Allegations of Human Rights Abuses in Saudi Arabia’s Neom Project: The Dark Side of a Visionary City”.

Saudi Arabia is forging ahead with its ambitious Neom megaproject, which has garnered high hopes for a futuristic desert city. However, recent revelations from BBC News have brought into question the methods employed by Saudi authorities to clear land for the project. Colonel Rabih Alenezi, currently in exile in the UK, claims that he was ordered to use lethal force to evict people from their land in order to make way for a portion of the project called “The Line.”

Alenezi reveals that he was given orders to clear out the Huwaitat tribe, who had traditionally lived on the lands now earmarked for Neom. According to him, the orders included using lethal force against those who resisted eviction and labeled them as rebels. Although he managed to avoid carrying out his mission due to false medical grounds, one of the villagers was reportedly killed by Saudi authorities. The government’s claim that al-Huwaiti opened fire on security forces has been disputed by human rights organizations.

While the Saudi government claims that over 6,000 people have been relocated for the Neom project, human rights groups believe there may be more victims involved. In another incident, three men were sentenced to death under terrorism laws deemed vague by UN experts in protesting against the project. Additionally, a Saudi woman was jailed for 30 years after speaking out against the displacement of villagers for Neom. These incidents raise concerns about human rights abuses and lethal force used by Saudi authorities in pursuit of their Vision 2030 plans.

Despite these allegations and concerns about human rights violations, Saudi Arabia remains committed to pushing forward with its ambitious project. The situation surrounding Neom continues to be a cause of concern among international community members who are watching closely as developments unfold on this controversial and potentially dangerous construction site.