MAKKAH — Citizens have called on Makkah Municipality to review its project to renovate Al-Hudaibiyah Cemetery walls after a construction company began demolishing the premises' walls without giving any prior public notice. Haitham Al-Sharif, a citizen, said residents were surprised to see construction workers demolishing the walls. He said: “Makkah Municipality built the wall to preserve Al-Hudaibiyah Cemetery. “They told us they were renovating it. We let them work but were surprised again when they cut off 12 square meters of the cemetery's area and told us that this is what the municipality instructed them to do.” He added the municipality usually informed residents of any construction or renovation projects happening in their locality. “The municipality would have a permit with the blueprint of the project and aerial shots of the area. “All the construction company had to show was the contract they had with the municipality stating they are the company assigned for the construction work. The paperwork also specified 15 different cemeteries the company was to work on apart from Al-Hudaibiyah.” He also said he complained about the incident to the municipality's services hotline. “They gave a complaint number (49960) but they never did anything about the demolition and the company is still working on it. “The construction company said they will also build a bridge in the cemetery but there is no official documentation about any of these plans.” Falih Al-Barakati, a citizen, said he reported the company to the police and officers forced work to cease for 24 hours. “When the police came and found that Al-Hudaibiyah Cemetery was only mentioned in the contract, they asked the construction company to stop working immediately. “There was also no justification as to why they took 12 square meters from the land.” He added the police would not let them resume their work until they obtained an official permit from the municipality stating that Al-Hudaibiyah Cemetery was one of their construction projects. “The company was completely insensitive about the people buried in the cemetery. They demolished and dug out graves that were over 60 years old. “The municipality has already renovated the wall last year and did not cut the area of the land.” He also said the company resumed working three days after police suspended them but they have not obtained an official permit. “The owner of the company called me personally to affirm of the validity of the project. “He even said that a representative from the municipality would come by on Thursday but no one showed up.” He called on people in Makkah to lobby the municipality to form a committee with a representative from the Saudi Tourism and Antiquities Authority to determine the historical borders of the cemetery and ensure that the construction project has not touched any graves. “If the project will affect people's graves then the religious scholars must issue an edict permitting the act. Otherwise, it is disrespectful to the dead.” Makkah Municipality spokesman Osama Al-Zaytouni said the construction company was renovating the walls again. “The municipality has assigned the company to work on Al-Hudaibiyah Cemetery. “We have studied the project well and we know the borders of the cemetery. “We have not demolished or dug out any graves or trespassed on the cemetery's borders. “In fact, the new walls are more accurate than the old ones defining the cemetery's borders.”
