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At Least 244 Killed in Haj Pilgrimage Stampede
Ahhh... Tradition!
Reuters
At least 244 Muslim pilgrims were crushed to death and the same number injured in a human tide during a devil-stoning ritual at the climax of the annual haj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia Sunday. "There were 244 pilgrims who died in the incident in Jamarat and 244 who were injured," Pilgrimage Affairs and Endowments Minister Iyad bin Amin Madani told reporters without giving a breakdown of nationalities. The disaster happened as two million pilgrims, wrapped in white robes, flocked to Jamarat Bridge in Mena to throw stones at pillars representing the devil on the Muslim Eid al-Adha feast of sacrifice. "Some pilgrims were not organized and there was a crush this morning by people carrying personal belongings which caused obstacles (to movement)," the minister said.
| They say that if you keep repeating the same acts over and over, expecting a different result each time, it's a sign you're nuts. This happens every year. Either they're nuts, or the "sacrifice" is human sacrifice... |
He added that another 272 pilgrims had died of natural causes during the haj, which all able-bodied Muslims must perform once in a lifetime if they can afford it.
| Guess they weren't that able-bodied... |
Madani said the movement of pilgrims to Jamarat Bridge had been smoothly controlled between midnight Saturday to 8:30 am Sunday before the start of the crush.
| At which point it stopped being controlled... |
"I assure you that all the preparations are always made, but we donât always know Godâs intentions. What happened will be evaluated," he said.
| "Just like we did last year. And the year before. And the year before that..." |
The haj has seen deadly stampedes almost every year. In 1990, 1,426 pilgrims were crushed to death in a pedestrian tunnel at the holy city of Mecca. Last year 14 people were trampled to death. In 2001, 35 people died in a stampede at the bridge and 119 were killed in a similar incident in 1998. Pilgrims descended on the main pillar from all directions on Sunday, shouting "God is greatest!." Onlookers chanted "Harder! Harder!" as the faithful stoned the devil.
| And trampled all over each other... |
Muslims believe the pillar marks the spot where the devil appeared to biblical patriarch Abraham.
The cynic or maybe its the pragmatist in me says canât we persuade them that they have to have this ceremony every week.
Posted by: phil_b 2004-02-01 |
