Deadly Beirut Port Blast Leaves a Nation in Despair

For over six years, 2,750 metric tons of ammonium nitrate, equivalent to 400 to 3,000 tons of TNT, have been unsafely stored in the Port of Beirut, located at the heart of one of Lebanon’s busiest urban areas. On the 4th of August, the container exploded causing earthquake-like devastations, killing at least 200 people, injuring around 5,000, and leaving 300,000 people homeless.

As of October 2019, the country has been in a state of revolt against a government deemed “corrupt”, “careless” and ultimately “useless” by the revolutionaries. The country has also been living the consequences of a degrading economy and one of the highest rates of hyperinflation which have reached 112.39% in July 2020, assimilated with the starting stages of the Venezuelan hyperinflation. To top that all off, the complete lockdown of the country for an entire month due to Covid-19 has only made the situation worse, with a staggering 50% of the population living in poverty and lacking the most basic needs. In such a state of economic depression, the damages of the Beirut blast, estimated to reach up to $3 billion, were beyond what the country could take. 

For over six years, this dangerous and explosive chemical has been stored at the heart of the capital’s downtown, and yet, citizens were never informed of its existence. It had not even been moved and was stored in the very container it had arrived in.

Questions arise as a public document signed by the former chief of the drug control division at the Lebanese Customs, Joseph Skaf, was recently released. In this document, he wrote “We notify you that this division was informed about the presence of the Rhosus ship at the Port of Beirut. It is loaded with ammonium nitrate, which is used in explosives, is highly dangerous and constitutes a threat to public safety.” Skaf suspiciously died in 2017 and the cause of his death was left undetermined, which has only added to the accusations of corruption embedded in the depths of the country’s political system for over 30 years. Further, many customs officials, including both the director of the port and the director of customs, repeatedly warned of the need to move and dispose of the highly explosive chemical. They even issued a report in late 2019 identifying problems with the warehouse where it had been stored. These requests were left with no response and were completely ignored and disregarded.

Many people and organizations have rushed in assistance of victims; from individuals with as little as their brooms in hand to governments, such as the Canadian and French governments, as well as international organizations. On the other end of the spectrum, Lebanese politicians remain swamped in their spiral of corruption, refraining from acting or giving answers to an already starving, overwhelmed and demoralized population.

Many forms of help and assistance arriving into the country “disappeared” once handed on to the government. Medicine sent from the government of Kuwait was found being sold by government officials to the people, and foreign official workers coming in direct support of those affected were refused entry into the country. The corruption within the Lebanese government really came to a head after the disaster of August 4th, which was emblematic of the greed, negligence and carelessness of the ruling political class.

Lebanese president, Michel Aoun, has affirmed that there will be an investigation concerning the Beirut blast, and that anyone responsible will be held accountable. However, given the Lebanese government’s record in corruption and misconduct, especially in covering up the blame from elite officials, many people demand for the investigations concerning the Beirut blast to be conducted by an international third-party. In an interview with CNN news anchor Becky Anderson, former Lebanese prime minister, Gebran Bassil, stated that the investigation should first be led by government officials and the Lebanese jurisdiction, who should be “given a chance,” and evaluated on how much they prove to be “efficient, fast and transparent.” Yet, who will be evaluating this national investigation and deeming it acceptable now that the Lebanese government has completely lost its credibility?

The visit of French President Emmanuel Macron – two days after the explosion – was a sign of hope to many Lebanese who cried at the sight of the president. Many found this to be a glimmer of hope that, albeit foreign, a government is willing to help. Some even went to the point of evoking their desire for the return of the French mandate of 1920-1943. However, many expressed their mistrust of this visit, claiming “countries don’t have friends, only underlying interests.” This is what Jean-Luc Mélenchon, member of the French national assembly, expressed in a tweet: “I warn the Lebanese about Macron's reforms: protect the demands of your revolution!”, as a warning to the Lebanese people about Macron’s stance on the side of the Lebanese government, and therefore against the Revolution. The same goes for the resignation of the Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab and his cabinet, a couple of days ago. A re-election is not what the people ask, their protest is not a call for negotiation nor parliament dissolution. They renounce the 30-year-old corrupt sectarian system altogether.

It has been four weeks since the devastative explosion of August 4th. The stricken capital remains stunned and in ruins. While many have rushed in support and assistance, the Lebanese government has barely come in support of its own people and continues to delay the conduction of a crucial investigation to find those to blame for this ultimate crime against the Lebanese people.