First pilgrims return from haj Monday evening<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The first flight bringing Indonesian haj
\npilgrims from Saudi Arabia will arrive in Jakarta on Monday.<\/p>\n
The flight, which will include Minister of Religious Affairs
\nTarmizi Taher, is scheduled to arrive at the Halim Perdanakusuma
\nairport at around 6 p.m., a spokesman for the ministry told The
\nJakarta Post last night.<\/p>\n
Tarmizi is the Amirul Haj, or the chief delegate of the
\n197,000 strong Indonesian contingent, for this year's haj
\npilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n
Other government officials on Garuda Indonesia flight GA 7102
\non Monday include Minister of Public Works Radinal Moochtar,
\nMinister of Justice Oetojo Oesman and Jakarta Governor Surjadi
\nSoedirdja, the spokesman said.<\/p>\n
The flight will mark the beginning of the second and last
\nphase of this year's haj operation which is coordinated by the
\nMinistry of Religious Affairs.<\/p>\n
The first phase, flying them from Indonesia to Saudi Arabia,
\nwas marred by disorder during its first week in April because
\nmany pilgrims had not been issued with visas for Saudi. The
\ndepartures became smoother in the second week.<\/p>\n
But, because of the chaos in the departures, the return of
\npilgrims, who are divided into flight groups, will not be in
\norder, according to the spokesman. He pointed out that Tarmizi
\nwould in fact be boarding Flight Group 4's plane.<\/p>\n
Officials are confident that there will be no hitches in
\nbringing the pilgrims home.<\/p>\n
The operation is scheduled to be completed by June 13.<\/p>\n
Some 25 wide-bodied jets have been prepared by Garuda
\nIndonesia to bring the 197,000 Indonesian pilgrims home.
\nTogether, they will make 453 flights out of Jeddah.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Religious Affairs announced six
\nmore Indonesian pilgrims died yesterday, bringing the total dead
\nto 158 so far.<\/p>\n
Most of the dead were over 60 years old and had died of heart
\nfailure. The number is expected to increase in the next months
\nbecause dozens of people are currently in Saudi hospitals after
\nthe physically demanding haj rituals.<\/p>\n
Last year a total of 638, out of nearly 165,000, Indonesian
\npilgrims died in Saudi Arabia by the end of the pilgrimage.<\/p>\n
The 197,000 pilgrims Indonesia sent this year represents a
\nrecord, forcing the Saudi government to enforce a quota for the
\nfirst time against Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Some 240,000 people originally applied to go, but the
\ngovernment had to turned down more than 40,000 applicants because
\nthey didn't anticipate the quota. Those put on the waiting list
\nhave been promised priority on next year's pilgrimage. (imn)<\/p>",
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