Beirut Explosion: Lebanese mark explosion with marches, demands for justice

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In August 2020, at the time of the deadly Beirut port explosion, Lebanon was already facing deepening hardship due to the financial crisis caused by decades of state corruption and waste. In the wake of the deadly blast, the country was faced with dual political and economic crises that took a devastating turn over the past year. And now the country is rife with poverty, instability, hopelessness and many Lebanese have been forced to flee. Yet Sara El Yafi, Political Analyst & Activist, is more than determined than ever to stay put and “bridge the action to the truth. We need to get rid of this political mafia,” insists Ms. El Yafi.

This August 5, 2020 file photo, is the scene of an explosion that hit the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon. 217 killed ,7000 Injured after several hundred tons of ammonium nitrate exploded . 2750 tons were stored there for nearly 7 years, reportedly for use by the Syrian regime in its barrel bombs. The shipment was reportedly confiscated by Badri Daher a close associate of President Michel Aoun and his son-in-law Gebran Bassil , both are allied with the Syrian regime . The shipment arrived at a time when Syria was surrendering its chemical weapons to a UN backed organization for destruction . Aoun officially knew about the Ammonium Nitrate 2 weeks before the explosion but did nothing about it . He , along with his Hezbollah allies refused an international investigation but promised a local investigation that will bring the culprits to justice in less than a week but 8 months later not one politician has been charged. According to an investigation by FBI only 20 % of the chemical exploded . Several intelligence reports revealed that Hezbollah shipped most of the nitrate to Syria and used the rest in Germany , UK and Cyprus (AP Photo/Hussein Malla, Beirut, Lebanon(Photo by Anwar Amro/AFP)

Ms. El Yafi points out how some of Lebanon’s top officials were well aware of, and tacitly accepted, the lethal risks posed by ammonium nitrate, as documented in a new Human Rights Watch report. Reuters reported last August that Prime Minister Hassan Diab and President Michel Aoun were both warned in July last year that the chemicals posed a security risk and could destroy the capital if they exploded.

File photo: A woman whose brother was killed during last year’s massive blast at Beirut’s seaport, holds his portrait as she chants slogans during a protest outside caretaker Interior Minister Mohamed Fehmi’s home in Beirut . (AP)

Despite the worsening situation, Ms. El Yafi remains hopeful in the Lebanese people, “which is everything we’re seeing today (through mass protests and demands for justice). For the first time, a people have found their voice again. Because for a long time, we were held hostage by the Mafia and the militia. (But now) we are sounding our voices like never before and that’s going to be translated (into) change.”

France24

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5 responses to “Beirut Explosion: Lebanese mark explosion with marches, demands for justice”

  1. Lebanese Emigrant Avatar
    Lebanese Emigrant

    This courageous young lady El Yafi should be President. A true patriot!!

    1. She can’t be
      You have to be a Maronite Christian to be president . She is a Sunni Muslim .
      No only that but she is the granddaughter of the best and cleanest PM Lebanon ever had…
      Abdallah El Yafi
      People still talk about former PM Abdallah El Yafi today as Lebanon’s Mr Clean
      This is how backward Lebanon is in the 21st century

      1. Lebanese Emigrant Avatar
        Lebanese Emigrant

        You’re right, I was just trying to set an example.

  2. On the night of Sunday, August 15, in northwest Lebanon, in the Akkar district, a fuel explosion killed at least 20 people. According to various sources, from seven to 100 people were injured.
    RIA Novosti reported that a tanker carrying gas exploded. The TASS news agency reported that a fuel storage tank had exploded. According to Reuters, a fuel truck exploded.
    Information is being specified.
    It should be noted that recently, strong forest fires were extinguished in the Akkar district.
    Lebanon has experienced acute fuel shortages in recent months

  3. Former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri wished the resignation of all the country’s officials, primarily President Michel Aoun, after the explosion of a tanker that killed at least 20 people. His words are quoted by Al Arabiya TV channel.
    “If it were a country that respects citizens, officials would have resigned, starting with the president of the republic and ending with the last person responsible for negligence,” the former prime minister stressed.
    As reported by the Lebanese Red Cross Society on Twitter, at least 20 people were killed in the explosion and 79 were injured. Several people are missing, the victims are taken to Tripoli hospitals with burns of varying severity. The organization called for blood donation for transfusion.
    According to the MTV TV channel, there were 30 thousand liters of fuel oil in the tank, and a severe fire started. Rescuers have now managed to localize the fire.
    Earlier it was reported that in Lebanon, as a result of the explosion of a gas tanker in the Akkar region, at least 10 people were killed, and about a hundred were injured. At least 22 Lebanese Red Cross ambulances were deployed in connection with the incident https://www.alarabiya.net/arab-and-world/2021/08/15/%D9%85%D9%82%D8%AA%D9%84-10-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%81%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%B5%D9%87%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%AC-%D9%88%D9%82%D9%88%D8%AF-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%A8%D9%84%D8%AF%D8%A9-%D8%AA%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%84-%D8%A8%D8%B9%D9%83%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%B4%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%84-%D9%84%D8%A8%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%86

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