Mowlana hailed the efforts of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah for offering a wide range of services to foreign pilgrims who visit the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah. Sri Lankan Ambassador Ahmed A. Jawad and Consul General Sabarullah Khan also took part in Thursday's negotiations. A new agreement is expected to be signed by Fowzi and Saudi Arabia’s Haj Minister Fouad Al-Farsy in Jeddah on Monday.
"We are insisting on a minimum quota of 8,000 pilgrims since an increasing number of the island's Muslim population is interested in performing the pilgrimage every year," Fowzie told Arab News.
The minister recalled that the Saudi authorities had increased the number of pilgrims from 2,850 to 5,500 at the eleventh hour in response to a special request from the country's President Mahinda Rajapaksa last year.
However, the Sri Lankan government could not send many more pilgrims as the decision was made at the last minute.
He added that new developments in the country had paved the way for the free movement of people within the island, which encouraged more Muslims to perform the pilgrimage.
He said that he had requested an increased quota of pilgrims to cope with the expected increase in demand from pilgrims living in these liberated areas.
"Following the liberation of rebel-held areas, more Muslims from the island's eastern and north central provinces are free to travel within and from the island," Fowzie said.
"Muslims were also victims of terror. They were chased out from the north by Tamil rebels and they had to abandon their properties as a result of terror.”
He said his government does not impose any restrictions on Muslims willing to perform the pilgrimage.
"Adequate foreign exchange and other facilities, including the quick issuance of travel documents by the immigration department, are also made at the other end to assist pilgrims," Fowzie said.
He said that his meeting with Al-Farsy also focused on arrangements for the arrival, mobilization and departure of Sri Lankan pilgrims during the Haj.
“We also specifically discussed the arrangements that will be made for Lankan pilgrims in Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah during the season,” he added. Fowzie said the country’s Haj operations were administered through a network of 70 reputed Haj operators.
"We keep close tabs on these agents and if they are found guilty of any unscrupulous activities, they are blacklisted," he said.
This year, Etihad Airways and Oman Air will also ferry pilgrims from Colombo to Jeddah, besides major airlines such as Saudi Arabian and Sri Lankan Airlines.
Fowzie said that he had not discussed with the minister the issue of Ceylon House, a Makkah property originally designated for Sri Lankan pilgrims but which is currently under the disputed ownership of its original caretaker. He added he did not feel it was “relevant” to do so at the present time.
The 1,000 square meter three-storied property was purchased by eight Sri Lankan trustees in 1964 before it was taken over. At present, the owner of the property has declared the premises out of bounds for Sri Lankan pilgrims.
