In a shocking revelation, Saudi authorities have reportedly sanctioned the use of lethal force to clear land for the construction of Neom, according to BBC.
The futuristic city project also known as the “The Line” mega-city is a significant part of the USD 500-billion initiative under Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2023. Neom represents the pinnacle of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s aim to transform the economy of the world’s leading oil exporter.
According to reports, Col Rabih Alenezi, a former Saudi intelligence officer, who has gone into exile in the UK, disclosed that the Saudi authorities issued an order in April 2020 to evict members of the Huwaitat tribe from the al-Khuraybah village, located near the site of Neom’s planned world’s first parallel line city.
However, the Saudi government and officials from the Neom project haven’t responded to the allegations yet.
Alenezi claimed he was part of the team tasked with carrying out the evictions but feigned illness to avoid the mission. The clearance operation went ahead regardless, resulting in the death of Abdul Rahim al-Huwaiti, a Huwaitat tribe member who refused to allow a land registry committee to value his property. However, Saudi authorities alleged that al-Huwaiti had opened fire on security forces, prompting them to retaliate.
At least 47 other villagers were detained for resisting evictions, with many of them being prosecuted on terror-related charges. Of those, 40 remain in detention, five of whom are on death row. Several were arrested for publicly mourning al-Huwaiti’s death on social media.
Analysis of satellite imagery by the BBC confirms the demolition of the three villages including al-Khuraybah, Sharma, and Gayal. Homes, schools and hospitals were erased from the map.
The displacement of the Huwaitat tribe and the alleged use of lethal force have drawn widespread criticism from human rights organisations and the international community. The UN has denounced the planned executions of three Huwaitat tribe members sentenced to death for criticising the evictions.
Neom is developing sustainable tourism destinations like Siranna, Leyja, Epicon, Utamo, and Norlana as well as renewable energy-powered regions like The LINE, Oxagon, Sindalah, and Trojena. These developments aim to provide exclusive ‘tourism escapes’ and luxury accommodations.
As the Neom project continues to progress, the Saudi government faces mounting pressure to address the human rights concerns surrounding the forced relocation of the Huwaitat tribe and the alleged use of excessive force to clear land for the mega-city.
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