Families of the four Chinese Muslim pilgrims who were killed in a haj stampede in Saudi Arabia which claimed 362 lives last week will each receive 50,000 yuan (US$6,200) from the Chinese Islamic Association.

 

About 20,000 Muslims gathered in Xining, capital of northwest China's Qinghai Province, on Friday to pray for the deceased and their families after religious leaders announced their identities.

 

Pilgrims were killed as they jostled to perform a stoning ritual at the Jamarat Bridge on Thursday, the last day of this year's haj. An estimated 2 million Muslims participated in this year's pilgrimage.

 

In 2004, about 250 pilgrims were crushed to death at Jamarat Bridge. A decade earlier, 270 were killed in a similar stampede.

 

Grieving family members remained calm yesterday. "Families regard such deaths as predestined," Ma Yicai, director of the provincial religious council, said.

 

He said the municipal government had offered their condolences to the victims' families. However, the request of family members to be flown to Saudi Arabia has not yet been fulfilled because there are currently no available flights.?

 

In Saudi Arabia, a Chinese working group is still dealing with matters on the ground, and the Saudi government has made arrangements for the bodies to be repatriated.

 

"Saudi Arabia have set procedures, but it might take longer to deal with because of the sheer number of fatalities," Ma said.

 

Some spouses and children had traveled with the victims and they are being cared for, he added.

 

The late Chinese pilgrims were expected to come back as early as on January 21.

 

China has about 18 million Muslims. According to religious customs, it is a once-in-a-lifetime duty for every able-bodied Muslim to go on the pilgrimage.

 

In recent years, the number of Chinese pilgrims taking part in the haj?rose because the journey has become more convenient.

 

Since last year, pilgrims have been able to take chartered planes from Lanzhou, capital of northwest China's Gansu Province, to Saudi Arabia.

 

Others take off from Beijing, Kunming and Urumqi.

 

The Chinese Islamic Association organizes the pilgrimage for Chinese pilgrims every year. It charters planes, makes visa applications, settles accommodation and even sends interpreters with the group.

 

This year, 20 planes were chartered for about 7,000 Chinese pilgrims, who each paid about 23,000 yuan (US$2,800) for the 40-day trip.

 

(China Daily January 16, 2006)