A former Saudi Arabian intelligence officer claims that the government kills individuals who refuse to be evicted to build a futuristic eco-city.
Colonel Rabih Alenezi, who had been taken under protection by the United Kingdom in the past year, said to the BBC that the use of lethal force was approved for the removal of residents from the land designated for the Neom project.
Alenezi, speaking to the BBC said, “Whoever continues to resist [eviction] must be killed.”
Huwaitats are the majority of people in this region. They have been subjected to mass arrests and crackdowns because they refused to comply with eviction orders.
The Neom Project, a program for eco-friendly urban planning heavily funded by Western nations, has already destroyed multiple villages.
Alenezi told BBC, “[Neom] was the center of Mohamed Bin Salman’s ideas.” “That’s the reason he was brutal when dealing with Huwaitat.”
The Line, a proposed eco-city without automobiles, is a main pillar of the Neom Project.
The 106-mile metropolis is arranged according to the “line” layout, with public transport allowing for quick travel throughout the narrow urban area.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman has devoted his vast resources and attention to the project hoping its completion will herald a new age of modernization for his father’s Kingdom.
The Saudi Arabian Embassy in Washington, D.C. has yet to respond to our request for comment.
Saudi Vision 2030 includes both the Neom project and Line City.
The Line is expected to be finished in 2030. Construction will continue through the rest of this decade.
