Middle East/Africa Saudi forces 'told to kill' to clear land for eco-city

[Old School]

Source : https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-68945445

Saudi authorities have permitted the use of lethal force to clear land for a futuristic desert city being built by dozens of Western companies, an ex-intelligence officer has told the BBC.
Col Rabih Alenezi says he was ordered to evict villagers from a tribe in the Gulf state to make way for The Line, part of the Neom eco-project.
One of them was subsequently shot and killed for protesting against eviction.
The Saudi government and Neom management refused to comment.
Neom, Saudi Arabia's $500bn (£399bn) eco-region, is part of its Saudi Vision 2030 strategy which aims to diversify the kingdom's economy away from oil.

Its flagship project, The Line, has been pitched as a car-free city, just 200m (656ft) wide and 170km (106 miles) long - though only 2.4km of the project is reportedly expected to be completed by 2030.

Neom: Saudi forces 'told to kill' to clear land for eco-city

An ex-intelligence officer tells the BBC he was permitted to shoot dead those resisting eviction.

www.bbc.com

 

[Old School]

[H1]Energy CEO said he canceled a $100M contract with Neom when he realized the Saudis were bulldozing villages to make space[/H1]

• Malcolm Aw said he pulled out of a Neom contract because of alleged Saudi human rights abuses.
• The CEO of Solar Water told BI that he had planned to build solar desalination plants.
• Human rights campaigners say tribe members are being forcibly evicted to make way for the megacity.

A green energy founder pulled out of a $100 million Neom contract after he realized that the Saudis were bulldozing villages to make way for the megacity.

Malcolm Aw, the CEO and founder of Solar Water, told Business Insider that he initially got involved with Neom to help realize its ambitions as a pioneering green energy "eco-city."

Neom is the centerpiece of Saudi ruler Mohammed bin Salman's Vision 2030 project to diversify the Saudi economy away from fossil fuels and transform it into a luxury tourism destination and innovation hub.

Energy CEO said he canceled a $100M contract with Neom when he realized the Saudis were bulldozing villages to make space

Malcolm Aw, the CEO and founder of Solar Water, told Business Insider that he became disillusioned with the project.

www.businessinsider.com