Stranded in Karbala: The Arbaeen Pilgrimage Turned Nightmare

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune - www.newsofbahrain.com

Report by H Naser

The air hung heavy with the scent of incense and the murmur of prayers, but for 140 Bahraini pilgrims, the holy city of Karbala felt anything but sacred. They were trapped, their passports held hostage by two angry hotels, victims of a pilgrimage trip that had morphed into a nightmare.

Their journey had begun with the promise of a spiritual experience, a chance to walk in the footsteps of Imam Hussein. They had paid their dues, handing over their hard-earned money to the organiser, a Bahraini national man they trusted with their faith and their safety.

But the promised comfort and piety were quickly replaced by chaos and desperation. The buses were cramped, the air thick with the stench of sweat and fear. The promised four-star hotel was a dilapidated shell, its rooms damp and its bathrooms barely functional.

The organiser, a man who had promised them a journey of solace, vanished. His phone went dead, leaving the pilgrims stranded, their pleas for help echoing in the empty air. The hotels, owed thousands of dollars, refused to release their passports, trapping them in a foreign land, their hopes of returning home fading with each passing hour.

Among them were children, their innocent faces etched with worry, and elderly individuals, their bodies wracked with pain, their medications running low. They were trapped in a labyrinth of despair, their faith tested, their hope dwindling.

Now, the Bahraini consulate in Najaf, the Iraqi Ministry of Tourism, and the local police are scrambling to find answers.

Desperate Situation

"We are in a desperate situation," said Hassan Al Hali, one of the stranded pilgrims. "We have no way to contact the organiser, and the hotels are threatening to evict us tomorrow, August 28th. We are worried about our safety and the well-being of our elderly and children who are part of this group."

Al Hali confirmed that the group has filed complaints with the Bahraini consulate in Najaf, the Iraqi Ministry of Tourism, and the local police. The Iraqi authorities have reportedly summoned both the hotel owners and the remaining members of the pilgrimage group for questioning.