RIYADH: Saudi Arabia yesterday suspended visas for visits toIslam's holiest sites for the umrah pilgrimage, an unprecedented move triggeredby coronavirus fears that raises questions over the annual hajj. The kingdom,which hosts millions of pilgrims every year in the cities of Mecca and Medina,also suspended visas for tourists from countries with reported infections asfears of a pandemic deepen.
Saudi Arabia, which so far has reported no cases of thevirus but has expressed alarm over its spread in neighbouring countries, saidthe suspensions were temporary. It provided no timeframe for when they will belifted. "The kingdom's government has decided to take the followingprecautions: suspending entry to the kingdom for the purpose of umrah and visitto the Prophet's mosque temporarily," the foreign ministry said in astatement.
"Suspending entry into the kingdom with tourist visasfor those coming from countries, in which the spread of the new coronavirus(COVID-19) is a danger." The move comes as Gulf countries implement a raftof measures, including flight suspensions and school closures, to curb thespread of the disease from people returning from pilgrimages to Iran.
Even as the number of fresh coronavirus cases declines atthe epicentre of the disease in China, there has been a sudden increase acrossthe Middle East. Since its outbreak, the United Arab Emirates has reported 13coronavirus cases, Kuwait has recorded 43, Bahrain has 33 and Oman is at fourcases. Iran has emerged as a major hotspot in the region, with 19 fatalitiesfrom 139 infections -- the highest death toll outside China, where COVID-19originated. While no cases have been reported in Saudi Arabia, one citizen isreported to be infected in Kuwait along with four Saudi women in Bahrain -- allof whom had returned from Iran.
'Unprecedented' move
The umrah, which refers to the Islamic pilgrimage to Meccathat can be undertaken at any time of year, attracts millions of devout Muslimsfrom all over the globe each year. There was no clarity over how the move wouldaffect the annual hajj pilgrimage due to start in late July. Some 2.5 millionfaithful travelled to Saudi Arabia from across the world to take part in lastyear's hajj -- one of the five pillars of Islam. The event is a key rite ofpassage for Muslims and a massive logistical challenge for Saudi authorities,with colossal crowds cramming into relatively small holy sites.
"This move by Saudi Arabia is unprecedented,"Ghanem Nuseibeh, founder of London-based risk consultancy Cornerstone GlobalAssociates, told AFP. "The concern for Saudi authorities would be Ramadan,which starts at the end of April, and hajj afterwards, should the coronavirusbecome a pandemic." The holy fasting month of Ramadan is considered afavourable period by Muslim pilgrims to perform the umrah.
Saudi Arabia's custodianship of Makkah and Madinah --Islam's two holiest sites -- is seen as the kingdom's most powerful source of politicallegitimacy. But a series of deadly disasters over the years has promptedcriticism of the Sunni kingdom's management of the pilgrimage. In September2015, a stampede killed up to 2,300 worshippers -- including hundreds ofIranians -- in the worst disaster ever to strike the pilgrimage.
The pilgrimage forms a crucial source of revenue for thegovernment, which hopes to welcome 30 million pilgrims annually to the kingdomby 2030. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Vision 2030 reform plan seeks toshift the economy of Saudi Arabia -- the world's top crude exporter -- awayfrom oil dependency towards other sources of revenue, including religioustourism. - AFP