RIYADH, 17 December 2005 — The first flight-load of 278 Sri Lankan pilgrims arrived here last week by a special charter of Saudi Arabian Airlines, but Sri Lankan officials told Arab News that the property endowed to house them has been deemed off-limits by its caretaker.
After arriving at the Haj Terminal, the pilgrims were welcomed by an entourage headed by Sri Lankan Ambassador A.M.J. Sadiq and Consul General Masihudeen Inamullah.
“Last year, there were 6,500 pilgrims and this year we expect a higher number,” Sadiq said, pointing out that Saudia alone would operate 16 flights to Colombo to fly pilgrims. “So far, 1,448 pilgrims have arrived on eight flights,” Inamullah said, adding that the last Haj flight from Colombo would arrive Jan. 5. He said his staff had been assigned to meet and greet the pilgrims at the Haj Terminal on their arrival.
Answering a question about Ceylon House, which is an endowed property of the Sri Lankan government originally bought to house pilgrims, Inamullah said the Saudi caretaker of the property was not allowing the consulate to use the premises for Sri Lankan pilgrims because he had built a row of shops to serve his own purpose.
In 1966, Ceylon House was bought by a group of Sri Lankans for SR65,000 and endowed to the Sri Lankan government for the use of the island’s pilgrims. Inamullah said that during the last Haj, the caretaker allowed the consulate to house the Lanka Medical Clinic and other Haj officials who came from Colombo. “This year, the facility is totally off-limits,” he said, adding that he has reported the matter to Colombo to take legal action against the caretaker through the Saudi Foreign Ministry. A panel of senior lawyers comprising former Attorney General Shibly Aziz and former Sri Lankan High Commissioner in London Faiz Mustaffa had been appointed in Colombo to look into this matter and report to the government.
“We have made special arrangements with the Saudi Embassy in Colombo to issue the visas without any delay,” Saudi Ambassador to Sri Lanka Mohammed Mahmud Al-Ali said last week during the OIC conference.
