MBS 'Vision' demolishes houses, promises homelessness
2 Min Read
Saudi social media activists condemn the displacement of people in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for the implementation of Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman's "Vision 2030", which he launched in 2016.
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From the demolition of Jeddah's Ath-Thaalibah Neighborhood
Social media activists condemned Saudi authorities' demolition of complete neighborhoods in Jeddah and blasted the displacement of people, confirming that no grace periods were given for finding housing alternatives.
The demolitions came to erect four main international landmarks: an opera house, a museum, a sports stadium, and an oceanarium in place of people's residences, all as part of Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman's Vision 2030 project, which he launched in 2016.
Social media activists said a humanitarian, social, and economic catastrophe will affect more than a million people at the least, as the Jeddah Municipality gave residents a mere 48 hours, some only 24 hours, and some were even told to immediately vacate their homes.
Activists added that the Municipality cut off people's water, electricity, and other services before delivering the warnings and stressed that the "compensation given to some were barely worth a third of the price of the houses they owned."
الحكومة #السعودية تهدم منازل المواطنين بالجرافات من دون أدنى مراعاة لأوضاعهم الإنسانية. أغنى دولة نفطية يعيش مواطنوها تحت خط الفقر ويذلون برغم الثروات النفطية التي تبعثرت على مواسم الترفيه والتسلية والانحلال الأخلاقي! #هدد_جدة #هدم_أحياء_جدة https://t.co/YKgPbXDbwh
— Yahya Alhadid (@YahyaAlhadid) January 15, 2022
Saudi opposition activist Omar Abdulaziz commented on the demolition saying that the "development" projects did not find alternatives for the people whose houses they are demolishing, adding that the new houses these people will have to move into will take an even larger share of their limited income, as rent prices will be higher.
— صوت الناس (@sowtalnaas) January 18, 2022
Twitter activist Hanan Al-Utaybi tweeted that the "Saudi authority is acting with the people like thugs; houses are demolished and the land is taken over... the demolition and removal of citizens' homes in Jeddah."
السلطة السعودية تتصرف مع الشعب تصرفات قطاع الطرق؛ فالبيوت تهدم ويتم الإستيلاء على الأراضي..
— د. حنان العتيبي (@Dr_Utaybi) October 23, 2021
هدم وإزالة منازل المواطنين في #جدة#نرفض_التهجير_القسري pic.twitter.com/5jOasC9UTt
Saudi humanitarian activist Alya Al-Huwaiti tweeted in a reminder of the forced displacement of Al-Hwaitat tribe who had lived in the area for centuries but were evicted for the construction of the NEOM megacity project, leading to the killing of Abdul-Rahman Al-Huwaiti, who was resisting the eviction.
شراهة بن سلمان وجشعه وشهيته المفتوحه للدمار بدأت ب #الحويطات_ضد_ترحيل_نيوم ثم قتل عبدالرحيم الحويطي على مرأى من اهله ولن تنتهي بجده، كذالك المدينه المنوره قريباً.
— علياء أبوتايه الحويطي (@Alya_Alhwaiti) January 13, 2022
رصوا صفوفكم اخرجوا لشوارع رافضين منددين صوروا وإنشروا. #إزالة_الاحياء#هدد_جدةpic.twitter.com/Z77mWjUuHx
Human rights activists reported that the demolition has displaced 7196 from the Thahban neighborhood, 10906 from Thul, 7973 from Al-Nazha, 9388 from Msharfa, 121590 from Al-Jam'a, 44385 from Al-Hindawiya, and last but not least, Ath-Thaalibah neighborhood, which Saudi authorities began demolishing on December 30.
