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Deaths And Controversies Surround The Construction Of The Megacity NEOM: The Ambitious Project Of Saudi Arabia Faces Allegations Of Thousands Of Worker Deaths And Forced Eviction Of Local Residents.
A new documentary from Channel 3 in the UK, titled “Kingdom Uncovered: Inside Saudi Arabia,” revealed that there have been over 21,000 deaths during the construction of NEOM, a megaproject in Saudi Arabia. The multimillion-dollar project, part of the country’s Vision 2030 initiative, includes the skyscraper The Line, planned to be 170 kilometers long.
What Caused The Deaths During The Construction Of The Megacity NEOM?
The majority of deaths during the construction of NEOM, the megaproject of Saudi Arabia, are from South Asian countries like Bangladesh, India, and Nepal, for example. Survivors told the anonymous reporter about the horrors behind the working conditions on the project, which border on slavery.
Immigrants tasked with building trenches and railway tunnels for the Saudi megaproject stated in the documentary that they are “treated like beggars.” Furthermore, those in charge of the work force foreigners to work 16 hours a day, without a day off for two weeks. According to the workers, there is little time to rest and they become exhausted, suffering from anxiety day and night.
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On the other hand, in response to news of deaths during the construction of NEOM, those responsible for the Saudi megaproject said that the initiative is “reviewing the allegations made in this program and, when necessary, will take appropriate measures.” According to a representative, the requirement is that all contractors and subcontractors comply with the NEOM code of conduct, based on Saudi laws.
Other Impacts Of The Construction Of The Saudi Megaproject
In addition to the thousands of deaths during the construction of NEOM, previous reports 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 received instructions to kill members of the Kuwait tribe who continued to reside in the area.
Colonel Rabih Alenezi claims he was ordered to evict residents from a settlement to clear the way for the construction of The Line, part of the Saudi megaproject, resulting in more deaths during the construction of the megacity NEOM. One of them was subsequently shot and killed for protesting against the eviction.
The Saudi government and NEOM administration refused to comment. NEOM, the $500 billion (R$ 2.5 trillion) ecological region of Saudi Arabia, is part of the Saudi strategic plan Vision 2030 to diversify the kingdom’s economy and reduce its dependence on oil.
It is worth noting 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 the ground, on top of a mountain in NEOM.
What Is The Line?
The Saudi megaproject, which has already resulted in thousands of deaths during the construction of the megacity NEOM, The Line, has been presented as a car-free city, with only 200 meters in width and 170 km in length. By 2030, the estimate is that only 2.4 km of the project will be completed.
Dozens of international companies, many 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 canvas” by the Saudi leader, Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.
However, more than 6,000 people have had to be displaced by the project, according to the government, a number that the UK-based human rights group ALQST estimates is larger.
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