About 50 years ago foreigners, including many Africans and other nationalities, were housed in Makkah, but now these communities have grown to over 1.5 million residents, creating challenges in terms of housing and service provision. A large part of this foreign community settled in Mansoura, Al-Tandbawi and Al-Rusaifah districts, while another part chose the southern districts. Makkah has recently seen massive developments taking place, which have resulted in the need to demolish several districts around the Grand Mosque. This has created a new set of problems because many of these expatriate communities have been forced to move out of the area close to the Grand Mosque and settle illegally in other areas. Consequently there have been instances of illegal encroachments in remote areas, often to hide from the authorities. As a result many districts in Makkah have turned into dilapidated areas and havens for criminals. The Makkah authorities have now been forced to take firm action, not only to clean up these areas, but also to ensure they keep pace with the current developments taking place in the city at large. Saud Al-Shaibani, head of the Encroachment Committee at the emirate in Makkah, said the committee has stopped several people from encroaching on the state's uninhabited areas in Makkah. This includes a group who were marketing several uninhabited areas, comprising of eight land plots in southern Makkah, mostly on vulnerable valley beds and flood routes. Al-Shaibani said he has handed these people over to the police. The situation has not been easy. Saudi Gazette reported Tuesday that Al-Shaibani was physically attacked and had his life threatened by a businessman who allegedly tried to sell land illegally in Makkah. The matter is now in the courts. There are some communities, however, who want to work with the authorities to sort out proper housing for their people. Abdullah Marouf, chairman of the Enlightenment of the Burmese Community in Makkah, has presented a proposal to officials on how to solve the housing situation. He explained that the authorities had demolished some of the districts of this community without providing new homes. He has suggested that two suburbs are secured to provide housing. Marouf said there are three socio-economic groups contained within the Burmese community. The first group has been living in Makkah for decades and has deeds in the names of Saudi citizens. These people can be dealt with easily under the current compensation law. The second group of people are those living in dilapidated housing, but have concluded land deals with Saudi citizens. Unfortunately, these people are not covered by the law. The third group has built houses on the top of the mountains without official document and comprises largely poor families. Al-Shabaini said the situation is of serious concern because many members of these communities have started looking for other alternatives which do not fit in with the comprehensive development taking place in Makkah. Many have built homes and created several undeveloped districts. Al-Shaibani said the committee has succeeded in locating all these areas and removed what was built illegally. Many perpetrators have been caught and handed over to the immigration authorities in Makkah. Al-Shaibani said that many of these illegal districts resemble those from the past, to a time when people used donkeys to get around. These undeveloped districts have narrow alleys and do not meet the requirements of modern life. The situation has been worsened by the fact that many of the people living in these areas are those who came for Umrah and Haj and then stayed behind. This has seen an explosion in the population, creating pressure on the authorities to provide the necessary basic services. The mayoralty has conducted a number of studies at several undeveloped areas. Officials have now come up with a plan for development which includes the private sector. Under the directives of Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Emir of Makkah, the mayoralty is currently conducting a study for the development of undeveloped districts including Al-Misfalah, Al-Nakkasa, Jabl Al-Sharashif, Al-Kadwa, Al-Kanaryia, Al-Mabda, Al-Malawi and Al-Jemaiza. Another initiative under way is that of the soft loan housing projects ordered by King Abdullah, Custodian of the Holy Mosques, which is to ensure that money can flow into poor areas for development. All these measures are expected to help put an end to this perpetual and chronic problem in the Holy City.
