Lebanon marks port blast anniversary amid paralysis, no accountability
As the Lebanese observe a day of mourning three years after the massive explosion that killed more than 200 people and destroyed parts of Beirut, the investigation into the blast remains on hold.
BEIRUT — Lebanon on Friday marks the third anniversary of the deadly port explosion that ripped through Beirut on Aug. 4, 2020. Lebanese officials announced a national day of mourning for today, with sit-ins expected in the capital.
More than 200 people died and some 6,000 were wounded in the massive blast, which destroyed a large section of the city, leveling buildings on and near the port and shattering windows and infrastructure across the capital. The explosion stemmed from a fire at a warehouse that ignited nearly 3,000 tons of highly flammable ammonium nitrate that had been improperly stored there since 2014. Experts declared the blast one of the biggest non-nuclear explosions in history. Ripples from it could be felt in Cyprus, 250 kilometers (155 miles) away.
3 years after the Beirut blast devastated the city, killed over 200 people & injured thousands, there has been no justice for victims & their families.
— Ramzi Kaiss / رمزي قيس (@kaiss_ramzi) August 3, 2023
Today over 300 orgs & individuals call on the UN Human Rights Council to set-up an int’l investigation.https://t.co/4aGeJlnHlW pic.twitter.com/KiRUUJ2IsF
The explosion came as Lebanon reeled under a devastating economic crisis, which continues to this day. A year earlier, massive nationwide protests had erupted against the entrenched political elite that has ruled the country since the end of the civil war (1975-90). Reports that several officials and politicians had known about the presence of the chemical stockpile at the port fueled even more anger among the Lebanese people.
At the time, President Michel Aoun promised a swift and transparent probe into the blast, but three years on, no one has been held accountable for the catastrophe.
