State and pilgrims responsible for public safety
The Haj stampede near the holy city of Mecca on Thursday is a tragedy that has happened one too many times before. In 1990, more than 1,400 pilgrims were crushed to death inside the al-Muaissem tunnel that connects the temporary pilgrim settlement of Mina, with Jamarat where the ritual stoning of the devil takes place. In terms of casualties, it is still the worst ever Haj accident. Thursday's crush, which has claimed more than 700 lives and injured 800 others, comes next. In the 25 years that lie in between, there have been several smaller accidents and at least four other major stampedes in the Jamarat area: In 1994, 250 people were killed; in 1998, the death toll stood at 119; in 2004, it rose to 270; and in 2006, more than 360 pilgrims lost their lives, again on the Jamarat bridge, which is now considered to be one of the most dangerous segments of the pilgrimage. It is easy to lay all the blame for these accidents at the Saudi doorstep. After all, pilgrim protection and welfare is primarily the responsibility of the Saudi authorities. The official title of the Saudi king describes him as the keeper of the Holy Mosques, and the Kingdom, in general, takes much pride in hosting the pilgrimage, which attracts millions of Muslims every year. At the time of the tragedy this year, there were about two million pilgrims in the country, several thousands of whom had travelled from around the world. The logistics involved in managing crowds on this scale boggles the mind, although that can be no excuse for Saudi inability to provide top security. Reportedly, one of the factors that led to Thursday's stampede was the shutting down of an entry-exit point for a visiting dignitary. If true, then this points to a callous management.
But while Saudi officials must be held responsible for their failings, a note of caution must also be issued against indisciplined pilgrims who behave in a reckless manner and endanger the safety of tens of thousands of other people. This is as true for Hajis in Saudi Arabia as it is for Hindu devotees in this country or football fans in Europe. Public safety has to be the joint responsibility of officials and individuals alike. Unless the public takes responsibility for itself, no measure by the management will be good enough.
In fact, to be fair to the Saudi Government, it has learnt its lessons from past disasters and taken quite a few steps to make the Haj a safe pilgrimage. For example, until 2004, the devil in the stoning ritual was represented by three pillars. But because stones cast, often with much religious fervor, from one side of the pillars would often hit people on the other side, the Government removed the pillars and built a wall instead. It also constructed multi-layered walkways and sought to regulate the size of the stones. Similarly, after the devastating tent fire of 1997 in Mina, the Government put up fire-proof, air-conditioned tents. Over the years, it has incorporated hi-tech crowd control systems and spent millions of dollars on improving Haj infrastructure. And while there’ll always be scope for more, the fact is that the Haj safety record has improved remarkably, especially if one considers the fatalities — tragic as each death is — as a percentage of the total number of pilgrims who make the arduous journey every year.