Sen.Blutarsky 0 #1 January 12, 2006 With all the Saudis’ affluence wouldn’t it make sense to install an airport-like baggage storage system at the gates to prevent this recurring issue? Hajj Stampede Kills Hundreds MINA, Saudi Arabia (CNN) -- At least 345 people have been killed in a stampede during a symbolic stoning ritual at the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, according to the country's health ministry. Health Minister Hamad al-Maneh told Saudi TV that 289 others were were injured in the stampede near Mecca and taken to hospital. Many of those injured were not seriously hurt and have been released from the hospital, al-Maneh said. The number of injured does not include those treated on the scene, he said. Video of the scene showed dozens of bodies lying on the ground, covered with sheets and blankets. (Watch the stream of ambulances and medics among the dead -- 3:32) A U.S.-based religious scholar, who arrived shortly after the stampede, said it was a heartbreaking scene. "Looking at the amount of ambulances brings tears to your eyes," he said. "I heard screaming and I looked around and saw people jumping over each other. Police came and cordoned off the area. They starting pulling out bodies. The bodies were piled up. I couldn't count them, they were too many," Suad Abu Hamada, an Egyptian pilgrim, told The Associated Press. Ahmed Mustafa, an Egyptian pilgrim, said he saw bodies taken away in refrigerator trucks. "There must be dozens of people dead," he told AP. The stampede, like others in the past, occurred during the stone-throwing ritual in which the pilgrims stone a symbolic devil. It took place at a wide bridge over the desert plain of Mina. Saudi authorities had replaced the pillar, which had represented the devil in the past, with an oval wall with padding around the edges to protect the crush of pilgrims. Saudi officials had also installed cameras and dispatched about 60,000 security personnel to monitor the crowds. The interior ministry said Thursday's trampling occurred when the pilgrims bottlenecked at the eastern edge of the bridge leading to the oval wall. Many pilgrims brought their luggage, which caused further crowding. About 3 million Muslims are believed to have made the pilgrimage to Mecca, the birthplace of the Prophet Mohammad. The Hajj has been connected with deadly incidents in the past, most of them stampedes that take place during the ceremonies. However, at least 76 people -- mostly pilgrims -- were killed last week when a hotel collapsed near the Grand Mosque in central Mecca. It is still unclear what caused the small building to crumble onto the streets packed with pilgrims. (Watch rescuers dig through the rubble -- 2:27) The worst stampede happened in 1990, when 1,426 pilgrims were trampled to death. More recently, 251 pilgrims died two years ago in a stampede during the stone-throwing ritual. A stampede in 2003 killed 36 pilgrims, most of them en route to the devil-stoning ritual, conducted outside Mecca. In 2001, a stampede at the same ritual killed 35. Every able-bodied Muslim who can afford the trip is obliged to perform the Hajj to Mecca once in a lifetime. Making Hajj is one of the five pillars of the Islamic faith. Mecca is revered as the holiest site of Islam, and the Masjid al-Haram, or Grand Mosque, is the focal point of the rites observed. The six-day pilgrimage ends with a four-day feast called the Eid al-Adha. CNN Producer Schams El-Wazer contributed to this report. Copyright 2006 CNN. Associated Press contributed to this report. Source: http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/01/12/hajj.stampede/index.html Blutarsky 2008. No Prisoners! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
j0nes 0 #2 January 12, 2006 it sounds like the baggage was a minor issue. people die there EVERY year... why is it so hard to wait your turn to throw a rock at a wall? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
juanesky 0 #3 January 12, 2006 Maybe the "modernity" portion of this thread should be linked to the poll " Are women competent?" Since most of us know women are not allowed unless their husband's permission. Maybe is time for me to order a sammich...."According to some of the conservatives here, it sounds like it's fine to beat your wide - as long as she had it coming." -Billvon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
j0nes 0 #4 January 12, 2006 Quote Since most of us know women are not allowed unless their husband's permission. what? seriously... what? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
juanesky 0 #5 January 12, 2006 Do a little search, and you won't be surprised to find that women's rights are not that many under the disguise of religion, particularly in the Hajj pilgrimage."According to some of the conservatives here, it sounds like it's fine to beat your wide - as long as she had it coming." -Billvon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
j0nes 0 #6 January 12, 2006 QuoteDo a little search, and you won't be surprised to find that women's rights are not that many under the disguise of religion, particularly in the Hajj pilgrimage. you're right, I'm not surprised. it's just that your first post failed to convey a complete thought. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
juanesky 0 #7 January 12, 2006 Now that you agree, go and get me a sammi? Edit to fix typo."According to some of the conservatives here, it sounds like it's fine to beat your wide - as long as she had it coming." -Billvon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EricTheRed 0 #8 January 14, 2006 Why throw rocks at a rock in the first place?illegible usually Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peacefuljeffrey 0 #9 January 14, 2006 Quoteit sounds like the baggage was a minor issue. people die there EVERY year... why is it so hard to wait your turn to throw a rock at a wall? Exactly. I was gonna say, I hardly think that bringing a few bags is the principal issue, here. I would think it's an issue of far too many people, feeling far too urgent a need to engage in a superstitious ritual. If we could move beyond the need to believe this stuff, there wouldn't be a few hundred dead each year. How do the people in that culture come to grips with accepting this kind of thing every damned year? --Jeffrey "With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy9o8 0 #10 January 14, 2006 QuoteWhy throw rocks at a rock in the first place? Why stick a pine tree in your living room in the first place? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ExAFO 0 #11 January 18, 2006 Darwin strikes again...Illinois needs a CCW Law. NOW. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andrelr 0 #12 January 30, 2006 A logistics problem: how to get 1.5 million people through set walking routes during the course of a week? A large percentage of the Hajj pilgrims are not formally educated and have not been subject to any kind of queueing disciplines. Add all this to the standard non-disciplned and inefficient Saudi organisational infrastructure... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SpeedRacer 1 #13 January 31, 2006 Here's what I'm wondering: Every New Years EVe there are over 1 MILLION people packed into Times Square. Add to that all the drinking going on (unlike the Hajj). Yet you never hear about people dying or getting trampled or crushed etc etc. hmmmm.... Speed Racer -------------------------------------------------- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
crotalus01 0 #14 January 31, 2006 because in Times Square they are not all trying to squeeze into one or two openings at the same time. if that were the case you would see the same kind of results. i seem to recall reading several reports of people getting crushed to death at Who and Rolling Stones concerts.... As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
