Abdulaziz Al-Jarallah

Al-Jazirah

 

UNDOUBTEDLY people pushing and shoving in crowded places has a major role in causing deaths or increasing the number of casualties at any large gatherings.



Makkah has witnessed many incidents of stampedes during the stoning of Jamarat, Tawaf (circumambulation of the Holy Kaaba) and Saiy (hastening between the hillocks of Safa and Marwa) rituals. Its history is full of fatal accidents, due to stampedes, rain or fire.



However, in this year’s stampede the number of the dead has crossed the 700-mark. May Allah have mercy on their souls. The incident was different from previous ones.



Therefore, we must look into a number of issues. Many believed that after carrying out the Jamarat project at the holy site of Mina, deaths due to stampedes would be relegated to history.



This was before the appearance of a new problem — the streets surrounding the Jamarat Complex. These streets appeared due to camps that are about 20 meters wide.



They are actually passageways for serving the camps. They are not meant for the movement of pilgrims in big groups from Muzdalifah to Mina or the Grand Mosque in Makkah.



Many believed that stampedes would stop if we complete the expansion project of the Mataf and the Haram’s portico and external courtyards, the construction of new structures for the Haram in the King Abdullah Project, and the expansion of the Saiy area, which are all necessary and in turn will decrease the number of deaths.



But we then discovered that accidents take place far away from these projects. We believed that the Ministry of Haj had organized the camps and specified the sites for the Tawafa (Haj service) establishments.



It completed this task in the office and on the ground. It compelled the establishments to comply with the arrangements so as to control the movement of pilgrims.



The ministry was firm with the violators. However, it seems that controlling the movement of pilgrims was not achieved.



Arafat is a mountain surrounded by a plain. Muzdalifah is a plain surrounded by mountains and valleys. Mina is a valley surrounded by mountains.



Maintaining the geography of the place is important for safety, but changes have taken place in Mina. Now there are adjoined camps, buildings and narrow streets, while geographically it is a valley surrounded by highlands and plateaus.



A question arises: Why do the majority of accidents that involve pilgrims take place at the holy site of Mina? We do not hear about accidents occurring in Arafat or Muzdalifah.



The Supreme Haj Committee should intervene directly in organizing Tawafa establishments. The matter should not be left totally to the Ministry of Haj.



The significant efforts and mega projects carried out by the state to develop and expand the two holy mosques to serve pilgrims and improve the conditions during Haj may well be wasted and distorted by laxity in overseeing Tawafa establishments by the Ministry of Haj.



Neither our government nor our people are satisfied that such disastrous accidents that claim many lives occur, no matter what the circumstances or reasons are.



Every year we see a different calamity, even if they were due to intentional actions or behavioral or organizational errors.



It has been proved that we cannot bank on the awareness of pilgrims. The Ministry of Haj is more responsible than other authorities to come up with a comprehensive solution to the problem.