Saudi Authorities Use Lethal Force in Land Clearance for Neom Mega-Project, Says Ex-Intelligence Officer
Saudi authorities have allegedly authorized the use of lethal force to clear land for construction of the futuristic desert city, Neom, an ex-intelligence officer revealed to the BBC. According to Col Rabih Alenezi, he was instructed to evict members of a tribe to make way for “The Line,” a vital part of the Neom eco-project. One villager was subsequently shot and killed while protesting the eviction.
Neither the Saudi government nor Neom’s management provided comments on these allegations.
Neom, a $500 billion (£399 billion) eco-region, is central to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 initiative, aimed at diversifying the kingdom’s economy away from oil dependency. Numerous international, including British, companies are contributing to Neom’s development. Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman has described the area designated for Neom as a “blank canvas.”
The Saudi government states that over 6,000 people have been relocated for the project, while the UK-based human rights group ALQST contends that the actual number is higher. BBC analysis of satellite images confirms the demolition of villages such as al-Khuraybah, Sharma, and Gayal, with homes, schools, and hospitals erased.
Col Alenezi, who fled to the UK last year, cited an April 2020 order to clear al-Khuraybah, primarily inhabited by the Huwaitat tribe, labeling them “rebels” and permitting lethal force against those resisting eviction. He claimed to have evaded the mission on medical grounds, but it proceeded, resulting in the death of Abdul Rahim al-Huwaiti, who opposed the valuation of his property and protested the evictions online. Saudi state security alleged al-Huwaiti opened fire first, a claim challenged by human rights organizations and the UN, which state he was killed for resisting eviction.
The BBC could not independently verify Col Alenezi’s claims, though a source familiar with Saudi intelligence operations corroborated his account of the clearance order. It is reported that 47 villagers were detained after resisting eviction, with 40 remaining in custody and five on death row, according to the UN and ALQST. Some villagers were arrested for simply mourning al-Huwaiti’s death on social media.
Saudi officials insist compensation has been offered to those displaced for The Line, though ALQST reports payouts have fallen short of promises. Col Alenezi believes Neom is central to Crown Prince Mohamed Bin Salman’s vision, leading to the harsh treatment of the Huwaitat tribe.
A former senior executive involved in Neom’s ski project, Andy Wirth, and CEO of Solar Water PLC, Malcolm Aw, echoed concerns about the treatment of displaced villagers and criticized the lack of transparency and disregard for local populations.
Evicted villagers have been reluctant to speak, fearing endangerment of detained relatives, though similar concerns were raised by those relocated for the Jeddah Central project, another Vision 2030 initiative. Saudi activists report arrests related to resistance against Jeddah demolitions, and ALQST surveys indicate evictees had received neither compensation nor sufficient warning.
Col Alenezi, now in the UK, claimed he was offered $5 million (£4 million) to meet with the Saudi interior minister, a claim the Saudi government did not address. He remains resolute in his disobedience of the eviction orders, expressing concerns over Crown Prince Mohamed Bin Salman’s uncompromising pursuit of Neom’s development.
Attack on critics abroad isn’t unprecedented, with prominent Saudi critic Jamal Khashoggi’s 2018 murder in Istanbul linked to Crown Prince approval by a US intelligence report – an accusation he denies.
Col Alenezi justifies his actions, stating, “Mohamed Bin Salman will let nothing stand in the way of the building of Neom… I started to become more worried about what I might be asked to do to my own people.”
Source: BBC News
