Call to exert pressure on Saudi to lift obstacles for Haj pilgrims from Qatar

(MENAFN- The Peninsula) The Peninsula

DOHA: Expressing great concerns over politicising of Haj by Saudi authorities, panellists of a round-table discussion representing different religions, government bodies and rights organisations have urged the international community to exert more pressure on the Saudi authorities to open air space and land border for Qataris and expats to travel freely to perform Haj.

The round-table discussion entitled ‘repercussions of the siege crisis: prevention of citizens and residents of Qatar from Haj and Umrah' recently organised by Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue (DICID) was attended by the representatives of the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, Qatar's National Human Rights Committee (NHRC), Qatar Haj Committee and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Officials during the round-table discussions organised by DICID recently.

The attendees of the meeting expressed their deep worry over politicisation of religion by Saudi authorities for political purposes, in particular Haj and Umrah, which clearly shows that the Saudis continue to put obstacles to prevent Qatari citizens and residents from performing Haj and Umrah.

The round-table meeting said that it is urgent to remind the international community of the importance of this religious rite for Muslims and call for the immediate lifting of obstacles imposed by the Saudi authorities so that Qatari citizens and residents can perform Haj rites.

This round-table was important on the reason that it coincided with an important meeting that recently took place in Washington DC — the Second Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom from July 16 to 18. In Washington, a broad range of decision makers and dignitaries, including senior government leaders, international organisation representatives, religious leaders, and civil society activists were convened to discuss challenges facing religious freedom in the world, identify concrete ways to combat religious persecution and discrimination, and ensure greater respect for freedom of religion or belief.  P2

The purpose of organising round-table discussion in Doha was necessary to explain the suffering of Qataris and expatriate pilgrims from Saudi actions that prevented and still preventing the Qataris from performing Haj for the third year in a row and present the picture to ministerial conference held in Washington.

Second, the round-table also sent an urgent message to the participants of the ministerial conference in Washington, who represent the political and religious leaders and civil society organisations from around the world, calling them to respect and defend religious freedom rights and beliefs of Qatari citizens and residents to perform the Haj this year.

The message by the round-table also asked the international community to help remove Haj obstacles placed by Saudi authorities and give the Qatari Haj Mission the needed authorisation to enable Qatari side to carry out their duties in the management of Haj this year similar to all other Haj missions of other countries.

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