Exactly two years ago, on August 4, 2020, an explosion destroyed the port of Beirut and leveled entire neighborhoods of the Lebanese capital, killing more than 200 people and injuring more than 6,500.
The huge explosion was caused by a fire in a warehouse that housed tons of stored ammonium nitrate, “without precautionary measures” according to the authorities. It is one of the largest non-nuclear explosions ever recorded to hit a country hit by a deep economic crisis.
Grain silos symbols of the collapse of the drama
Two years later, the city is again plunged into deep concern. The grain silos damaged by the explosion of the explosion collapsed in Beirut, this Sunday, July 31, after a fire. A cloud of dust covered the port after two of the 48 towers collapsed. Army helicopters immediately flew over the area to drop water and try to completely extinguish the fire in the structure.
“Two other towers are in danger of collapsing,” Public Works Minister Ali Hamiye said.
More than two weeks ago there was a fire in the most damaged part of the silos, caused according to authorities and experts by the fermentation of the remaining grain stocks, combined with high temperatures.
trauma rekindled
The fire rekindled the trauma of the relatives of the victims of the explosion on August 4, 2020. The Ministries of Environment and Health have issued recommendations for the public in the event of a silo collapse, in particular on the need to evacuate the area, wear masks and close the windows of the accommodations.
“I hope that seeing the silos fall will give people the will to fight for justice, to fight with us,” said Tatiana Hasrouty, a resident who lost her father in the blast.
In April, Lebanon ordered the demolition of the silos, but the decision was put on hold due to opposition from relatives of the victims of the tragedy who want to turn it into a place of remembrance.
Power outages, rationing, inflation, exodus…
The 2020 mega-bang is a nightmare in Lebanon’s already turbulent history, now mired in the worst economic crisis in its history and facing relentless power cuts, runaway inflation and widespread despair.
The explosion was felt as far as Cyprus, a Mediterranean island located about 200 km away. It further affected a population already tested by the crisis and caused a mass exodus from Lebanon reminiscent of the 1975-1990 civil war.
But Lebanon’s ruling class, accused of mismanagement, corruption and gross negligence, continues to cling to power as the population suffers from shortages of fuel, medicine and clean water. Bakeries ration bread, power outages can last up to 23 hours a day, streets are dark at night, and traffic lights don’t work.
stalled investigation
But the relatives of the victims have not received a response from their leaders about the presence of tons of ammonium nitrate stored without precaution, at the origin of the explosion. Investigations have been stalled since late 2021, due to political obstruction, and no officials have been brought to trial.
The lead investigator, Tarek Bitar, was prevented from carrying out his mission by a series of trials against him and a campaign directed in particular by the powerful armed Hezbollah movement, a heavyweight in local political life.
For two years, the investigation has been hampered or even suspended on several occasions, strongly impacted by the political instability in the country where three prime ministers have succeeded since the explosion.
“The Lebanese are still waiting for justice to be done”
Independent experts from the UN and NGOs called on Wednesday for an international investigation to be launched “without delay”, stressing that “today it is clearer than ever that the national investigation cannot do justice”.
“This tragedy was one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in recent history, but the world has done nothing to understand why it happened,” said the six experts who are mandated by the Human Rights Council but do not speak on behalf of of the United Nations. Nations.
“On this second anniversary of the explosion, we are heartbroken to see that the people of Lebanon continue to wait for justice to be served, and we call for an international investigation to be opened without delay,” they added.
Three protest marches by relatives of victims determined to continue their fight for truth and justice are planned this Thursday towards the port where smoke still comes out of the silos.
Source: BFM TV
