Business Insider reported on May 10 that the founder of green energy firm Solar Water has terminated a $100 million contract to assist in constructing the futuristic eco-region NEOM after learning of Saudi authorities’ demolition of villages to pave the way for the $500 billion project.
NEOM represents the centerpiece of Saudi ruler Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 initiative, aimed at modernizing the kingdom, diversifying its economy beyond oil, and positioning it as a premier luxury tourism destination and innovation center. Central to the project is the development of the Line, a car-free mega-city stretching 170 kilometers (106 miles), with a width of just 200 meters (656 feet), designed to operate solely on renewable energy.
Malcolm Aw, CEO and founder of Solar Water, expressed his dismay at reports of human rights violations and terminated the NEOM contract in 2022, despite his company having already constructed desalination plants in the area. Aw condemned the forced evictions and demolitions of villages, describing them as “unbelievable.”
Aw’s statements to Business Insider coincide with a BBC report revealing that Saudi authorities have authorized the use of lethal force to clear land for NEOM. Former Saudi intelligence officer Colonel Rabih Alenezi disclosed that he was instructed to forcibly remove members of the Huwaitat tribe, resulting in the fatal shooting of one protester.
The BBC report also highlighted satellite imagery depicting the destruction of three villages, including essential facilities like schools and hospitals, to make room for NEOM. Colonel Alenezi disclosed that a clearance order issued in April 2020 authorized the use of lethal force against those resisting eviction.
Abdul Rahim al-Huwaiti, a villager who refused to comply with a land registry assessment, was fatally shot by Saudi authorities during the eviction operation. Prior to his death, al-Huwaiti had voiced his opposition to the forced evictions on social media platforms.
Aw criticized Saudi officials for displacing longstanding residents in pursuit of transforming the region into a high-end tourist destination, asserting that the original vision aimed to prioritize sustainability.
Solar Water specializes in desalination powered by solar energy, a greener alternative to fossil fuel-dependent methods. NEOM had offered Aw’s company $100 million for exclusive rights to its technology, but Aw deemed the project’s approach unethical, emphasizing the displacement of indigenous communities and the prioritization of wealthy tourists over environmental sustainability.
“The idea was to develop a green scenario,” Aw remarked, expressing his disappointment with the divergence from the project’s initial environmental objectives.