Saudi Arabia is pushing forward with its Neom megaproject, with high hopes for its futuristic desert megacity. However, a recent report from BBC News details how Colonel Rabih Alenezi, who is currently in exile in the UK, claims that Saudi authorities authorized the use of lethal force to clear land for the project. The area being cleared was mostly occupied by the Huwaitat tribe, who have traditionally lived on the lands that are now being earmarked for Neom.
Alenezi revealed that he was ordered to evict people from the land to make way for a part of the project known as The Line. According to him, the orders included the use of lethal force against those who resisted the eviction, with the claim that the tribe consisted of “many rebels.” He was able to avoid carrying out the mission on false medical grounds. Unfortunately, one of the villagers, Abdul Rahim al-Huwaiti, was reportedly killed by Saudi authorities. Saudi state security claimed he opened fire on security forces, a claim that has been disputed by human rights organizations.
While the Saudi government has stated that over 6,000 people have been relocated for the Neom project, some human rights groups believe the number is higher. In a separate incident, three men who protested against the project were sentenced to death under terrorism laws that were deemed overly vague by UN experts. The government has been cracking down on public criticism of its Vision 2030 plans, with a Saudi woman being jailed for 30 years for speaking out against the displacement of villagers for Neom. The situation surrounding the Neom project is raising concerns about human rights abuses and the use of lethal force by Saudi authorities.