The new Sri Lankan Ambassador Vadivel Krishnamoorthy, who presented his credentials in Jeddah on Saturday thanked Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah for the generous amnesty granted to the illegal expatriates either to rectify their status or go back to their homeland.
Krishnamoorthy presented his credentials to State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Nizar Obeid Madani at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs office in Jeddah on Saturday.
“The amnesty has benefited all undocumented Sri Lankan expatriate workers stranded in the Kingdom. Many Sri Lankans have been able to legalize their status by changing employers and obtaining a new Iqama, or by obtaining temporary travel documents to return home,” the envoy noted.
He added that the Sri Lankan missions in Riyadh and Jeddah have documented some 17,000 cases under the amnesty granted by the king. The scheme has facilitated for illegal workers either to go home or work here respectably, he noted.
“Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia have maintained close bilateral ties for several decades and I hope that my tenure here as ambassador will see these historic ties further strengthened,” Kirshnamoorthy said.
Sri Lanka set up its embassy in Jeddah in 1983 with Dickman De Alwis as its first charge d’ Affaires, subsequently in 1993, Saudi government reciprocated with a mission in Colombo with Abdullah Al-Zahrani as its charge d’ Affaires. Later, the Lankan embassy moved its location to the capital in 1985.
The new envoy also thanked the Kingdom for the donations and investments bestowed upon the Sri Lanka people to help them build a prosperous society after the end of the civil war.
“I am also happy to acknowledge the loan given to us by the Saudi Development Fund (SFD) to help us develop our infrastructure,” he noted, adding that the longest bridge in Kinniya was recently completed the with SFD funds.
Besides the construction of the bridge, the SFD has contributed a great deal to fund hospitals and road construction projects in the island. The Epilepsy Center and the Trauma Center at the Colombo National Hospital were built with the assistance of the SFD.
Speaking about his country, the ambassador said that it has eradicated terrorism thereby ending the civil conflict, which had been plaguing the country for more than three decades.
“With the end of the 30-year conflict, Sri Lanka has successfully created a peaceful environment within the country during the past few years. Moreover, Sri Lanka has already managed to achieve tremendous development after the conflict. We also know that independence is an empty word without economic strength and social progress,” he stressed.
“We in Sri Lanka, under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, are also engaged with the task of building for our people a new world of economic prosperity and social progress to build a prosperous nation,” he added.
“Although we have a considerable amount of bilateral trade, there is still huge potential to enhance it further by diversifying the trade baskets,” he said.
“Extending our trade relationship into the areas of tourism, software development, health care, and agriculture will open vast opportunities to further consolidate our bilateral cooperation further,” he added.
Prior to his posting here, Krishnamoorthy was attached to his External Affairs Ministry as its Director General for the South-East Asia and SAARC.
His last overseas posting was as the Deputy High Commissioner for Sri Lanka in Chennai, south India.
Krishnamoorthy had earlier served as High Commissioner at Dhaka (Bangladesh) and has completed his three-year term before he was cross-posted for Chennai.
Krishnamoorthy had earlier served in The Netherlands (2001-04) and China (1992-97). While serving as the Minister Counselor at the Embassy in The Netherlands, inter alia, he functioned as the Deputy Permanent Representative to the Organization of the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
He had also worked as the Director/ East Asia desk, Deputy Chief of Protocol (1999-2001, Assistant director/ West desk (1992) and Director of the Sri Lankan Institute of International Relations (2004-06).
Amnesty has done great good for illegals: Lankan envoy
Amnesty has done great good for illegals: Lankan envoy
Hajj pilgrims reach Jamarat Bridge
- It is here that Muslims believe the devil tried to talk the Prophet Ibrahim out of submitting to God’s will
RIYADH: Hajj pilgrims on Sunday reached Jamarat Bridge as they advanced through Mina for the final rite, the stoning of the devil, on the first day of Tashreeq.
It is here that Muslims believe the devil tried to talk the Prophet Ibrahim out of submitting to God’s will. On the 10th day of Dul Hijjah, Hajj pilgrims collect small stones that they throw at three pillars in the Jamarat Al-Aqaba, representing the devil.
Huge crowds lined up to perform the rite, many holding umbrellas to shield themselves from the sun. The pilgrims say “Allah-u Akbar” (“God is the greatest”) each time they cast a pebble.
Pilgtims can stone the pillars any time from midday to midnight on the day of the ritual.
After finishing the ritual, male pilgrims traditionally shave or cut their hair and change out of their ihram. Women cut a lock of their hair.
The ihram symbolizes equality, religious unity and the pursuit of spiritual renewal.
Security guards sprayed the pilgrims with water as they braved searing heat to reach the Jamarat complex. Temperatures as high as 45 degrees Celsius have been recorded at the Hajj this year.
The pilgrims will then return to Makkah to do Tawaf, the circumambulation of the Kaaba.
Junaid Nizami, a pilgrim from Pakistan, told Arab News that he was impressed by the arrangements in place to ensure the safety of pilgrims.
“My experience in Jamarat was good and they prepared very well for the pilgrims. Also, the system (is created) in a way where no one can clash with each other. There are police, medical staff and helpers who are supporting the people.”
After dawn prayers, when pilgrims leave Muzdalifah and proceed to Jamarat to take part in the stoning rite, women and older pilgrims can delegate this responsibility to a male in their spiritual journey.
First phase of 2024 Hajj security plans completed
MAKKAH: Col. Talal bin Abdulmohsen Al-Shalhoub, security spokesperson at the Ministry of Interior, announced during a daily press conference for the 2024 Hajj season the successful completion of the first phase of security plans to lead pilgrims from Makkah to subsequent holy sites.
After spending around 12 hours in Arafat on Saturday for the most important part of Hajj, the over 1.8 million worshippers officially moved to the rocky plains of Muzdalifah in preparation for the final stages of their Hajj.
“The second stage of the journey to the holy sites is currently being implemented to transport pilgrims from Arafat to Muzdalifah, where they will be spending the night before departing to Mina for Eid Al-Adha,” said Al-Shalhoub.
He added that 25 persons found to be violating Hajj regulations were arrested on the night of June 15 for transporting 103 individuals without Hajj permits.
“The Unified Security Operations Centers (911) in Makkah received 52,274 calls from June 14 to 15. These calls varied between security reports, inquiries, and service calls from pilgrims,” he said.
Speaking on the journey to Muzdalifah, Ayed Al-Ghuwaynem, undersecretary of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah for Hajj Affairs said: “The tranquility and comfort we witnessed today in Arafat enabled the pilgrims to perform rituals and devote themselves to worship and supplication.”
He added that the smooth operations were the fruit of early planning and collective governmental action.
“This was the result of distinguished cooperation from pilgrims’ affairs offices from all countries, as well as pilgrims’ service providers inside and outside the Kingdom,” said Al-Ghuwaynem.
Dr. Mohammed Al-Abdulali, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, said that over 112,000 pilgrims have received health care from different providers during the Hajj season, including clinics, emergency departments, hospitals, and intensive care units.
Mashaer metro system transports thousands of pilgrims from Mina to Arafat
- There are 17 trains in the Mashaer metro fleet, each capable of carrying 3,000 passengers
MAKKAH: Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims used the Mashaer metro system to travel from Mina to Arafat on Saturday, as they began the most important day of the Hajj pilgrimage.
The metro system consists of nine stations located across the holy sites, connected by an 18-kilometer double-track railway, and is capable of accommodating 72,000 passengers per hour in one direction. The journey from Mina to Arafat takes just 20 minutes, with the train traveling at 80 km per hour, according to a report by the Saudi Press Agency.
There are 17 trains in the Mashaer metro fleet, each capable of carrying 3,000 passengers. The eco-friendly electric trains significantly reduce traffic congestion and carbon emissions by replacing approximately 50,000 passenger buses during the Hajj season.
The trains are managed the Facilities Security Forces, under the supervision of the Ministry of Interior.
Khalil Hasan, an Egyptian pilgrim, said he is performing Hajj for the second time.
“The first time I performed Hajj was nearly 30 years back when I was a schoolteacher in Yanbu. Everything here has unbelievably changed, including the Jamarat Bridge.“Seeing the metro travelling between stations in the holy sites was a wonderful scene that added great glamor to the place and substantial enhancement to the many services provided by the kingdom,” Hasan said.
Previously, he added, he could not have imagined that a pilgrim would be able to reach Arafat from Mina within minutes.
Hasan’s lifelong friend, AbdulTawab, who is accompanying him on the spiritual journey, said that it is his first Hajj experience, and he was amazed by the metro service.
“It is wonderful, and I am grateful to the Kingdom for this metro that has facilitated the movement of pilgrims, especially the elderly, making it easy and comfortable to move from one place to another within the holy places,” he said.
Pilgrims prepare for the final stages of Hajj
- Pilgrims spent the night in Muzdalifah, under the open sky, where they took the time to rest and refresh
MAKKAH: Hajj pilgrims have begun preparing for the final stages of this year’s pilgrimage, arriving in Muzdalifah after spending the entire day performing prayers and supplications in Arafat.
After they arrived in Muzdalifah, pilgrims performed Maghrib and Isha prayers and collected pebbles for the stoning rituals at the Jamarat area in Mina, which begin Sunday morning.
These stones are used once they reach Mina, where pilgrims perform the “first throwing” of Jamarat, before heading to the Grand Mosque in Makkah for tawaf (circumambulation) and “sacrificing the lamb,” a commemoration of the sacrifice Prophet Ibrahim had intended to make of his son Ismail as an act of obedience to Allah.
Pilgrims spent the night in Muzdalifah, under the open sky, where they took the time to rest and refresh.
The first day in Mina, the 10th of Dhul Hijjah, marks the first day of Eid Al-Adha. On this day, pilgrims sacrifice animals. Male pilgrims have their heads shaved and take off their ihram clothes. Female pilgrims cut only a portion of their hair.
Hisham Thamin, an Indian pilgrim living in Qatar, told Arab News that it had been a seamless Hajj experience.
“It’s a very nice (and) very spiritual feeling. I’m enjoying the vibes here. The people here are very calm. It’s a very peaceful atmosphere.”
Thamin said that he was initially concerned about the arrangements given the heat and high numbers of people, but he was pleasantly surprised by the coordination and organization by the Saudi government.
“I’m glad the Saudi government has made very good arrangements. There’s cold water, cold juices, and breakfast boxes for everyone. They have spread out all the sheets on the sand, to make sure it’s comfortable for everyone. So I’m liking it very much. And it’s not what I expected, it’s much better than what I expected.”
Nawaf Alhabib, a Saudi pilgrim, said his experience had been “perfect.”
Alhabib planned to walk to Mina on Sunday morning before Fajr prayer.
“By 12 in the morning, we will finish from Muzdalifah and make our way towards Mina. We will rest and then perform Jamarat and it will hopefully be a beautiful day tomorrow.”
Saudi pilgrim Tawfeeq Alquraishi said he was proud of the developments and initiatives fulfilled by the Kingdom.
“The services provided to ensure a smooth Hajj experience for pilgrims is something I am so proud of as a Saudi national. This is a successful and comfortable Hajj.”
Waleed Mohammed, a pilgrim from Egypt, was grateful for being able to perform Hajj.
“This is a feeling I cannot explain. Thank God for everything,” he said. “This is an experience that everyone dreams of … everyone is happy and the organization is beyond our expectations.”
225 pilgrims treated for heat stress and fatigue on second day of Hajj
- The cases were treated at the Medical Center for Heat Exhaustion and Sunstroke
MAKKAH: About 225 cases of pilgrims suffering from heat stress and fatigue had been treated at the medical center for heat exhaustion and sunstroke in Makkah, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.
The cases were reported on Saturday, the second day of Hajj, when pilgrims ascended Mount Arafat to ask God for mercy, blessings, prosperity and good health.
The ritual at Mount Arafat, known as the Hill of Mercy, is considered the peak of the Hajj pilgrimage.
The center, affiliated with the Saudi Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, has 20 beds equipped with the latest equipment to deal with cases of heat stress and sunstroke.
It is also equipped with an air and water spray system using sprinklers to cover all parts of the injured person’s body, in addition to clinics for men and women and a pharmacy.
Saudi officials had earlier advised pilgrims to use umbrellas and keep themselves hydrated, and to take rest periods between rituals to avoid heat fatigue.
The National Center for Meteorology had forecast that temperatures in Makkah would range between 45 C and 48 C, with little rain potential.
