Haj pilgrims complain of extortion

Haj pilgrims complain of extortion

JAKARTA (JP): Only days after the government and the Saudi
Arabian embassy solved the problem of late visas for pilgrims
which caused some delayed and canceled flights, another hiccup in
the haj operation occurred.

A number of pilgrims are complaining that they have to resort
to bribery in order to facilitate their trip to the Kaaba in
Mecca.

Officials, some pilgrims told The Jakarta Post, demanded money
in exchange for documents which will gain them entry into the haj
dormitory before taking off for Saudi Arabia.

The government rules that only prospective pilgrims who have
been issued visas are given the documents needed to enter the
dormitory.

Siti, a pilgrim from Depok, West Java, said she paid Rp 10,000
extra to an official in order to obtain the dormitory document.
"It would take more time if I did not give them the money," she
said quietly.

"You will not get the document unless you give the officials
some money," said Sadli who had to pay Rp 20,000 for both his and
his wife's documents.

Suparman, the head of the Jakarta command post for the haj
operation, denied that extortion is taking place. "I know nothing
about it, and I have never received reports about it," he told
the Post.

Abdul, a prospective pilgrim from South Jakarta, inquired
about his document by the telephone but failed to get a response.
"The official who answered my call only said 'later, later',"
Abdul said angrily.

Officials in charge of the haj operation should automatically
send the documents to pilgrims who already have visas, two days
before the departure schedules at the latest. In practice,
however, there are pilgrims who are notified by officials, only
hours before departure time, that they should fetch the documents
themselves at the dormitory.

Suparman said the delay in sending off the documents occurred
because the officials had to rearrange flight schedules. (01)