Members of the government committee responsible for identifying and removing illegal land developments and blacklisting corrupt land brokers have received death threats. A leading member of the committee was also attacked last week. This was confirmed by Saud Al-Shaibani, Chairman of the Lands Supervision and Encroachments Razing Committee in the Makkah governorate, on Saturday in an interview. Last week, Al-Shaibani said that a man had attacked him at his office. He believes the attack was linked to his work to root out corrupt land practices and encroachments in Makkah. He said members of the committee and supervisors had received death threats via SMS messages. The messages include threats to beat them up and kidnap their children. “Some people are trying to engage in illegal land business which makes them hate our committee and its work,” he said. He believes that the death threats are being sent by brokers who are engaged in illegal dealing in government land. He said the committee has referred to authorities concerned a blacklist of five land brokers. Al-Shaibani said these blacklisted brokers are notorious for their role in encroaching on government owned land. In the interview, Al-Shaibani called for tight security around the committee's administration building and its staff members. He warned citizens against purchasing land in areas planned for agriculture that are marketed by some of these criminal brokers. He said investors in agricultural land are not allowed to sub-divide the land and to sell it in pieces for residential purposes. He said the committee was determined to crack down on brokers engaged in this malpractice. “These people are trying to make quick money in an illegal manner,” he said. However, Al-Shaibani did not deny that some of these brokers were operating with the full knowledge of government agencies. He said that over the past two years, the committee has ordered the demolition of 200 locations in Makkah outside the built-up area. It also stopped building of illegal districts. Asked why the committee initially allowed people to build homes in Wadi Jaleel and then demolished them, Al-Shaibani replied that the committee had nothing to do with the Wadi Jaleel case. He said it fell within the jurisdiction of the Makkah Mayoralty Supervision Committee. He said his committee did not participate in the incidents of Wadi Jaleel except with providing female policewomen. As for demolitions in the area, he said it was not their responsibility. He said they were responsible for the supervision of land in four areas only. They were responsible for demolitions in areas like Al-Ja'ranah, Al-Zaimah, Al-Bjaidi, Daffaq, Al-Shu'aibah, Al-Mattarfah and Al-Madheeq rural areas. Al-Shaibani said if one Saudi national encroaches on the land of another and neither of them has title deeds, then the committee intervenes to resolve the issue. However, if one has a legal title deed and his land has been encroached upon, then this is the responsibility of the police. Al-Shaibani was asked whether, like in Jeddah, developments had taken place on land in Makkah that is vulnerable to floods. Al-Shaibani said there are flood courses in Makkah, in the Al-Hussainiyah Area and Wadi No'man, which concerns the committee. He said that encroachments have been rampant in Al-Hussainiyah area for the past 20 years. In Wadi No'man, the situation is under control despite the existence of large encroachments on it. Al-Shaibani said they stopped three unplanned districts on the flood courses. A report in this regard has been submitted to the authorities concerned. He rejected accusations that the committee has kept silent about the encroachments in the Al-Hussainiyah Area. He said that the rest-houses and homes on the valley floors of the Al-Hussainiyah Area are owned by citizens who have legal title deeds. Therefore the committee cannot demolish them. The agency that issued the title deeds on the valley floors should be questioned, he said. Asked why the committee did not warn citizens about the seriousness of the matter, Al-Shaibani said these warnings were the responsibility of the Civil Defense. He said that the committee cannot issue warnings regarding legally owned houses. He stressed that this is the responsibility of other authorities. Nevertheless, if the committee's opinion is sought, then it would issue a warning on the danger of the location of the houses on the valley floors. As to claims of encroachment in the Ain Zubaidah Area, Al-Shaibani said he can reassure people that Ain Zubaidah is safe from encroachments because there is daily monitoring and supervision. He added that any new encroachment would be dealt with firmly. He said the administration supervising Ain Zubaidah should also keep a watch on its land as a precautionary measure. Al-Shaibani said the percentage of encroachment on state land is small and the ideal solution is for government authorities to appoint supervisors to monitor and protect these properties. He said the committee has referred a proposal in this regard to the authorities concerned. What causes concern for the committee is that some government authorities are not fully aware of the number of properties they own, he said. He said encroachment has taken place on land owned by the Electricity Department, Water Department and Ain Zubaidah. He said the committee has been able to restore some land to its rightful government owners over the recent past. He said that the work of the committee is taxing and said that the government has been asked to raise their allowances.
