An Amnesty International report speaks of indiscriminate and insensitive demolitions. More than 558 thousand inhabitants affected, foreigners are also denied the compensation promised by the State. Behind the image of a “progressive and affluent” nation, “horrible stories of abuse and violation” emerge.
Jeddah () – The indiscriminate and “insensitive” demolitions that the Saudi authorities have begun with the plan for the development and revitalization of the port city of Jeddah, which affects more than 558 thousand inhabitants, are “discriminatory” and violate international standards. in terms of human rights. The accusation is contained in a report published by Amnesty International in recent days, according to which forced evictions and demolitions to make way for a new urbanization project in a modern key have seriously affected foreign migrant workers.
Between the end of 2021 and the beginning of 2022, the highest administrative authorities expelled hundreds of thousands of people from their homes. From the documents of the municipality of Jeddah it is inferred that a series of indemnities should correspond to the expropriations, promised as compensation; however, foreigners and immigrants are excluded from this provision, who actually constitute 47% of the total number of those forced to seek new accommodation.
Diana Semaan, Amnesty International’s Acting Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa, points out that “behind the progressive and affluent image that Saudi Arabia tries to present to the world, there are horrible stories of abuses and violations.” “Not only -continues the activist- they expelled residents from their homes, without any sensitivity or giving them time to leave or adequate compensation to find an alternative, but they also discriminated against hundreds of thousands of foreign citizens by excluding them from the regime of compensations”.
Some Jeddah residents interviewed by Middle East Eye last January said they were “taken by surprise” by the demolitions and had “very little time” to find other accommodation or to say hello to neighbors they have lived with for generations. Some were forced to leave their furniture in the open to find shelter under bridges. Research by the activist group ALQST published in April confirms that the demolitions have been poorly managed, with over 71% of those surveyed saying they had received no help at all.
Jeddah is the second largest city by number of inhabitants of the Wahhabi kingdom and about 4.5 million people live there. It is an important economic center and the gateway to Mecca for millions of faithful Muslims who undertake the Hajj (the main pilgrimage) every year. The neighborhoods that have been demolished so far are located in the south, an area considered by many to be the heart and soul of the city that overlooks the Red Sea.
For a long time, the southern sector has been relegated to the margins of major development projects, while all plans and investments were concentrated in the north. However, the southern area of Jeddah has some peculiarities that make it unique for its vitality at a social and multiethnic level, due to the migratory flow that for decades has determined a deep urban mix. However, Amnesty’s report shows that the Saudi state’s narrative has often stigmatized this unique characteristic, targeting locals and linking them to “disease, heinous crime, drug trafficking and theft”.
The development plan that led to the expulsion of more than half a million people from Jeddah is part of the economic, social and cultural reform program called “Vision 2030”, personally promoted by Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman (Mbs). It is a far-reaching project that affects various sectors of the country’s life, but it runs the risk of relegating the poorest and weakest groups, as can be seen from the story of the “martyr of Neom”, hero of the anti-expropriation struggle assassinated by the security forces.
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