Families of the four Chinese Muslim pilgrims who
were killed in a haj stampede in Saudi Arabia which claimed 362
lives last week will each receive 50,000 yuan (US$6,200) from the
Chinese Islamic Association.
About 20,000 Muslims gathered in Xining, capital of northwest
China's Qinghai Province, on Friday to pray for the deceased and
their families after religious leaders announced their
identities.
Pilgrims were killed as they jostled to perform a stoning ritual
at the Jamarat Bridge on Thursday, the last day of this year's haj.
An estimated 2 million Muslims participated in this year's
pilgrimage.
In 2004, about 250 pilgrims were crushed to death at Jamarat
Bridge. A decade earlier, 270 were killed in a similar
stampede.
Grieving family members remained calm yesterday. "Families
regard such deaths as predestined," Ma Yicai, director of the
provincial religious council, said.
He said the municipal government had offered their condolences
to the victims' families. However, the request of family members to
be flown to Saudi Arabia has not yet been fulfilled because there
are currently no available flights.?
In Saudi Arabia, a Chinese working group is still dealing with
matters on the ground, and the Saudi government has made
arrangements for the bodies to be repatriated.
"Saudi Arabia have set procedures, but it might take longer to
deal with because of the sheer number of fatalities," Ma said.
Some spouses and children had traveled with the victims and they
are being cared for, he added.
The late Chinese pilgrims were expected to come back as early as
on January 21.
China has about 18 million Muslims. According to religious
customs, it is a once-in-a-lifetime duty for every able-bodied
Muslim to go on the pilgrimage.
In recent years, the number of Chinese pilgrims taking part in
the haj?rose because the journey has become more
convenient.
Since last year, pilgrims have been able to take chartered
planes from Lanzhou, capital of northwest China's Gansu Province,
to Saudi Arabia.
Others take off from Beijing, Kunming and Urumqi.
The Chinese Islamic Association organizes the pilgrimage for
Chinese pilgrims every year. It charters planes, makes visa
applications, settles accommodation and even sends interpreters
with the group.
This year, 20 planes were chartered for about 7,000 Chinese
pilgrims, who each paid about 23,000 yuan (US$2,800) for the 40-day
trip.
(China Daily January 16, 2006)