Saudi Arabia: 'Unfathomable' Jeddah demolitions uproot hundreds of thousands
Residents have had their lives turned upside down by an ongoing eviction campaign that is transforming the port city's southern neighbourhoods
For days, Salah* has not been able to sleep.
The resident of Saudi Arabia's port city of Jeddah is anxious about the future after a surprise eviction order was marked on his home with red spray paint a few days ago.
"I don't know what I'm going to do," Salah said in conversations heard by Middle East Eye. "I don't know where to go."
Salah is one of at least a million people in Jeddah, according to local estimates, who have had their lives turned upside down in the last three months amid a large-scale demolition push by the government.
It's part of a plan to rid the city of "slums" and unplanned settlements ahead of a series of grand redevelopment projects, according to pro-government news outlet Sabq.
At least 10 neighbourhoods have been completely wiped out so far, as work continues in around another 10 areas. The plan targets some 60 districts mostly located in the city’s southern part and is expected to continue for months. But residents say the demolitions have taken them by surprise and given them little to no room to plan their relocation or say goodbye to the neighbourhoods they've lived in for generations.
"I feel deep sadness," Salah said. "I can't describe what is happening here. It's unfathomable."
To make matters worse, residents say the authorities have not put them in temporary government housing or offered any compensation, effectively turning many from homeowners to renters.
'There are children who need to go to school. There are elders, widows and people with disabilities. I saw women crying on the street'
- Jeddah resident
The displacement has caused a housing crisis, with rental prices skyrocketing across the city. In some cases, rents have doubled in a matter of days, residents say, and many aren’t able to afford them.
Some people have been forced to lay out their furniture in the open, taking shelter under bridges, according to eyewitness accounts. One resident said some families are sleeping in their cars.
"There are Saudi families who have no money. They can’t even afford to move their furniture," a Jeddah resident said in a recording heard by MEE.
"There are children who need to go to school. There are elders, widows and people with disabilities. I saw women crying on the street."
Online footage and satellite images showed the widescale destruction of entire neighbourhoods, which have been turned into dust.
This cannot be undone and I am sure it will be greatly appreciated.
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