Two Million Converge on Makkah for Pilgrimage
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SUBSCRIPTION SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2016 THULHIJJA 8, 1437 AH NO: 16989 Hajj in realtime US, Russia Serena loses as the spiritual tussle in US Open goes virtual5 over Syria7 semis48 again Two million converge on Makkah for pilgrimage Min 23º 150 Fils Iranians protest exclusion from Hajj Max 43º HOLY MAKKAH: Close to two million pilgrims have converged on western Saudi Arabia for the annual Hajj where new measures aim to prevent a recurrence of last year’s stampede which killed around 2,300. The stampede legacy has contributed to renewed tensions between Saudi Arabia and its regional rival Iran, which is not sending pilgrims for the first time in nearly three decades. While the main rites of the six-day event begin today, pilgrims have already been swirling around the holy Kaaba at the Grand Mosque in holy Makkah, a procession that continues day and night. It is one of the first rites of the pilgrimage, which is among the largest religious gatherings in the world. The Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam, which capable Muslims must perform at least once, marking the spiritual peak of their lives. Rich and poor alike come dressed in the same white garments. “We don’t come here with fear in our hearts,” said Naouri Abdelkarim, 50, of Casablanca, Morocco. Death can come at any time, pilgrims say, and for Lawan Nasir, 45, that meant there was no reason to avoid the hajj even though he lost a cousin in last year’s stampede. “The pains have not dulled a bit,” but it would be “silly” to stay away, the Nigerian said. In one of several safety measures implement- ed after the stampede, access to the Kaaba is suspended during prayers, and the walk around it is stopped to avoid overcrowding. The Kaaba is a black cubic structure that Muslims across the globe face while they pray. Security has also been reinforced around Islam’s holiest site, where officers in red berets and camouflage uniforms man green plastic barricades to control the crowd. During the main weekly Friday prayers, the white-clad throng made the area around the Kaaba resemble a snow-dusted field from HOLY MAKKAH: A general view of pilgrims from all around the world circling around the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque in the above. Worshippers overflowed into surrounding streets shut to allow holy city of Makkah. — AFP access for hundreds of thousands of people as a helicopter monitored the scene. Pilgrims have also been told to follow the rules. “They said not to stray from our group, not to linger when buses arrive and US House allows 9/11 depart, and to properly respect the designated routes,” said Rasha Expat girl beats her Mohammed, 36, of Alexandria, Egypt. With temperatures of 43 Celsius families to sue Saudi (109 Fahrenheit) as they marched, some pilgrims seemed faint. They mother to death carried water and tried to help each other under the unyielding sun. WASHINGTON: The US House of Representatives passed legis- lation by voice vote yesterday that would allow the families of By Hanan Al-Saadoun ‘Absence of transparency’ victims of the Sept 11, 2001, attacks to sue Saudi Arabia’s gov- The kingdom has begun issuing pilgrims with identification ernment for damages, despite the White House’s threat to KUWAIT: In a bizarre incident highlighting filial ingrati- bracelets, after some foreign officials expressed concern about diffi- veto the measure. tude towards parents, a Lebanese girl beat her 60-year- culties in identifying the stampede dead. Each bracelet carries a bar The US Senate passed the “Justice Against Sponsors of old mother to death, security sources said. The girl was code readable by smartphone. It holds data including the pilgrim’s Terrorism Act,” or JASTA, unanimously in May. Opponents of arrested. According to case papers, the Lebanese girl liv- identity, nationality, and place of lodging in Makkah, the vice secre- the bill said it could strain relations with Saudi Arabia and lead ing in an annex in Kaifan with her elderly mother called tary of the ministry of hajj and umrah, Issa Rawas, said. to retaliatory laws targeting US citizens or corporations in oth- the police reporting that her aging mother died of natural “The aim is to equip all pilgrims” from abroad, who are expected er countries. causes. However, crime scene investigation (CSI) revealed to number more than 1.4 million, he said. Local media say close to The vote’s timing was symbolic, passing two days before that the mother’s corpse had some marks of injuries indi- 300,000 faithful from inside Saudi Arabia were also expected. the 15th anniversary of the hijacked-plane attacks on New cating that she had been severely assaulted and that she Zakou Bakar, 50, a pilgrim from Niger, said the bracelet was reas- York and Washington. Its passage was greeted with cheers had been fighting for her life before passing out. suring. “If I die or if there are problems-of course we hope not-but if it and applause in the House chamber. The White House yes- While cross examining the woman’s acquaintances, does happen I know I will be identified,” he said. Despite the Saudi terday reiterated that President Barack Obama would veto the girl fainted and later confessed to committing the steps, the head of Iran’s Hajj Organisation, Said Ohadi, yesterday the bill. crime. She reportedly hit and kicked her mother for more asked how the kingdom could invite the world’s Muslims and not If Obama carries out his veto threat and the required two- than ten minutes until she succumbed to her wounds. allow questions to be raised about the security measures. Absent thirds of both the Republican-majority House and Senate still The alleged killer justified her action by claiming that her from this year’s Hajj are tens of thousands of Iranians after talks support the bill, it would be the first time since Obama’s presi- mother was ungrateful to her late father and she always between Tehran and Riyadh on logistics and security fell apart in May. dency began in 2009 that Congress had overridden a veto. refused to visit his grave in Kuwait. Thousands in Tehran yesterday protested their country’s absence The House passed the measure by voice, without recorded In a similar incident, a citizen was arrested for beating from the pilgrimage. Iran said 464 nationals died in last year’s crush, the individual votes, which is not technically considered unani- up his own daughter in her twenties to death. The father largest number of deaths reported by any country. Jane Kinninmont, mous. That could make it easier for Obama’s fellow reportedly assaulted the daughter to death over her deputy head of the Middle East and North Africa program at Chatham Democrats to uphold his veto later without officially changing alleged disobedience. House, a London think tank, said the stampede exposed “clearly some their positions. — Reuters big organisational failings, to say the least”. — Agencies LOCAL SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2016 Photo of the day KUWAIT: Photo shows a heron hunting for food. Herons are long-legged freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae, with 64 recognized species, some of which are referred to as ‘egrets’ or ‘bitterns’ rather than herons. The Heron finds shelter at Kuwait Bay. — KUNA Arab FMs lauds Kuwait Arab ministers agree to establish a common FMs condemn Iranian hostile remarks against Arabs market for electricity CAIRO: The Arab Foreign Ministers have approved in their CAIRO: Arab foreign ministers have of the Palestinians. end to using force or threat. The minis- 146th session a MoU for establishing an Arab common mar- commended Kuwait’s plans to host Meanwhile, the foreign ministers ters also considered Iran’s meddling into ket for electricity, a senior Arab League official said yesterday. international conferences on suffering urged Arab countries and organizations Arab internal affairs a violation to inter- The approval is based on a desire of the Arab countries to of rights of Palestinian children (due to actively participate in Kuwait-hosted national law and countries’ sovereignty. make more progress in electricity trading among the Arab next October) and education in Somalia. conference on education in Somalia. Meanwhile, on a different topic, the power link groups, the League’s Assistant Secretary-General The foreign ministers praised OIC’s deci- They welcomed the Somali national rec- Arab ministers renewed their condem- for Economic Affairs Dr Mohammed Bin Ibrahim Al-Tuwaijri sion to open an office in Ramallah, and onciliation process and efforts of nation to all type of terrorist action, added in a press statement. urged the UNSC to condemn anew rebuilding the state institutions, con- form, and practices regardless of the These groups are the Arab Maghreb (Tunisia, Algeria and Israel’s settlement policy in the occu- demned all criminal and terrorist acts perpetrators or motives. The ministers Morocco), Eight Country Interconnection Project (Egypt, Iraq, pied Palestinian lands and called for against the Somali people and AU mis- also refused to connect terrorism with Jordan, Libya, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria and Turkey) and the forcing the occupying authority to end sion. The ministers, on the other hand, any religion, nationality, or any civiliza- Interconnection Project and the Gulf Cooperation Council the illegal and systematic settlement expressed solidarity with the govern- tion, and the need to work to combat (GCC) Power Grid Interconnection Project. The proposed mar- expansion. They welcomed all interna- ment of Sudan and rejected interference terrorism. ket aims to obtain the utmost results of power supply on the tional efforts to end Israeli occupation to in its affairs as well as US sanctions.