Tragedy in Mecca
A stampede kills hundreds as pilgrims flock together for their annual Hajj.
October 2015
Kendra Tse '19
As we approach a season of holidays, a time when many reflect upon family religiousness and new beginnings, it is sobering to learn of such tragic news in a world where tragic news seems to hit the Middle East with more than their fair share.
The pictures that have surfaced online are deeply saddening. Bodies clothed in white lay in large heaps in the streets of Mina; the death toll has reached 769, with over 900 injured after the catastrophic stampede in Mecca. The stampede occurred during the Hajj, an annual pilgrimage to Islam’s holy city. Every year, millions of Muslims partake in the pilgrimage. It is a journey that breaks down sectional boundaries and brings together Muslims from every corner of the world. It is expected that all Muslims who are able to make the spiritual journey do so to fulfill the fifth and final pillar of Islam. Pilgrims are supposed to make the trip during Dhu al-Hijja, the last month on the Islamic calendar, therefore during this time, an estimated 2 million people flock to the Holy city.
Obviously, this incredible influx of people can cause a lot of logistical problems in the Mecca. The stampede occurred on Eid al-Adha (the feast of the sacrifice), an extremely widely celebrated holiday in Islam. On Eid al-Adha, many pilgrims are in Mina, an area just outside of Mecca, where pilgrims perform one of the most important Hajj rites in which they ceremoniously throw stones at three pillars to commemorate Abraham's sacrifice.
The actual trigger of the stampede is still unclear. The calamity unfolded when two large groups converged as one attempted to exit the area and another to enter on a smaller street. Survivors of the tragedy paint a disturbing picture of the disaster, “People were climbing over each other just to breathe,” said Abdullah Lofy, an Egyptian pilgrim.
Many people have laid blame in the hands of the Saudi government. Some people insist this kind of catastrophe could not have happened without misplanning on the Saudi’s part. There are claims that one of the exits out of Jamarat ( the pillars where the stoning ritual occurs) was closed causing confusion.
The Saudi government is especially prone to criticism after this devastating event because it is not the first disaster to happen during the Hajj. On September 11th earlier this year, a crane collapsed through the roof of the Grand Mosque in Mecca. This event killed at least 111 people and left 394 injured. In 1990, another stampede occurred during the Hajj in a tunnel linking Mecca to Mina. It resulted in 1,426 deaths.
On the other hand, Saudi Arabia has been quick to blame the pilgrims. Khalid al-Falih, the Saudi health minister said the stampede was caused by “some pilgrims who didn’t follow the guidelines and instructions issued by the responsible authorities."
Despite the evident dangers, millions of pilgrims from around the world take part in in the Hajj every year. Their determination and devotion is inspiring.