Displaying items by tag: NEOM project

Colonel Rabih Alenezi, an exiled Saudi intelligence officer in the UK, alleges Saudi forces have orders to shoot villagers resisting eviction for "The Line," a futuristic megacity part of the $1 trillion NEOM project. Aimed at transforming the Saudi desert into an eco-city and reducing oil dependency, The Line will be two skyscrapers stretching 106 miles, intended to house up to nine million people by 2030. However, current projections expect only 300,000 residents by decade's end with minimal construction completed. The NEOM project has faced significant hurdles, including human rights abuses against local tribes like the Huwaitat, resulting in deaths, arrests, and imprisonments as authorities forcefully evacuate areas for development. Reports from Saudi rights group ALQST corroborate the violent displacements and human rights violations. Despite its ambitious scope, NEOM's viability remains questioned, with setbacks including high staff turnover and operational challenges compounding the controversy surrounding the project's impact on indigenous populations. See