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In a video that went viral on social media, a group of Moroccan pilgrims voiced their anger, regarding the food they have been given, lack of transportation means and the situation of the facilities where they are staying while performing Hajj.
Made public on Facebook on Thursday, 23rd of August, the video shows dozens of Moroccan pilgrims in a big white tent. Some of them spoke to camera, criticizing the buses they have been granted to reach Mina, a neighborhood of Mecca in Makkah Province.
They have all agreed that the vehicle that was transporting them broke down on its way to Mina. The bus was not replaced, according to many of them, and they had to take taxis to reach city.
Transportation means were not the only thing that enraged these pilgrims but also the food that have been given to them for the past three days. According to one of them, the rice and chicken were not «well cooked» and he had to eat cookies he brought with him from the Kingdom.
«The food is terrible, even animals cannot eat that», shouted one the pilgrims angrily. The Moroccan pilgrims in the video accused the Moroccan authorities, and the Ministry of Islamic affairs in general, for not assisting them while performing Hajj.
«No one checked on us, we are by our own. We are completely neglected and we sleep on the floor», said one of the pilgrims.
In fact, the video goes outside the tent, to show that some pilgrims sleep next to the restrooms area and next to garbage cans.
The ministry's respond
Responding to the 25-minute long video, the Ministry of Habous and Islamic Affairs issued a communiqué on Thursday, denouncing the video in question.
In its statement, the Ministry in charge indicated that the video «was shot last year and the proof is that the number of offices granted to Moroccan pilgrims are between 75 and 80 and not 105 and 112 as mentioned in the clip».
Regarding buses, the Ministry stressed that it has reached the parties concerned to provide additional vehicles for the pilgrims.
Meanwhile, it noted that an unsuitable lunch was offered at Mina on 11 Dou al Hijja 1439 AH, noting that the Moroccan delegation intervened to replace this meal, knowing that no administrative or sanitary delegation is allowed to intervene in the Holy Places».
«Despite this, the Moroccan minister has spoken to his Saudi counterpart about these issues, including the congestion in Mina and the delay of buses», says the same source.
