>From: Jabou Joh <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list <[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: The Plight of the Hajj 2003 Pilgrims >Date: Mon, 3 Mar 2003 21:47:18 EST > >This is really amazing and heartbreaking to say the least. >Just imagine pilgrims departures delayed till they almost missed the Hajj, >and now they are stranded in Macca. >I remeber asking a question why pilgrims are forced to go with this >arrangement as the only way to do the Hajj, and Habib, you said the Saudi >government wanted Governments to get involved in theselection of tavel >agencies who provide this service or something to that effect. >My guess is that the Saudi government only made the request to ensure that >those travel agencies who provide service for pilgrims are competent ones who >will ensure that the pilgrims have a comfortable and efficiently planned trip >and that this sort of thing does not happen. It was not intended to provide >the government an excuse to monopolize this as well or to illegally award the >contract to themselves. The criterion for selecting the service providers was >definitely not based on their performance, efficiency and track record but on >something else that is not in the best interest of the pilgrims. >I think if this process has been hijacked by Jammeh and his cohorts, and no >other competent Gambian travel agents are allowed ot provide service to >pilgrims except those that are henpecked, then Gambians who want to go to the >Hajj or send their loved ones in the future need to write to the Saudi >government to make them aware of this situation and to request that they >allow Gambian pilgrims who choose to do so to make arrangements for the hajj >through travel agents outside of Gambia, and not have this affaect their >ability ot be admitted inot Saudi Arabia for the hajj. I think that is the >remedy, if you get bad service, you go elsewhere next time. Period. > >Jabou Joh > > >In a message dated 3/3/03 1:21:13 PM Central Standard Time, [log in to unmask] >writes: > > > > Sister Mai Sey, > > > > Pilgrims are not usually not asked to leave the hotel or city . > > > > The reason for them to be asked to leave is because the agents who book > > them in those hotels book only for a maximum number of days that are paid > > for in their contracts . When the time has expired ,naturally the hotel > > will extend rheir stay is someone pays for the accomodation especially as > > food is not as serious a problem as the accomodation is . > > > > The solution is arranging to pay those hotels. They do accept all major > > credit cards . I perfoemed the Umrah a couple of times and as long as you > > pay your hotel you can stay. EXception is expired visas and there are > > thousans and thousands in the mecca area with expired visas I am told . > > Maybe the government is now cracking down on that . > > > > My biggest concern is will they get their passports back as many hotels > > hold your passports until you pay cash or by credit card then they relaese > > the passports. > > > > In the mean time as someone suggested ( maybe Saul) if you have your loved > > ones the best thing you can do is to send them money there are western > > Union/ money centers and many banks all over the city. I have seen them . > > It would be better for them to go to a specific center and let them give > > you their details (address /tel etc auth codes /locations ) first. > > > > Regardless of what happens the organizers are to blame and should be > > responsible and reimburse the pilgrims for the extra expenses they incurred > > > > Wasalaam > > > > Habib > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >From: Mai Sey > > >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list > > >To: [log in to unmask] > > >Subject: Re: The Plight of the Hajj 2003 Pilgrims > > >Date: Mon, 3 Mar 2003 19:27:10 +0100 > > > > > >Hi Ebrima, > > > This is very sad indeed. Not only are these pilgrims stranded > > >in Mecca but one must also have at the back of your mind that they are > > >finding it very tough out there. From previous years,I have been made to > > >learn that, as soon as the hajj is over, they are asked out of their > > hotels > > >and even out of the city. So whether their flights are around and ready or > > > > >not, they stay at the airport struggling for food and even sleep .Most of > > >them usually run out of cash and to send money for them is just > > impossible. > > >I really feel it for them and their families. Let's just pray for their > > safe > > >return home. > > > > > >Maikabir. > > > > > > > > > > > >----- Original Message ----- > > >From: "Ebrima Ceesay" > >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?S1=gambia-l >To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: >[log in to unmask] > >To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface >at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html > >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~