Hajj pilgrims brought on labour visas cheated

Hajj tour operators, especially those from a number of Arab countries, have been accused of bringing pilgrims to the Kingdom on visas other than those allocated specifically for Hajj during the recently-concluded pilgrimage season for Eid Al-Adha. The firms left their pilgrims in the lurch after taking them to Mecca, after 1,700 Hajis came to perform the pilgrimage this year from an African Arab country on seasonal labor visas.The pilgrims said they resorted to these tactics when they failed to get Hajj visas through proper channels. They complained that their tour operator vanished without a trace after bringing them into the Holy City and giving them accommodation at a location set aside for dumping garbage in Mina. The company officials did not come to inquire about their conditions during and after Hajj, they told Arab News. Awadullah, one of the pilgrims, said that he came for Hajj on a cleaning labour visa. "It was written on the copy of my labour contract that my monthly salary would be SR2,000 during the Haj season," he said. "When the company representative came to sign the contract, he informed us that even though we are on labour visas, we would be performing Hajj as part of a hamla (Hajj group). Each of us had to pay a total amount of SR12,000 toward Hajj expenses. However, when we reached Mina, we did not hear anything about the so-called hamla even after we finished the Hajj rituals." Another pilgrim, who requested anonymity, told Arab News that the company representative informed him before setting out for Hajj that their pilgrimage tour would take only less than three weeks."Therefore, I took 20 days' leave from work. My leave ended yesterday (Monday) and I don't know when I can return home," he said. The pilgrim noted that most of the Hajis who came with him face similar situations. "Our pockets are now empty and we don't know what to do for food. If our return is delayed any longer, we would be forced to beg," he said. Reacting to the plight of the pilgrims, a source at the Egyptian Consulate General told Arab News that they were aware of the issue. "We are keeping in touch with the concerned Saudi authorities to expedite the return journey of the pilgrims. These pilgrims have been brought into the Kingdom without a clear programme or schedule either for their transportation or accommodation or provision of meals," he said. Meanwhile, sources at Tawafa organisations confirmed that some Hajj tour operators resort to bringing in pilgrims on labour visas while others managed to secure visit visas with the help of chambers of commerce in their respective countries. Such practices contribute to a flourishing black market for Hajj visas, they added.