JEDDAH, 5 February 2003 — Sri Lanka has opened a permanent office in Madinah to cater for its pilgrims. Called Sri Lanka House, the Madinah office will work in cooperation with the country’s decades-old Ceylon House in Makkah
The announcement coincided with the country’s 55th Independence Day which was observed here at the Sri Lankan Consulate yesterday. Consul General A.C.M. Ibrahim unfurled the national flag to mark the celebration.
The Madinah house, where a Sri Lankan medical mission is now serving Haj pilgrims with two of the island’s doctors, will be formally opened by Rauf Hakeem, minister of Muslim religious affairs, ports and shipping, and eastern regional development, who will arrive in the Kingdom early next week leading Colombo’s Haj goodwill delegation. — K.S. Ramkumar
4 die in accidents
RIYADH, 5 February 2003 — Four pilgrims, three from Morocco and one from Russia, were killed and 18 others hurt in two road accidents in Saudi Arabia, Al-Watan newspaper reported.
The Moroccans were killed when two vehicles collided near Makkah on Sunday. The two unidentified drivers also died.
A bus carrying a group of Russian pilgrims from Grozney collided with a saloon car at Jouf in northern Saudi Arabia, Al-Watan newspaper said. One pilgrim died and 15 others were injured. (AN)
Tracking lost items
MAKKAH, 5 February 2003 — The Ministry of Haj has started a new step by taking photos of lost and found items and posting it on the Internet in lost items stations in Makkah, Madinah and Jeddah. Hatim Gadi of the Ministry said the main goal of this is to make it easy for pilgrims to find lost items.
