on site while helicopters hovered overhead. Says Muhammad Yahya (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia): “ I completed Hajj this year. The incident happened just one hour before my arrival for rammy. I think this happened due to lack of security forces on the first day. The other three days were managed quite well by the Saudi government…” Good intentions alone do not produce good results. - afaruqui@pakistanlink.com
