The Saudi government has decided to completely destroy an area in the city of Qatif; an area that has witnessed many demonstrations and protests by the people.
Local sources in the Shiite city of Qatif in eastern Saudi Arabia say the government intends to evict hundreds of families from al-Thawra (Revolution) Street in the city center.
According to the account of “Nasht Qatifi”, this street has witnessed many protests, especially in 2011, and every family on this street has one martyr, wounded or detained. But so far, 521 families have been asked to vacate their homes for a fee.
Nasht Qatifi wrote: “The goal of the Saudi government is to erase every signs and memories of the 2011 protests,” especially Al-Thawra Street, which had become a symbol of revolution and protests in Qatif.
The government has said that houses should be evacuated for a fee, but residents do not intend to sell or move out of the area. According to the residents, the proposed amount is not enough to buy a house, and in some houses, several families live, and thus a housing crisis is created for the families.
According to the Saudi activist, the aim is not to develop the region, but the Saudis want revenge on the people. A similar incident took place in the Al-Masura area of ​​Qatif in 2017, and many houses were destroyed by bulldozers. In November of last year, Saudi officials razed the Imam Hussein (AS) Mosque in Qatif, which was the site of the sermon and prayers of the martyred Ayatollah Baqir al-Nimr.
The demolition of houses and the forced relocation of residents not only in Qatif but also in other parts of Saudi Arabia have provoked strong popular protests. Thousands of families from the Idlib tribe have been forced to flee the Neom project area in northwestern Saudi Arabia. In the Al-Souda area in southwestern Saudi Arabia, hundreds of families have been forced to flee their homes by order of Muhammad bin Salman under the pretext of developing the area.