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Hundreds of pilgrims risk missing hajj over the lack of planes to fly them to Saudi Arabia. |
NOUAKCHOTT — Hundreds of Mauritanian pilgrims might miss their long-cherished dream of hajj over the lack of planes to fly them to Saudi Arabia for the spiritual journey.
"We paid every penny we had for hajj but we ended up here," Sheikh Said Abdullah told IslamOnline.net.
He was one of hundreds of pilgrims assembled at the Abu Al-Abbas mosque in the capital Nouakchott to demand a solution.
The first batch of Mauritanian pilgrims was set to leave for Saudi Arabia on December 12.
But when the time came, the pilgrims found no planes to fly them for the long-awaited hajj journey.
"Officials keep telling us lies just to calm down frustrated pilgrims but without seeking a solution to the crisis," Abdullah charged.
Many of the camped pilgrims have already fallen prey to diseases.
"The freezing cold here has caused pilgrims to suffer many health problems," said Abdullah.
One of the five pillars of Islam, hajj consists of several ceremonies, which are meant to symbolize the essential concepts of the Islamic faith, and to commemorate the trials of Prophet Abraham and his family.
Every able-bodied adult Muslim -- who can financially afford the trip -- must perform hajj once in their lifetime.
Official Indifference
The pilgrims regretted the official indifference to their suffering.
Hundreds of them staged a protest in front of the government headquarters to demand a solution.
They have also blocked the road for the convoy of President Col. Ely Ould Mohamed Vall to make their voices heard but were attacked by police forces.
"I have been hurt in the eye by gas canister fired by the security forces during our protest," said an angry pilgrim, accusing the security forces of attacking pilgrims at the mosque where they are camping.
"This was the authorities' response to our demands," he lamented.
There has been no official response to the hajj crisis.
The pilgrims accused the Mauritanian Airways and the Islamic Affairs Ministry of sparking the crisis.
An official source at Mauritanian Airways blamed the crisis on contracting procedures with a private company run by a Saudi businessman.
But the angry pilgrims rebuffed the claim, accusing the flag carrier, which been facing a crushing financial crisis, of "stealing" their money.
Mauritanian pilgrims have paid nearly 3.8 million US dollars for the hajj journey.
"I want my money back," said Abdullah.
Last year, nearly 2,000 Mauritanian pilgrims risked missing hajj over a last-minute dispute between the Mauritanian Airways andthe Royal Jordanian Airlines, which used to fly Mauritanian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia every year.
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