29 SHAWWAL 1427

20 NOVEMBER 2006

HajJ CrisiS

Hajj Watch – “The voice of the Hujjaaj”, is a South African publicly mandated civil advocacy movement. Our vision is to ensure that the rights of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims (Hujjaaj) are protected, guaranteed and maintained.

Hajj Watch sympathises with the Prospective Hujjaaj in this unprecedented time of turmoil. The question as to whether the crisis could have been averted? We believe that the current situation is synonymous of an organization that is without a common goal and systems. It acts autonomous and with such an uncaring manner, which in itself will cause its demise. The present Hajj crisis reaffirms our position that there is a need for a new transparent & transformed independent, effective, representative and people centred, Hajj & Umrah Regulator from within the Muslim community of South Africa, through direct participation of the adult Muslim population.

Hajj Watch is constantly attempting to get the Regulator to talk with us in an attempt to get a new dispensation, however they have not been forthcoming. The African National Congress, who has withdrawn officially from SAHUC, has undertaken to facilitate the formation of a new Regulator. The Johannesburg Ulema bodies have also followed suit. We are calling on the South African Department of Foreign Affairs to fulfill its obligations to the Muslim Ummah by having the Organisation of Islamic Countries ruling overturned, as we are a secular state and thus entitled to up to 45 000 Hujjaaj going for Hajj. The only reduction to this number ought to be a quota reduction applied equally to all other secular states, like United Kingdom, Australia, United States of America based on safety and practical conditions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

We know that within our Muslim population, we have more than enough eligible resources to man an efficient people-centered Regulator. We thus call on Ulema bodies, professionals, business people and the Ummah at large to join Hajj Watch in order for the best amongst our people to organize Hajj

To date, Hajj Watch has created an environment whereby we are questioning the unacceptable conditions around Hajj. We know that the Sabr that we are called on by the role-players to display during this period has no bearing on the current crisis and thus our active participation. As our pledge is to not disrupt this Hajj, we have put the following in place to assist the Hujjaaj:

• We have a Vision and Mission Statement,
• a Constitution, Code of Ethics and Conduct,
• a Hujjaaj Charter of Rights,
• a Hajj Contract,
• Travel Check List,
• Comparison of Local Hajj Packages,
• a new Proposed Alternative Hajj Model,
• assisted disgruntled Hujjaaj with legal advice in the past and when Hujjaaj returns from Hajj,
• a Call Centre (086 111 5008) and a
• Website.

As it is our constitutional right, we are left with no legitimate alternative but to prepare to submit our court application on 15 January 2007, with the respondents being SAHUC and Department of Foreign Affairs. We have met with the new South African Ambassador in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to position our case and the way forward, to which he was supportive. We are working towards a new Regulator by March 2007, at which time the DFA needs to resolve the visa quota

We sincerely appreciate the support of the Ummah and again request the SAHUC affiliates to now firmly support our cause for a transformed and credible regulator, for the benefit of the Hujjaaj. We are of the opinion that they should follow the example set by the ANC and withdraw as they potentially could be sited in the High Court action. Hajj Watch - Aslam Salie