For the third consecutive day, the electricity supply to 40 Saudi families living in 26 houses in Al-Rabwah District has been cut. Jeddah Mayoralty ordered the Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) to disconnect the power supply to the houses as a result of a dispute with a well-known businessman over ownership of the land. The businessman is demanding that the families vacate the homes in which they have lived for over 35 years. Earlier, Jeddah Mayoralty gave the district's residents one week to present proof of their ownership of the houses. The very next day, all of them rushed to the municipality's airport branch with proof of their ownership of the plots of land. They presented a number of old legal title deeds and documents dating back to 1981 proving purchase from the previous owner of the land. Sa'eed Al-Hammadi, who is over 80 years old, said, “Last Sunday morning we were surprised by SEC employees cutting off the power supply to our houses with no concern for the old people and children. When we enquired, they told us to see the mayoralty. On visiting the mayoralty, nobody could answer our questions.” He added, “I began living in my house in 1968, that is, 41 years ago. In 1981, when I and some residents of the neighborhood submitted an application for a title deed, we were surprised by a businessman objecting under the pretext that he had a title for the whole neighborhood. Then the case was referred to the Shariah Court and a committee of three judges decided that whichever of the residents swears that he had been living in the house for at least ten years, he will get his residence, but whoever does not swear then he must purchase the land from the businessman according to the amounts agreed on.
