A BRAVE female reporter has gone undercover to reveal the dangerous and deadly working conditions inside Saudi Arabia.
More than 21,000 workers have mysteriously died in just eight years since work on the infamous NEOM project started, according to shocking new statistics.
Shushah Island resort in Saudi Arabia, one of the NEOM initiatives (concept image)[/caption]
A state billboard in Saudi Arabia pictured in the ITV doc[/caption]
The documentary includes scenes from a concert in Saudi Arabia for International Women’s Day (pictured)[/caption]
Staff have complained of feeling like “trapped slaves” and “beggars” just weeks after starting to work for Saudi developers.
Serious allegations of missed payments, working illegal hours and a number of clear human rights violations have all been made.
Terrified workers and the heartbroken family members of workers who have died since moving to Saudi have revealed the horrors they’ve faced in recent years in ITV’s latest expose.
Dubbed “Kingdom Uncovered: Inside Saudi Arabia” the documentary speaks on the deadly issues experienced firsthand for many.
It goes inside the illegal practices and terrible violations many say are being committed each day under the guise of constructing some of the world’s priciest building projects.
The divisive ruler of the Kingdom, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has been at the forefront of trying to develop the oil state into a global tourism hub.
He has splashed trillions to create his Saudi Vision 2030 project which features complexes sch as the flagship NEOM which includes fantasy ideas such as The Line.
Despite the luxury plans for the ambitious builds human rights groups have expressed many concerns over the massive construction plans.
With fears that migrant labour will be exploited and many locals would be displaced.
Saudi Arabia has also been hit with serious allegations claiming a significant number of migrants working in construction have disappeared.
Emerging reports allege that as many as 100,000 migrant workers have gone missing during the construction of NEOM.
New figures from ITV have also revealed that 21,000 foreign workers from India, Bangladesh and Nepal have all died since Vision 2030 was launched.
Nepal’s Foreign Employment Board suggests that over 650 Nepalese worker’s deaths are still unexplained.
In the documentary an undercover journalist named Noura speaks with workers from The Line about the toll its taken on people.
The futuristic 100-mile car-free city with a million residents is currently under construction deep in the Saudi desert.
One worker revealed in the documentary that he is often made to work 16-hour days helping to build a high-speed train tunnel for The Line.
Over just one five-day week the worker says he can do upwards of 84 hours.
Saudi law strictly states that no one should do more than 60 hours a week.
The worker revealed: “We’re made to work extremely hard. There is little time to rest.
“We get tired. We suffer from anxiety day and night. Saudi doesn’t care much for citizens from other countries.
“We are treated like beggars.”
Nicholas McGeehan, director at human rights organisation FairSquare, said: “These working hours are way beyond what the international minimum standards permit.
“The reality is that workers all over Saudi Arabia are subject to deeply abusive and dangerous exploitation.
“The abuses are systematically happening across the country.”
In another clip with a group of local workers one man says: “We feel like trapped slaves.”
In the documentary Noura says that she has spoke to many workers who say they haven’t been paid for months.
One man who came over from Pakistan says he hasn’t seen any cash go into his account for 10 months.
Other allege that they don’t get fed or can’t afford to eat with others and say they are never allowed to leave the Kingdom to see their families.
A driver who works for NEOM revealed the lack of sleep and continuous work has caused many accidents with almost five crashes per month.
In a statement NEOM replied: “We are assessing the claims made in this programme and, where required, will take appropriate action.
“We require all contractors and subcontractors to comply with NEOM’s Code of Conduct, based on the laws of Saudi Arabia and the policies of the International Labour Organization.
“They are subject to frequent inspections of their workers’ living and working conditions.”
Another major issue Noura found was how the combination of a busy workload, lack of food and sleep and a general negative environment can lead to mental fatigue and physical torment.
In many cases this stress led to illnesses.
A harrowing phone call from a Nepalese worker in the Kingdom called Raju Bishwakarma was played in the documentary as the man begged to be saved.
On the verge of tears, Raju can be heard saying: “Please listen to me I am very sick.
“Please rescue me from here, you have to rescue me.”
The man’s health rapidly deteriorated but according to his friends and family he was still forced to work everyday.
It got to the point where he was having to be wheeled around in a wheelchair by pals.
The Saudi government has previously said they will always offer healthcare to anyone in a critical condition.
He was instead offered a chance to leave his job and go home if he paid a fine that equated to five months of his wages, the doc claims.
Shortly after Raju was found dead inside his room.
Shocking footage recorded by fellow workers showed him being carried away in another man’s arms as dozens watch on anger.
Hundreds of workers then protested the conditions with clips of buildings up in flames being shown.
Nepali human rights lawyer Anurag Devkota said: “Migrant workers are leaving this country every day, for a better future for their family members and a better future for their country.
“But in return, what we are getting is the dead bodies in the wooden boxes.”
ITV say they put all of the allegations in the film to the Saudi Government but didn’t receive a reply.
Watch Kingdom Uncovered: Inside Saudi Arabia on Sunday October 27 at 22:15pm on ITV.
Top 5 blunders plaguing NEOM project
BY Juliana Cruz Lima, Foreign News Reporter
Saudi Arabia’s NEOM project, despite its ambitious vision, has been criticized for several major blunders that have raised concerns about its feasibility, ethics, and overall execution.
Here are the top five major blunders associated with the project:
Forced Displacement of Indigenous Communities: One of the most significant controversies surrounding NEOM is the forced displacement of the Huwaitat tribe.
This indigenous community, which has lived in the area for centuries, was forcibly removed from their ancestral lands to make way for the development of the mega-city.
The Saudi government’s crackdown on those who resisted, including the killing of a tribal leader, Abdul Rahim al-Howeiti, has drawn widespread condemnation from human rights organisations.
This blunder not only sparked international outrage but also tainted NEOM’s image as a forward-thinking, humane project.
Environmental Impact and Sustainability Concerns: NEOM has been marketed as an environmentally sustainable city, but the environmental impact of such a massive development is a major concern.
The project’s scale—covering over 26,500 square kilometers—poses significant risks to local ecosystems, particularly in the Red Sea, which is home to rich marine biodiversity.
Critics argue that the construction of artificial islands and extensive urbanisation could lead to irreversible ecological damage.
The enormous water and energy demands required to maintain a green city in the desert also raise questions about the project’s sustainability.
Economic Viability and Cost Overruns: NEOM is one of the most expensive development projects in history.
But there are serious doubts about its economic viability. Critics question whether the project can attract the necessary foreign investment and whether it will generate sufficient returns to justify the enormous expenditure.
The economic risks are further compounded by potential cost overruns and delays, which are common in megaprojects of this scale.
This financial gamble has led some to worry that NEOM could become a costly white elephant if it fails to meet its ambitious goals.
Technological Overreach and Ethical Concerns: NEOM is envisioned as a high-tech city, heavily reliant on artificial intelligence, robotics, and extensive surveillance systems.
While this technological ambition is central to NEOM’s identity, it also raises significant ethical concerns. The level of surveillance planned for the city could lead to unprecedented control over residents’ lives, sparking fears about privacy and civil liberties.
The lack of transparency about how AI will be used, coupled with concerns about job displacement, has also led to criticism that NEOM’s technological vision may be more dystopian than utopian.
Cultural and Social Disconnect: NEOM’s vision of a futuristic, liberalized society clashes sharply with Saudi Arabia’s deeply conservative cultural norms.
The project plans to introduce mixed-gender sports, entertainment events, and other liberal lifestyle elements that are rare in the kingdom.
This cultural shift has raised concerns about a potential clash between NEOM’s globalised vision and the traditional values of Saudi society.
The disconnect between the project’s ambitions and the broader cultural context has led to skepticism about whether NEOM can truly integrate into Saudi Arabia’s social fabric without causing significant friction.
A clip from the ITV documentary[/caption]
Central Saudi Arabia – featured in the documentary[/caption]
