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Deaths and controversy surround the construction of the NEOM megacity: Saudi Arabia's ambitious project faces allegations of thousands of worker deaths and forced eviction of local residents.
A new documentary from Channel 3, from the United Kingdom, called “Kingdom Uncovered: Inside Saudi Arabia”, revealed that more than 21 people died during the construction of NEOM, a megaproject in Saudi Arabia. The multi-million dollar project, part of the country’s Vision 2030, includes the skyscraper The Line, planned to be 170 kilometers long.
What caused the deaths in the construction of the megacity NEOM?
Most of the deaths in the construction of NEOM, a megaproject in Saudi Arabia, are from South Asian countries, such as Bangladesh, India and Nepal, for example. Survivors told the anonymous reporter about the horrors of the working conditions on the project, which border on slavery.
The migrants tasked with building trenches and railway tunnels in the Saudi Arabian megaproject said in documentary that they are “treated like beggars"In addition, those responsible for the construction work force the foreigners to work 16 hours a day, without a break for two weeks. According to the workers, there is little time to rest and they become tired, suffering from anxiety day and night.
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Meanwhile, in response to the news of deaths during the construction of NEOM, those responsible for the Saudi Arabian megaproject said that the initiative is “evaluating the allegations made in this program and, where necessary, will take appropriate action. According to a representative, the requirement is that all contractors and subcontractors comply with NEOM’s code of conduct, based on Saudi Arabian laws.
Other impacts of the construction of the Saudi Arabian megaproject
In addition to the thousands of deaths during the construction of NEOM, previous reports have also claimed that tens of thousands of indigenous people were forcibly removed to make way for the futuristic city. Earlier this year, the BBC also revealed that Saudi authorities were instructed to kill members of the Kuwaiti tribe who remained in the area.
Colonel Rabih Alenezi claims he was ordered to evict residents of a village in order to make way for the construction of The Line, part of the Saudi Arabian megaproject, resulting in more deaths during the construction of the NEOM megacity. One of them was subsequently shot and killed for protesting against the eviction.
The Saudi government and NEOM administration declined to comment. Neom, Saudi Arabia's $500 billion ecological region, is part of the Saudi Vision 2,5 strategic plan to diversify the kingdom's economy and reduce its dependence on oil.
It is worth remembering that Saudi Arabia will host the World Cup in 2034, in a football stadium that has not yet been built. However, the Saudi proposal intends to build an arena 350 meters above ground, on top of a mountain in the city of NEOM.
What is The Line?
Saudi Arabia's megaproject, which has already caused thousands of deaths in the construction of the NEOM megacity, The Line, was presented as a car-free city, just 200 meters wide and 170 km long. By 2030, it is estimated that only 2,4 km of the project will be completed.
Dozens of international companies, several of them British, are involved in the construction of NEOM. The area where the project is being built has been described as the “perfect blank slate” by Saudi leader the Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.
However, more than 6 people have been displaced by the project, according to the government, a number that UK-based human rights group ALQST estimates is higher.
