MAKKAH, 20 December 2007 — Beggars tend to benefit from pilgrims at every holy site. Many of them reserved places at each crowded place. Most beggars are Africans who accept whatever is given to them.

Each beggar sits at a distance from the other in an organized manner as if they are of the same team and have the same plan. Their styles of begging suggest that they all belong to a well-trained group.

They all aim at getting the mercy of pilgrims. They persuade them through showing them their disabilities or by weeping and praying. Mothers however use their children to get some cash from pilgrims passing by.

Arab News found that African and Asian beggars prefer to beg at different holy sites while Arab beggars do it mainly at the Grand Mosque.

An African beggar who did not want to give his name said that the biggest handout he got during this Haj season was SR500, which was given to him by a pilgrim.

“The amount I collect will help me cover the Haj expenses of my wife and myself,” he said, adding that the money would even help them get tickets to go back to their country. The beggar added that he cannot anticipate how much he would generate from this Haj season but his aim was to collect SR25,000.

A Nigerian, who introduced himself as Hanu, said that for him the holy sites are the best places for begging. “I cannot beg at any other place because of the many inspections carried out by officials. They would arrest us and send us back to our countries,” said Hanu.

Hasiba, another beggar from Africa, said that this was the third year in a row that she was begging at the holy sites. “I hope that this is going to be the last time for me to be here; I am getting old and this (job) is exhausting,” said Hasiba.

Arab beggars, however, would ask for a particular amount of money that would help them go back to their countries. They would claim that they are lost and are out of money. An Egyptian beggar was walking around and telling every pilgrim on his way that he came with a group from Riyadh but got lost and needs money to go back to his son in Riyadh. “I only have SR10, I need to finish my Haj and go back to Riyadh,” he kept on saying.

Beggars are also selective in terms of choosing their targets. More beggars are seen near the Emirati, Kuwaiti and Western Haj camps, while almost none were seen near the African and South Asian camps.