African Pilgrims Abandoned Under Bridge

African Pilgrims Abandoned Under Bridge: "JEDDAH, 27 February 2005 � Hundreds of African pilgrims are camped under the bridge near the Jeddah Islamic Port waiting for their turn to be deported.
The pilgrims are left there without food, shelter, money or health care. They do not have the slightest clue as to when they will be deported to their home countries.
If hunger or sickness doesnn'tget them, the cars speeding by will."
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Arab News followed Abdullah across the street, passing hundreds of Africans lying on the side of the streets. Some pilgrims have built small shelters out of wood and cardboard boxes to keep them away from the harsh sun. We entered a stinking building. Very few were sleeping inside the building; most of them stayed in the yard where they could breathe fresh air. Many simply sat on any available piece of ground. The most unfortunate were the sick ones.

“We only want one thing and that’s to go back to our country,” said Muhammad Tanim Abu Bakr, a 25-year-old Nigerian from Kano. “How can we reach our embassy? We need our problems and complaints to be sorted out,” he said.