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The NEOM construction project in Saudi Arabia has killed more than 21 workers and displaced thousands of local families. Inhumane conditions, forced labor and repression mark a project that aims to transform the future of Saudi Arabia.
More than 21 workers have lost their lives at one of the world's largest construction projects in Saudi Arabia.
This project, part of the country's visionary “Vision 2030” development plan, is being built to transform the region into a megacity futuristic, but the human cost could be devastating.
And worst of all, many of these workers were immigrants from South Asian countries, living in conditions bordering on slavery.
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What is behind all this? What do the Saudi Arabian authorities have to say about this tragedy?
The tragedy of megacities: 21 dead and more than half a million people affected
The NEOM city construction project, which includes the famous 170-kilometer-long skyscraper The Line, is the subject of a shocking documentary produced by the UK's Channel 3.
In a courageous reporting effort, the producers expose the extreme working conditions and reports of abuse and death that marked the history of this project.
In total, more than 21 thousand foreign workers, mainly from Bangladesh, India and Nepal, died during the construction of the city.
These immigrants are described by survivors as being treated like “beggars” and being forced to work 16 hours a day without adequate rest.
According to the documentary, many of these victims were in charge of extremely heavy tasks, such as building trenches and tunnels for railways.
Workers reported extreme exhaustion, constant anxiety and an unsustainable routine.
Without rest for days on end, they saw their living and working conditions deteriorate day after day.
“We get tired, we suffer from anxiety day and night,” said one of the workers.
The Dark Side of Development: Accusations of Abuse and Death
This ambitious project, designed to position Saudi Arabia as a leader in urban innovation, has generated a series of criticisms due to the cruel treatment given to workers.
While Saudi authorities insist that the project is committed to high ethical and legal standards, the reality on the construction sites appears to contradict these claims.
NEOM representatives, in response to these allegations, stated that they are “evaluating the allegations” made in the documentary and that they would take appropriate action if necessary.
However, a number of other issues have also emerged, with reports of abuses suffered by local populations.
Indigenous people from the region, such as members of the Huwaitat tribe, were evicted from their lands to make way for the construction of the megacity.
In some situations, the repression was violent, and information from authorities indicates that security forces were ordered to eliminate anyone who tried to resist.
The documentary, in addition to exposing the working conditions, also addresses the devastating impact that the project has had on local populations.
The bleak future of the 2034 World Cup and its environmental impacts
But the criticism doesn't stop there.
Saudi Arabia, which has been chosen to host the 2034 World Cup, is planning a football stadium that will stand out not only for its grandeur, but also for the fact that it will be situated 350 meters high, on top of a mountain.
Although the project has gained notoriety for its futuristic ambitions, what many do not know is that behind grand plans like this, an alarming human cost is hidden.
The report “The Dark Side of Neom”, published by the human rights organization ALQST, details the human impacts of these megaprojects.
According to the document, large-scale forced evictions, demolitions and displacements have affected more than half a million people.
The search for development and innovation is therefore generating a high social and human cost, with the least favored paying the price for a future that still seems distant to many.
The Saudi authorities’ response: promises of change or symbolic measures?
According to NEOM representatives, the allegations of abuse are being investigated.
The company said authorities were committed to ensuring compliance with the city's code of conduct, which should be aligned with Saudi Arabian laws.
However, to date, no effective measures have been taken to correct working conditions or remedy the harm caused to workers.
This question raises a crucial question: How can the human cost behind such a grand development project be justified?
Can Saudi authorities truly create a megacity of the future without continuing to pay the price of human lives in the name of innovation?
The impact of the project on the future of Saudi Arabia and the world
The construction of NEOM, with its promises of modernity and innovation, may be creating a revolutionary future for Saudi Arabia.
However, at what cost? With thousands of lives lost, reports of abuse and repression, and large numbers of people displaced from their lands, the project raises a fundamental ethical question about how far human and technological development should go.
Is progress really worth the pain and suffering of so many?
How do you view the construction of megastructures and their human costs? What is more important: development or human dignity?
