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235 victims are still calling for justice, alongside thousands of survivors.
August 4th, 2020: more than 200 human beings were blasted off in a matter of seconds by a deadly shockwave; they were reduced to dust, smoke, pieces…
More than 200 families were aghast at first, then in denial, then devastated, then they revolted. Fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, daughters, husbands, wives, grandfathers, grandmothers, and extended families: all have been in deep suffering for three years, and all want the truth.
The so-called Lebanese justice system is a languid, decaying body—at times cowardly—paralyzed by political pressure exerted by people aware of their guilt, by people who are indubitably guilty. Then there are those guilty of negligence to say the least, or guilty of collusion in the worst case. They are guilty because they knew—all prime ministers since 2013, all were aware of the ammonium nitrate imported and stocked for too long in the Beirut port. They knew it was exfiltrated in large quantities to Syria, their strategic and criminal ally. Interior ministers, public works ministers, justice ministers, finance ministers—a goldmine—at the Electricity ministry, an El Dorado. All protected by iniquitous immunity: the people in charge of the port and all its departments, of customs, of the manifest office, of security and military forces…
Then there is the man who is the most responsible for this, the man to whom “it was already too late”—and the entire “superior” defense council—who, on July 28th, 2020, did not bother to include in his agenda the imperative need to discuss ammonium nitrate stocks in the Beirut port. These stocks were placed near densely populated areas that include four hospitals, schools, a museum, businesses, restaurants, offices. The people in power believe they have better things to do, such as the maritime border delimitation with Israel, to clean a few dirty hands.
In this context, two questions ought to be asked: who called Hassan Diab and advised him against planning an inspection visit to the port? Who asked the superior defense council to call off the ammonium nitrate inspection on July 28th, 2020?
Strangely, on July 20th, 2020, the State Security sent a report to the Superior Defense Council, former President Michel Aoun, and former Prime Minister Hassan Diab, signalling the presence of hazardous and unsafely stocked ammonium nitrate at the port. But the matter was deemed unworthy of attention.
Between May 18th and June 26th, 2014, the director of General Security sent a written letter to the president, the prime minister, and the interior minister, pointing out the presence at the port of a vessel filled with ammonium nitrate, highlighting the danger it might constitute. But the matter in question was not written down in the agenda during the superior defense council meeting of the time.
Also, on February 21st, 2014, Colonel Joseph Skaff—who must be turning over in his grave now— alerted the authorities to the presence of the cargo vessel Rhosus that was admitted to the port on November 21st, 2013, with the 2755 tons of ammonium nitrate it carries. Skaff pointed to the looming danger and asked for the vessel to be steered away from the harbor (This was done, temporarily, as late as March 2014: our politicians are masters of procrastination).
Disturbing detail: the Rhosus was supposedly admitted into the port of Beirut to load equipment belonging to Spectrum, a contracting company operating in Lebanon as per contracts signed with the Ministry of Energy. Worthy of note is the fact that Rhosus’ agent did not reveal the nature of its cargo, a violation per se, but the customs officers, the people in charge of the port, and Ghazi Zeaiter, then Minister of Public works, have disregarded the issue and deemed it negligible and unproblematic.
Additionally, Nehme Brax, who worked at the manifest department, sent a harrowing letter to his superiors on October 24th, 2014, informing them that hangar 12 contained highly flammable materials that made it extremely dangerous to stock ammonium nitrate there. Brax suggested two alternatives: handing the ammonium nitrate over to the Lebanese army or reexporting it immediately. The customs administration ignored all of these warnings.
Similarly, many specific rules and regulations govern the transportation, stocking methods, importation, inspection, and potential use of explosive materials. These same rules and regulations detail the required licensing and the mandatory formalities: who to inform, warn, and ask to sign, when, how, where, and why. This includes the Cabinet, specific ministers, port authorities and departments, customs, security services, the judge of expedited matters, military authorities, etc.
Seven years have gone by between 2013 and 2020, seven years of wheeling and dealing, failures, carelessness, corruption, negligence, and incompetence, all covered by our mediocre politicians at the service of traitors who are Lebanese in name only.
Do they realize the extent of the suffering endured by the survivors of this catastrophe? Are they aware of the plight of their families and the torture brought about by their inability to know the truth and receive justice? Do they know about the nightmares the children who are not even physically injured are having? What about the psychological repercussions on thousands of Lebanese men and women of all ages? They are clearly unaware of all this, they simply don’t care. I want them to know how deeply we despise them, how angry we are at them, and how unwavering our determination is. We will chase every single one of them down, until they are judged and condemned. We need to believe this, lest hatred fills our hearts.
This is an act of faith. We all know that faith can move mountains, so a few vermins should not be difficult to eliminate. On August 4th, 2023, at 6:07 PM, we shall reiterate this act of faith and continue to move forward, by all means.
So that those who perished may finally rest in peace.
