Saudi Gazette report JEDDAH — The Committee for Monitoring Lands and Demolishing Encroachments in Jeddah has disclosed that government land thieves have innovated new methods to cheat the citizens during land sales. The most common of this is the confidence they instill in the buyers to pay up with just the promises that the title deeds would be issued soon. The Chairman of the Committee Samir Basabrain confirmed the existence of some foul play and deception of the citizens when marketing the lands encroached on by some traders and real estate dealers, who claim that title deeds would be issued to the buyers of the disputed plots of land which are generally in unplanned districts, according to a report in Al-Hayat Arabic daily. Basabrain asked if the seller is able to obtain an ownership title deed for the plot of land he intends to sell, despite the fact that the land is not his, then why doesn't he get a title deed issued to him and then sell the land for a big amount? He said that people are always angry with the committee when it demolishes the constructions on the disputed plot and not penalize the land dealer. Also, those who have been cheated do not file a complaint against the person who sold them the land. Basabrain stressed that the buyers need to make sure that the plots of land they intend to purchase have legal title deeds even if the prices are high. They should also check whether the ownership of the plot is not disputed. He likened buying plots of land that do not have title deeds to gambling because of the inherent risk involved. He said the committee is carrying out its functions perfectly, protecting and defending government-owned lands. Mistakes by others do not concern it. When a buyer is cheated it does not mean that the committee has deceived him. He should lodge a complaint against the person who sold him the land. “I cannot imagine how a citizen purchases a plot of land without a title deed. If he has been deceived he can lodge a complaint against the person who sold him the land or against the person who promised him that a title deed would be issued for the land,” he said. As to the real estate offices that contribute to marketing plots of land that have been encroached upon, Basabrain said the committee has closed down many real estate offices in unplanned districts where encroachments on government lands usually take place. He said there are a number of authorities concerned with these offices like the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Jeddah Municipality. He said the committee members have been assaulted when they demolish the structures built on encroached government land. This attack is by the encroachers themselves or those who were deceived into buying the land. They throw stones at the committee's personnel. The assault is registered and the policemen accompanying the committee members arrest the attackers. He further said that the attacks against the committee members or threats through the telephone or mobile will not affect the committee's performance. Any person who is intransigent in handing over the land is arrested by the police and is dealt with according to the law. He added that during the past six years the committee contributed to reducing the rate of encroachments and reclaimed many plots of land. Many government projects have been constructed on reclaimed lands. The last of these was the committee's handing over of a plot of land for a 500-bed hospital to the Ministry of Health. He warned against the danger of unplanned districts. They cost the state compensations estimated at millions of riyals. He said these unplanned districts help the spread of crime, terrorism and narcotics.
