A week ago, a refreshing report appeared in this newspaper that Prince Mishal Bin Majed, the governor of Jeddah, had taken action to reclaim and reopen streets that had been cordoned off by a prominent business some 35 years ago to build a shopping complex. Following the reclamation, the Prince also "ordered closure of shops in the complex in the north of the city within a week". The closure followed an investigation by the Jeddah mayoralty which revealed that the businessman had encroached on public land, building for himself a profitable empire which included a shopping complex and parking lots as well as a playground. His shady moves came to the attention of the mayor's office when shop owners at the complex complained that the greedy businessman had increased rents and charged that the land was not his to begin with. When the businessman increased their rents, investors in shops informed the authorities that the complex had been established on public land. He had been illegally making use of public land for more than three decades, and no one seems to have been the wiser this whole time! According to a source, "The shop owners blew the whistle and exposed the businessman when he increased their rents." A shop owner said that a bunch of owners had "lodged complaints to the Jeddah governorate, the Civil Defense, the mayoralty, the Human Rights Commission and the National Anti-Corruption Commission against the businessman" and added: "We have been following up this complaint for more than one year. A number of committees have been formed and a number of resolutions have been taken but nothing has happened on the ground." The mayoralty had taken its time to verify the illegal encroachment on public land by the unscrupulous businessman after verifying records of land transactions including maps and deeds, and finally submitted its findings to the governor who ordered the removal of all illegal erections on public land in the area. Following his decision, the mayoralty also served notices to shop owners to vacate the premises. "We have the right to impose the maximum punishment on shops that violate the governor's order." This is great work in the public interest by the governor. One wonders why it took more than three decades to swing the pendulum of justice toward the interest of the public. But the effort should not stop here. The public will want to see more. The city of Jeddah has traditionally been plagued by land grabbers who have through unscrupulous means managed to cordon off choice public land for private use. Reports of shady land deals with unethical notary publics has landed many of them a plum piece of public property. From seafronts to vast tracts that have mysteriously vanished behind high walls, Jeddah has been easy picking for those who had the money and influence to move past municipal laws and regulations and bend property lines in their favor. This is why residents of the city bemoan a seafront Corniche drive that has steadily shrunk in size over the past 35 years. Said a longtime Jeddah resident, "the real theft of public land was in full swing in the 80s and 90s when a huge amount of public property unexplainably suddenly became owned by someone. If you had the money and a contact in the right place, you could get away with it." This brings to mind another blatant encroachment which is the eastern area of Obhur Creek bordering Madinah Road that was walled back in the 80s after which greedy exploiters sold off the public land for private use. It is a shameful sight today and stands in validation of the exploitation and misuse of public property in the past. The governor must launch another investigation into how this area was taken off the public map and order its immediate reopening to the public. We cannot condone illegal exploitation of the past by remaining inactive and turning a blind eye, and should not have to wait another 35 years. Land grabbers must be busted without delay, and public property must be returned to the public! — The author can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @talmaeena
