Human rights groups are calling on a UK delegation visiting Saudi Arabia to put pressure on Saudi leaders over a recent BBC report. The report detailed that Saudi forces were given instructions to kill for a futuristic city. The UK-hosted event in Riyadh is promoting the projects, including Neom’s The Line, which is a city in the desert. The British attendees at the event include Rio Ferdinand, Jo Johnson and a British Airways executive.
Despite pressure from human rights groups, the UK has confirmed that it has important trade, tourism and educational interests with Saudi Arabia. The “Great Futures” launch event highlights the trading opportunities that are available to British firms in the country and kickstarts a year-long partnership between the UK and Saudi Arabia.
Neom is a vital business opportunity for UK firms and one of the giga-projects that is being promoted. The Department for Business and Trade’s website illustrates the reflected city in the desert, which is part of the Neom eco-project.
An ex-intelligence officer, Colonel Rabih Alenezi, told the BBC last week that he was instructed to remove villagers from a tribe in order to make way for The Line. The tribe was protesting against being removed from their farm to make way for the futuristic city. One of the protestors was shot and killed, although Saudi state security claimed later that he had fired at them first. Human rights organisations and the UN argue that the protestor was killed simply because he was resisting eviction.
Despite the claims of human rights violations, high-profile speakers attending the event describe it as an opportunity to showcase and promote British businesses, culture and society. Despite this, a spokesperson for the UK government has said that no aspect of the relationship between UK and Saudi Arabia prevents it from talking honestly to Saudi leaders about human rights concerns
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