Hajj death toll rises to 2000

FROM ISMAIL OMIPIDAN

Death toll from Thursday’s stampede during the major rites of this year’s hajj exer­cise, has risen from over 700 to about 2000. Pakistan, so far, has the highest death toll of 236, and it is followed closely by Iran, with 131.

But while about eight other countries have also identified and ascertained the number of their pilgrims that may have been claimed by the stampede, the Ni­gerian officials as at press time are still unable to say in clear terms how many Nigerians have died.

The figure was corroborated by the Iran’s Hajj and pilgrimage organization. It was also reported on Press TV. But the Saudi Arabia authority is yet to issue an official statement concerning the rise in death toll.

Chairman of the National Hajj Com­mission, Abdullahi Mukhtar, yesterday told journalists that the commission was still carrying out a head count and that it was after the exercise that it would be able to know exactly how many Nigeri­ans were involved.

However, the commission called on the Saudi authority to involve Nigeria and other countries whose nationals were involved in the stampede in the probe panel set up by it.

But from close relations and associ­ates, Saturday Sun can confirm the death of six Nigerian pilgrims so far. About 70,000 Nigerians are taking part in this year’s hajj.

Other figures as gathered by Saturday Sun are Iran 131, Morroco 87, India 14, Egypt, 8, Turkey 4, Algeria 3, Indonesia 3, and Netherlands 1.

Meanwhile, the Media Awareness Initiative for Hajj (MAI HAJJ ), has ex­pressed deep shock over the stampede, which occurred on one of the routes lead­ing to the Jamarat in Muna.

Similarly, it also called on the Saudi authority to apologize to Nigeria and other countries over what it described as an avoidable tragedy.

In a statement signed by the group’s spokesman, Kabiru Yusuf, a copy of which was available to Saturday Sun, in Saudi Arabia yesterday, the group while condoling with the entire Muslim um­mah over the tragic incidence, the “sec­ond in less than a fortnight,” also called on the world Muslim Council to take another look at the handling of affairs of the two Holy Mosques in Makkah and Madina.

According to the association, it “would help to check the manner in which Muslim countries are being treated and segregated against by Saudi nationals especially at the point of entry into the two Holy mosques and at the Holy Sites in Muna,Arafat and so on.

“ The Jamarat Route incident though already destined to happen was avoid­able if only the designated routes were not blocked to human traffic by the Traf­fic controllers in spite of the Turaddudiya concept introduced to manage traffic and movement of pilgrims from Makkah to the Mashair ,(Muna ,Arafah through Muzdalifa and the Jamarat ).

“MAI – HAJJ believes that should the World Muslim Council takes over con­trol of the Holy Sites, Saudi Arabia could collect their normal royalties for accom­modation, transportation and the likes.

“This development will eliminate the descrimination of classifying Muslims in the Categories of Arabs, Non Arab African countries or even Europeans as Allah Subhanahu Taala did not descrimi­nate between His Servants in His Glorius Quran.

“Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi was Salam has also not descriminate amongst his Disciples whose Nationali­ties cuts across diverse Cultures.

“The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and that of Interior incharge of Security should apologise to the Muslim world especially those Countries whose nationals died in the Thursday morning stampede”

“The Office of Mudawwiffs, the Agencies responsible for the provision of Services should also engage People who are multi Lingual and humane such that the manner and type of people doing the work will not only smile at people dur­ing negotiations and speak in the corte­ous language when signing contracts be­cause they need your money and become deaf or dumb during operations. “It is our hope that one day we will see a World Muslim Council taking absolute control of the Holy Sites in Makkah and Madina which are Cities under the ban­ner of Islam, just as the Vatican is to the Christiandom, “the group, added.