Tragedy has again struck Makkah at Haj time. At least 15 people have died in the collapse of a multistory pilgrim hostel a stone’s throw from the Grand Mosque. Reports speak of at least 80 injured.
The tragedy is all the greater because the Haj is meant to be a time of spiritual grace, of renewal, a once-in-a-lifetime experience of joy, not an appointment with death. A tragedy during the Haj is more shocking because it is one of life’s pinnacle events.
As to the view that the number of pilgrims in Makkah for Haj is now so enormous that it is impossible to prevent accidents, that is no excuse. Safety has to be paramount. The pilgrims are guests of God. The fact that over a million are already in the Holy City, that over 2.5 million will perform Haj this year, is reason for ever-increasing levels of safety and security, not for complacency. It is not just a matter of standards; it is a matter of enforcement as well. Accidents can be prevented if rules are obeyed, if standards are maintained. It has been said that the number of dead might have been much higher had the tragedy not occurred during prayer time. That is no consolation. Even a single death in such circumstances is a death too many.
The authorities have done much in recent years to deal with the explosion in the number of pilgrims arriving in Makkah for Haj — facilities have been extended, quotas have been brought in to control numbers. But these developments have been in the public domain. This was a tragedy in a privately owned building.
Makkah has undergone dramatic transformation in recent years. It has become a permanent construction site, as developers throw up new building after new building to meet the burgeoning demand for pilgrim accommodation. This tragedy inevitably raises questions about the quality of construction, about building standards and safety measures employed in the private sector. A government inquiry will find out the facts. Building collapses do not normally happen. Did the building meet requirements? If not, why was it being used to house pilgrims who had every right to expect that their accommodation would be safe?
Some good must come from this tragedy. A new, tougher regime of building standards and licensing may have to be put in place. Certainly there need to be regular inspections of pilgrim accommodation to ensure that present standards are maintained and that there is no overcrowding. Hostels and facilities that do not come up to scratch should be closed. Owners should be forced either to improve them or pull them down and build anew.
The Haj is going to get bigger and bigger in future; that is a certainty. So too is the fact that there is no such thing as total safety; there will always be accidents. But they can be kept to a minimum, and many can be prevented. Buildings that are well-constructed and used properly do not collapse.
The government’s task is to ensure that the private sector provides pilgrims with accommodation that is not only adequate, but also and above all: Safe.
