Owners of flood-damaged property are demanding a reassessment of compensation packages they say do not reflect current land values and are growing exasperated at the lack of transparency in compensation assessment procedures and confusion over information requests. Owners of land repossessed for development works in Jeddah and Al-Qunfudha are also concerned that they may find themselves in a similar predicament as confusion abounds over procedural processes. In the east Jeddah district of Al-Sawa'ed a despairing Sa'eed Al-Mutairi, whose house was severely damaged in the November floods, recently returned from another trip to the head offices of the Civil Defense in Al-Sharafiah. “They're giving out flood compensation checks to people, but my name wasn't on the list,” Al-Mutairi said. “I've had to bring in builders at my own expense to repair my house.” Al-Mutairi was fortunate in that he and his family went out shortly before the floods struck, but their home was submerged in the waters and their furniture lost when it was swept out into the street. “After the disaster officials came to the area to assess the damage, and I approached them several times, but I couldn't wait for the bureaucracy to go through so I started getting the work done on my house at my own expense,” he said. Questions abound on how damage is assessed and which authority is responsible for the procedures, with locals claiming they were told that independent consultants would document compensation claims, “but no such thing occurred”. “Victims need to be told how damages are being calculated,” said Ahmad Abdul Malik from Al-Sawa'ed in Jeddah. “When I went to ask the assessment committee about it I was told to go and ask the Ministry of Finance.” Saleh Al-Qarni from Ghulail said he had grown weary of repeated demands for further information. “The committee collected information on the damages done to our furniture and moved us into a furnished flat until it completed its tasks, but when I went to collect the check my name was not on the compensation list,” he said. “I was told that I had to start updating my information from scratch and to ask the finance ministry for a living allowance.” His situation is not unique. Khabar Al-Otaibi from Al-Muntazahat was not put on the compensation list despite the extensive damage to his house. “I've been told that I have to ‘complete more procedures',” he said. Ahmad Al-Maliki's from Al-Harazat saw the perimeter wall of his house collapse in the floods but promises of action from the compensation committee remain unfulfilled. “Every time I go to the committee I return empty-handed,” Al-Maliki said. “I don't know where to turn now.” Repossessed land Owners of property on land being reclaimed by the government to make way for development works are fearful of finding themselves in similar situations. “No one opposes these huge city planning works, but the Mayor's Office should be transparent and make its plans and timetables public so that people aren't caught unawares,” says Wajdi Ahmad of the Al-Salam district. “The real problem lies in the exodus of illegal workers who have been living in unplanned areas. Once they find out about demolition plans they relocate to other areas.” Sa'eed Al-Harbi agrees, and wants to see the Mayor's Office draw up a demolition timetable for every district so that residents can make proper plans to move. “I'd also like to see the mayoralty clearly state how much compensation will be paid to the owners of the re-acquisitioned buildings,” he said. Abdullah Sa'eed in the district of Al-Sabeel is concerned over the future of his home and whether he will be entitled to compensation. “I have heard about demolition plans for the district, but like a lot of other people I don't know what I'm supposed to do,” Sa'eed says. “I'm not sure where I stand because even though I've lived here for 23 years I don't have property ownership deeds for my house. It won't be easy adapting to living somewhere else, and I'm worried that without the title deeds I won't get enough compensation to buy a new house.” Leaving isn't an easy thing to do for 80-year-old Suroor Muhammad either. “I've been living here for 40 years in the house I built with my own hands,” says Muhammad from the historic Al-Balad area of town. “It's difficult to leave it all behind, but it looks like I'm going to move to Rabegh to escape the high rents in Jeddah.” Abdul Al-Zahrani expects rents to increase “drastically” as people move out of expropriated homes, and wants assurances from the authorities that the process is being conducted properly. “I just want to be shown that it's all being done carefully and fairly,” Al-Zahrani said. Issam Ba-Owaidh believes that it is. “These are not rushed decisions, as some people like to think,” said Ba-Owaidh, a resident of Bani Malik. “The reacquisition of property is necessary for development projects that are in the interest of everyone.” – Okaz/SG – Khaled Al-Shallahi, Ibrahim Al-Muthami and Abdul Rahman Khataresh also contributed to the report __
