File 1707/1924 ‘Arabia:- Jeddah Situation Reports. (1924-1930)’ [‎261v] (527/898)

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11. Great inconvenience was caused to the pilgrims by the fact that, one day
before the journey to Arafat, many of the camelmen went away with their camels
as they were afraid that there would be a clash between the overseas pilgrims and
the Akhwan, and this so reduced the number of animals available that many of the
pilgrims were forced to walk or pay an exorbitant sum for camel hire.
12. At Arafat and Mena, and more particularly the latter place, where the a
pilgrims are supposed to stone the devil, many pedestrians were trampled to death f
by the camels of the Akhwan, who forced their animals through the crowds to throw
a stone at the pillar.
13. The sanitary arrangements were non-existent, and, two days before the
pilgrimage, coinciding with the arrival of the bulk of the Nejdis, the Ain Zebaida
water supply was blocked, and the pilgrims in Mecca could obtain little or no
drinking water, and had to pay as much as 10 piastres for a tin of brackish well
water.
14. At Arafat and Mena, where the sacrifice of animals takes place, no
arrangements whatever were made to dispose of the carcases, and after two or
three days in the hot sun I am informed, and can well believe, that the stench was
^ awful.
15. Ibn Saud, talking to a representative of the International Quarantine
Board, excused himself for The shortcomings of this pilgrimage by stating that they
had had no time to make all the arrangements that they should have liked to have
made, and that long before next season he was appointing a committee to4horoughly'
organise the sanitary and other necessary measures to assure the greater comfort
and well-being of the pilgrims. Also that the Bedouin, i.e., his own Nejdis, would
be prevented from bringing their camels to Arafat and Mena and causing the
damage and harm that they have done this year.
16. Another fact which has not in any way added to the reputation of the
present regime is that, now that the pilgrims are leaving the Hejaz, and, in
contradiction to Ibn Saud's assurances and published list of fees chargeable to
pilgrims, a further fee of 33 Egyptian piastres by way of quarantine tax is being
charged.
17. A telegraphic protest against this fee being charged, addressed to the
King personally by me some days ago, has been ignored to date, and the fee is still
being charged and collected by the mutawwifs.
18. The incident of the Mahmal merely goes to show how essentially
uncivilised the Arab of the interior of Arabia really is.
19. The Mahmal, with escort, left Mecca on the afternoon of the 19th June,
to proceed to Arafat and at about half past seven in the evening, during a temporary
halt a crowd of Akhwan gathered around and, using insulting language to the
Emir-ul-Haj and the escort of the Mahmal, began to throw stones at the Mahmal
itself and the escort. It was only after the attitude of the Akhwan became
threatening that the Emir-ul-Haj formed up his escort and, after several shots had
been fired by the Bedouin, that he ordered his people to fire. It is estimated that at
least thirty people were killed, including seven sheikhs of the Akhwan.
20. The fortuitous arrival of Ibn Saud on the scene calmed down both parties
and what might easily have degenerated into a general massacre was thereby
avoided.
21. The Mahmal proceeded to Arafat and completed the Haj, but it has now
been decided that it will return direct to Egypt and not proceed to Medina, as was at
first intended.
22. The Moslem Conference, which is being held in Mecca, has been the scene
of many fierce arguments and personal recriminations, but, as the Hejaz, by careful
packing of the conference, was assured of a majority before the conference sat, they
have secured their main aims.
23. The conference commenced on the 7th June and adjourned on the
17th June to allow the delegates to make the Haj. It was at first thought that, as
the Hejaz Government had passed all their main resolutions, the possibility of the
conference meeting after the Haj was remote, but the arrival of the Turkish and
Egyptian delegates some two days after the completion of the ceremonies at Arata
and Mena obliged the conference to meet again.
The measures passed to date are as follows :—
(1.) The conference to be held annually in Mecca. . ,
(2.) Allocation of delegates for the future to be: India, 4; Hejaz and
Turkey, China, Java and Sumatra, 3 each; and other Moslem Powers,
each.