Hajj stampede kills 700 pilgrims, wounds over 800

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http://www.rt.com/news/316363-saudi-stampede-haj-mecca/

Placed in PPR because it is about religion.

These stampedes are a regular occurrence at Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca that is a central duty of Muslims. If the Saudis can't guarantee the safety of Hajj pilgrims, maybe the duties of overseeing the Hajj should be transferred to an independent committee of Muslim leaders. I am not saying that Saudi Arabia give up political power over Mecca, just that the Hajj itself seems to have become quite dangerous in the last 30 years as the number of Muslims has skyrocketed and several million pilgrims go to Hajj every year. Since doing the Hajj is a central tenet of Islam, pilgrims need to be reasonably certain that they will not be crushed to death in a stampede.

I have seen reports that the Saudi Prince Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud travelling with a security entourage of 350 police was a key element in causing the stampede. The pilgrimage is the second highest income after oil revenue. I don't think they will relinquish control in any form.

It seems that dying on the hajj is considered virtuous, so it seems as if they have all options covered.