The jamarat stoning on that faithful day progressed peacefully as hoped but problems started along the way close to the jamarat bridge
2- Entrance routes leading to the jamarat ground was packed with pilgrims heading for the actual rites.
3- Along the way, we observed that pilgrims of Arab descent were returning back through one of the entrance routes against laid out rules.
4- While there were Saudi officials like the police and operatives of the diplomatic forces, they turned a blind eye to it.
5- The Arabs have their temporary tents in #Mina located along d entrance routes, so they were using these as short cuts to return back.
6- Some of us non Arab pilgrims as they tend to call us blacks who noticed this, called the attention of d police 2 it but they ignored us.
7- From a single parallel line of Arab pilgrims, it grew to 2 and then 3 and before you know it, the route was jammed with pilgrims.
8- Now when the build up of pilgrims close to the jamarat bridge area grew beyond control, the area became a jungle.
9- With a confined space, sweat and humid air, most pilgrims started falling particularly the old, the weak and women.
10- The situation became a survival of the fittest or better still…survival by the grace of God.
11- You may ask how I knew all this…i’m a pilgrim, right now in Mina camp who lost a friend and grieving.
12- Could the stampede have been avoided or managed? I will emphatically say yes
13- While crediting the Saudis for hosting gigantic project yearly, the stampede today smacks of total incompetence.
14- There were CCTVs stationed along strategic points along d routes and these can give real time feed back 2 whoever was monitoring..
15- Of the impeding disaster and ordering for the opening of alternative routes which were shut n manned sternly by d police.
16- Apart from two ambulance vans located at d entrance route from#Munzalifah, non was sighted along the routes again.
17- Now when d stampede started, exits into tents around d area, were padlocked, locking out any means out but over the heads of humans.
18- Anyone blaming African pilgrims is a liar. Ask how the parallel lines of Arab pilgrims got to where they died? How?
19- We can be killing ourselves to please these folks but undergoing this hajj pilgrimage, I can tell these Arab people have no chill…
20- Us black folks. It is sad but it is the truth. Even the poorest of them, the Yemenis, treat and attend to you with disgust.
