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In JEDDAH Saudi authorities are still
reviewing a deadly stampede which struck last year´s hajj pilgrimage, the
minister of hajj and umra said on last Tuesday.
It was a rare comment by a senior Saudi official about the tragedy.More than 2,000 pilgrims died in the stampede, the worst disaster to ever strike the annual ritual.
"We already studied that and we are continuing to study this and, God willing, we´ll have many preventive measures and procedures that...will not repeat what happened last year," Minister of Hajj and Umra Mohammed Bentin told AFP on the press conference in the Red Sea city of Jeddah.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, the interior minister who also chairs the hajj committee, ordered a probe immediately after the 24 September disaster but there has still been no word on its findings.
According to data from foreign officials, at least 2,297 pilgrims died. Saudi Arabia issued a death toll of 769.
It was a rare comment by a senior Saudi official about the tragedy.More than 2,000 pilgrims died in the stampede, the worst disaster to ever strike the annual ritual.
"We already studied that and we are continuing to study this and, God willing, we´ll have many preventive measures and procedures that...will not repeat what happened last year," Minister of Hajj and Umra Mohammed Bentin told AFP on the press conference in the Red Sea city of Jeddah.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, the interior minister who also chairs the hajj committee, ordered a probe immediately after the 24 September disaster but there has still been no word on its findings.
According to data from foreign officials, at least 2,297 pilgrims died. Saudi Arabia issued a death toll of 769.
The tragedy happened as pilgrims made their way in searing temperatures to the
Jamarat, the place where they ritually stone the devil in the Mina tent city in
western Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam.
The hajj and lesser umra pilgrimage bring millions of Muslims from around the
world to Saudi Arabia every year.
Bentin spoke to AFP after joining other cabinet ministers at a press conference to discuss the National Transformation Programme for bolstering the non-oil economy of kingdom´s
Bentin spoke to AFP after joining other cabinet ministers at a press conference to discuss the National Transformation Programme for bolstering the non-oil economy of kingdom´s
As part of that programme, Saudi Arabia wants to increase the number of umra
visitors to 15 million annually by 2020, up from six million.
Bentin said his ministry, like others, will have to meet targets to show how the National Transformation Programme is being implemented.
Bentin said his ministry, like others, will have to meet targets to show how the National Transformation Programme is being implemented.
This will help promote safety, he said, because under the National
Transformation Programme officials are "ready to evaluate each stage of
hajj, and each service, and whenever something goes wrong, God willing we´ll at least be able to
act before anything serious can happen."
Bentin said the ministry wants to use technology to better monitor service provided to pilgrims.
It is also working towards an "international standard of hospitality"
in partnership with the private sector, so the flow of pilgrims continues
throughout the year, not just during the traditional pilgrimage seasons.Bentin said the ministry wants to use technology to better monitor service provided to pilgrims.