Saudi Arabia’s ‘The Line’ Violates Human Rights and Common Sense
It turns out that Saudi Arabia’s The Line project is a massive violation of good urban design principles and human rights.
A growing chorus of workers, whistleblowers, and human rights organizations say that the ongoing construction of The Line—which is supposed to be a 100-mile-long skyscraper upon completion—has been marred by inhumane labor practices, worker deaths, and the forced eviction of thousands of nearby villagers.
Most recently, The Line workers told an ITV documentary crew that they’ve been forced to work 16-hour shifts weeks in a row, resulting in mounting workplace accidents and even deaths.
In September, The Wall Street Journal published an investigation finding that The Line executives had reacted with callousness and casual racism when informed of multiple worker deaths that occurred because of unsafe conditions. The Journal also found a pattern of self-dealing and corruption allegations among top executives.
Upwards of 6,000 villagers have been forced from their homes near The Line construction site, reported the BBC earlier this year. Saudi human rights watchdogs say that dozens of people who’ve protested the evictions have been given prison sentences ranging from 15 to 50 years, and at least five protestors have been sentenced to death.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman unveiled The Line in 2021 as part of his grand Neom initiative to create a new, high-tech, urban megaregion in the Kingdom’s remote Tabuk province.
The mounting accusations of rights violations surrounding the Neom initiative are shocking but not necessarily surprising.
Human rights groups have long criticized Saudi Arabia’s terrible routine treatment of migrant workers and the “slavery-like” conditions they often toil und
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