Indonesia criticises Saudi Arabia for Haj disaster response

The meeting discussed threadbare various issues pertaining to arrival of Haj Flights, reception, arrival timings, transfer of luggage and Zam Zam, deployment of volunteers, vehicle passes to attendants and transportation arrangements for pilgrims of Jammu and Ladakh.

Nigeria rejected Saudi claims that pilgrims were at fault. Hundreds of emergency workers were deployed and pilgrims rerouted, it said. The government-supported Haj Committee of India, which sends the most pilgrims each year, said it was making arrangements for the victims’ next-of-kin to travel to Saudi Arabia to offer final prayers.

Shehu said the president was very concerned that days after the unfortunate incident, a few Nigerian families were still grappling with painful uncertainty over the fate of their relatives who travelled to Saudi Arabia for this year’s Hajj.

He said: “We are shocked and completely at a loss by the extent of the losses this year”.

It also emerged yesterday that the Niger State Accountant-General, Alhaji Shehu Kontagora, was said to have been among those who died in the stampede.

Haj is one of the five pillars of Islam that should be performed at least once in lifetime by every Muslim who is financially and physically capable.

Wabba said: “In order for transparency and re-assurance, we urge that countries whose citizens perished in the two incidents be made members of the body of inquiry”.

It’s possible to stop a group that has gotten out of control, but Mayer says it takes a force even more powerful than the energy created by the crowd mentality.

Al-Nimr’s uncle is the revered Saudi Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr, a vocal government critic who also has been sentenced to death, for leading protests in the kingdom in 2011. His remarks after the tragedy followed those of other Iranian officials who criticised the kingdom for failing to safeguard pilgrims.

Interior Ministry spokesman Maj. Saeed Ohadi, the head of the organization, has said the number of the Iranian victims is expected to rise. The wheelchair had saved her from being pushed over, he said.

The stampede occurred while nearly 2 million pilgrims from all over the world were simultaneously performing the “stoning of the devil” ritual in Mina near Mecca.

A further 60 Iranians were injured.