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Mecca crane collapse shows dangers of city's construction boom Mecca crane collapse shows dangers of city's construction boom
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The deadly Saudi crane collapse that killed more than 100 people at the weekend has exposed a shoddy breakneck construction boom in Mecca that some Saudis complain is ruining the holy city. The deadly Saudi crane collapse that killed more than 100 people in Mecca at the weekend has exposed a shoddy breakneck construction boom that some Saudis complain is ruining the holy city.
For years, Meccans have had to live with rampant building and development work as Saudi leaders seek to expand not just a holy site that received more than 2 million visitors during hajj last year, but the surrounding metropolis too. For years, Mecca’s residents have lived with rampant building and development work as Saudi leaders seek to expand not just a holy site that received more than 2 million visitors during hajj last year, but the surrounding metropolis too.
“Every two years they have a new plan that is nothing to do with the previous plan,” complained one activist, who like many Saudis was nervous of giving his name, “so they have to destroy a bit of the past. That is why the people of Mecca and hajjees have been suffering for the last 15 years.” “Every two years they have a new plan that is nothing to do with the previous plan,” said one activist, who like many Saudis was nervous of giving his name. “So they have to destroy a bit of the past. That is why the people of Mecca and hajjees have been suffering for the last 15 years.”
Frenetic building work is evident everywhere in Mecca, above all at the Grand Mosque, the vast complex of religious buildings spread over 356,800sq metres at the heart of the city, where Friday’s tragedy occurred. Related: Hajj pilgrimage to go ahead despite tragic crane collapse at Mecca’s Grand Mosque
Saudi Arabia’s King Salman has promised to find out what caused the accident, which occurred when a huge crane toppled over during a thunderstorm. One Briton, Qasim Akram, was confirmed killed in the incident. The hajj is due to go ahead unaffected. Frenetic building work is evident everywhere in Mecca, above all at the Grand Mosque, the vast complex of religious buildings spread over 356,800 square metres at the heart of the city, where Friday’s accident took place.
But locals have been left with a bitter taste in the mouth. “There have been quite a few minor incidents, workers getting killed, but it never reaches the press,” said the activist. “This time they can’t hide it.” The country’s monarch, King Salman, has promised to find out what caused the construction crane to topple over during a thunderstorm. One Briton, Qasim Akram, was confirmed to have been killed.
The 100m riyal (£17.2m) Mecca Development Project is being overseen by one of the country’s leading developers, the Saudi Bin Laden Group, and has backing from the Saudi government. Supporters of the project say when it is completed there will be new housing, a ring road, parking lots and a completely new metro train system. The hajj is due to go ahead unaffected, but locals have been left with a bitter taste in their mouths. “There have been quite a few minor incidents, workers getting killed, but it never reaches the press,” said the activist. “This time they can’t hide it.”
“Mecca is not any ordinary city,” Irfan al-Alawi, co-founder of the Mecca-based Islamic Heritage Research Foundation, told AFP. The 100m riyal (£17.2m) Mecca development project is overseen by one of the country’s leading developers, the Saudi Bin Laden Group, and has backing from the government. Supporters say that when the project is completed there will be new housing, a ring road, parking lots and a new metro system.
He is concerned that the city’s many skyscrapers are “making it look like Manhattan”. Chief among them is the 76-storey Mecca Royal Clock Tower and the gargantuan Abraj al-Bait complex attached to it. “Mecca is not any ordinary city,” Irfan al-Alawi, the co-founder of the Mecca-based Islamic Heritage Research Foundation, told AFP.
One of the world’s largest buildings in terms of floor space, the six towers in the complex include luxury hotel rooms and a multi-storey shopping mall. He is concerned that the city’s many skyscrapers are “making it look like Manhattan”. Chief among them is the 76-storey royal clock tower and the Abraj al-Bait complex attached to it.
But activists claim there is a worrying lack of oversight and accidents usually go unreported. Amateur videos of demolition work in Mecca posted online show a dangerous lack of security precautions. One of the world’s largest buildings in terms of floor space, the six towers of the complex include luxury hotel rooms and a multi-storey shopping mall.
One leading concern among local residents is that the Bin Laden Group has earmarked large swathes of slumland for demolition and they fear they may not receive proper compensation or a new place to live. Activists, however, say there is a worrying lack of oversight and accidents usually go unreported. Amateur videos of demolition work in Mecca posted online show a dangerous lack of security precautions.
The problem is compounded by the fact that, although Meccan immigrant communities have traded property among themselves for years – using papers issued internally within each community, such papers are not recognised by the state. A leading concern among local residents is that the Bin Laden Group has earmarked large slum areas for demolition and they fear they may not receive proper compensation or a new place to live.
The problem is made worse by the fact that Mecca’s immigrant communities have traded property among themselves for years, but the state does not recognise the paperwork they use to do so.
“The development project is primarily a means for the regime to distribute oil wealth and patronage among a limited circle of princes and their entourage. No one is expecting it to bring any tangible benefits,” said another Mecca resident.“The development project is primarily a means for the regime to distribute oil wealth and patronage among a limited circle of princes and their entourage. No one is expecting it to bring any tangible benefits,” said another Mecca resident.
Although property around the Grand Mosque is among the most valuable in the world, squalid districts are not far from the centre. Property around the Grand Mosque is among the most expensive in the world, but there are squalid districts are not far from the centre.
Mansour Street is a slum neighbourhood located just more than a mile from the Grand Mosque populated mainly by migrants from three Nigerian tribes. Al Nakasah is a densely populated Burmese slum built on steep, unpaved mountainsides. Mansour Street is a slum neighbourhood located just over a mile from the Grand Mosque and populated mainly by migrants from three Nigerian tribes. Al Nakasah is a densely populated Burmese slum built on steep, unpaved mountainsides.
Many streets in these neighbourhoods are too narrow and steep for cars to pass. Inside the tangled maze of alleyways, sewage runs in unpaved streets and fetid trash lies all around. Many houses have neither piped gas, water nor electricity. Women and children can been seen foraging in skips with street animals looking for food. Many streets in these neighbourhoods are too narrow and steep for cars to pass. Inside the tangled maze of alleyways, sewage runs in the streets and rubbish lies uncollected. Few houses have mains gas, water or electricity. Women and children forage in skips for food.
There is little evidence of the estimated $110bn the king has announced for social programs and subsidies since uprisings began sweeping the region four years ago. There is little evidence of the estimated $110bn (£71bn) in social programmes and subsidies the king has announced since uprisings began sweeping the region four years ago.
Activists say it is Mecca’s unique social mosaic that makes it a particularly easy city for the regime to control. Activists say it is Mecca’s unique social mosaic that makes it a particularly easy city for the government to control. Given its historic role as the centre of Islamic pilgrimage, it is a collection of immigrant communities coming mainly from countries where Muslims face persecution and discrimination at home.
Due to Mecca’s historic role as the centre of Islamic pilgrimage, the city is a collection of immigrant communities coming mainly from countries where Muslims face persecution and discrimination at home.
“Al Saud are experts at playing one off one side against the other,” said another local. “If one community makes problems they are passed over for what they want most – jobs. This keeps the people loyal”.“Al Saud are experts at playing one off one side against the other,” said another local. “If one community makes problems they are passed over for what they want most – jobs. This keeps the people loyal”.
Visas and residency are one of the most powerful means of social control. The regime can easily silence immigrant communities with the threat of mass deportations, a punishment the authorities have not been slow to administer. Visas and residency permits are also a powerful means of social control. The government can easily silence immigrant communities with the threat of mass deportations, a punishment it has not been slow to administer.
“Keep your dog hungry and it will follow you” another told me. “That is the saying Al Saud have taken from their father.” “Keep your dog hungry and it will follow you” another local resident said. “That is the saying Al Saud have taken from their father.”