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NEOM Construction Project In Saudi Arabia Has Already Killed Over 21,000 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.
Over 21,000 workers have lost their lives in one of the largest construction projects in the world, in Saudi Arabia.
This project, part of the country’s visionary development plan “Vision 2030,” is being built to transform the region into a futuristic megacity, but the human cost could be devastating.
And the worst part: many of these workers were immigrants from South Asian countries, living in conditions that border on slavery.
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Someone cut corners on the foundation of a $400 million skyscraper in Manhattan, and now the 60-story building is leaning continuously while glass panels threaten to fall onto the street.
What is behind all of this? What do the Saudi authorities have to say about this tragedy?
The Megacity Tragedy: 21,000 Dead and Over Half a Million People Affected
The construction project for NEOM city, which includes the famous skyscraper The Line, stretching an impressive 170 kilometers, is the subject of an impactful documentary produced by Channel 3 in the UK.
In a courageous reporting effort, the producers expose the extreme working conditions and reports of abuses and deaths that have marked the history of this project.
In total, over 21,000 foreign workers, mostly from Bangladesh, India, and Nepal, have 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 breaks.
According to the documentary, many of these victims were assigned to extremely heavy tasks, such as digging 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 got tired, suffered from anxiety day and night,” stated one of the workers.
The Dark Side of Development: Accusations of Abuse and Deaths
This ambitious project, envisioned to position Saudi Arabia as a leader in urban innovation, has generated a wave of criticism due to the cruel treatment of workers.
While Saudi authorities reaffirm that the project is committed to high ethical and legal standards, the reality on construction sites seems 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 measures if necessary.
However, a series of other issues have also emerged, with reports of abuses suffered by local populations.
Indigenous people in the region, such as members of the Huwaitat tribe, were evicted from their land to make way for the construction of the megacity.
In some cases, 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 working conditions, also addresses the devastating impact the project has had on local populations.
The Dark Future of the 2034 World Cup and Environmental Impacts
But the criticism does not stop there.
Saudi Arabia, which was chosen to host the 2034 World Cup, is planning a football stadium that will stand out not only for its grandeur but also for being located 350 meters up, 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 lies an alarming human cost.
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, forced evictions, demolitions, and large-scale displacements have affected over half a million people.
The pursuit of development and innovation is thus generating a high social and human cost, with the less privileged paying the price for a future that still seems distant for many.
The Response of Saudi Authorities: Promises of Change or Symbolic Measures?
According to NEOM representatives, the abuse allegations are being reviewed.
The company stated that authorities are committed to ensuring compliance with the city’s code of conduct, which should be aligned with Saudi Arabian laws.
However, thus far, no effective measures have been taken to correct working conditions or remedy harm done to workers.
This issue raises a crucial question: how is it possible to justify the human cost behind such a grand development project?
Can Saudi authorities indeed 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 a large number 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?
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