Under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), Saudi Arabia has witnessed an era of extravagant dreams and juvenile ambitions pursued at any cost. The $500 billion NEOM project, touted as the “City of the Future,” has become a glaring reflection of political and economic mismanagement that continues to sink the kingdom into a spiral of failures. What was promised to Saudis and the world as a transformative leap toward progress and modernity now reveals its true face: wastefulness, repression, and grave human rights abuses.
Mohammed bin Salman’s relentless pursuit of unattainable dreams has shown his willingness to use any means, no matter how brutal. From the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate to the forced displacement of the Huwaitat tribe for NEOM’s construction, the Crown Prince has demonstrated that human lives are expendable in his quest to realize his utopian visions.
On November 19, 2024, the human rights organization ALQST released a damning report titled NEOM: Unveiling Troubling Realities. The report condemned the Saudi government’s ongoing forced eviction of the Huwaitat tribe and revealed evidence of deaths among the tribe in Saudi prisons due to torture and medical neglect. It further highlighted the judiciary’s refusal to hear the tribe’s appeals regarding land confiscation, exposing a repressive system that crushes dissent.
Clear Failures in the NEOM Project
Despite being branded as a symbol of modern development, NEOM has faced a string of undeniable failures. The first phase of “The Line,” a linear city promised to redefine urban living, has been scaled back drastically due to skyrocketing costs and construction delays. According to a report by The Sun on October 25, 2024, construction across more than 40 sites was halted as the Saudi government failed to pay contractors. This financial mismanagement led to mass layoffs, leaving thousands of workers unemployed.
NEOM’s foundation is built on an extraordinary human toll. The Huwaitat tribe, indigenous to the land designated for the project, faced unprecedented forced displacement. Their homes were razed, and those who resisted were arrested, tortured, or even killed.
The human cost extends beyond the tribe. Migrant workers, primarily from South Asia, endure appalling conditions in NEOM’s construction sites. The ALQST report confirmed that at least 21,000 workers have died in construction sites due to harsh working conditions, lack of safety measures, and delayed wages. Many of these workers live in squalid accommodations, while their families are left without compensation for their losses.
A Climate of Fear and Suppression
In Saudi Arabia, a regime dominated by fear and repression ensures that questioning NEOM or its failures is a punishable offense. On October 25, 2024, Monaco International revealed that Saudi authorities had detained activists attempting to document the conditions of NEOM’s workers. This blanket censorship underscores the kingdom’s commitment to silencing criticism at all costs.
The Major Question: For How Long?
NEOM, initially envisioned as a beacon of progress, has devolved into a symbol of waste, mismanagement, and repression. The pressing question is: how much longer can Mohammed bin Salman continue down this catastrophic path? Will Saudi Arabia recognize its missteps before these failures become an irreversible burden?
For now, MBS may forcefully impose his visions, but history is unforgiving to leaders who prioritize delusions over reality and human rights. NEOM stands not as a testament to progress but as a cautionary tale of ambition unmoored from ethics and practicality.
البوست
💸 $500 Billion Down the Drain: NEOM’s Dark Truth
The $500 billion NEOM project promised a utopia but has delivered waste, repression, and tragedy. From displacing the Huwaitat tribe to the deaths of over 21,000 workers, the human cost is too high.
📢 Read how MBS’s reckless ambitions are sinking Saudi Arabia into failure.
#NEOM #HumanRights #SaudiArabia #Vision2030
التصميم
The $500 Billion NEOM: A Monument to Waste, Oppression, and Unfulfilled Promises
