Lebanese Protesters Criticize Halt of Investigations on Third Anniversary of Beirut Port Explosion

Thousands of protesters marched on Friday, August 4, marking the third anniversary of the Beirut port explosion in Lebanon's capital. The halt of investigations and lack of accountability regarding this explosion have sparked outrage among the public, religious leaders, and human rights groups in the country. They marched from the Beirut Fire Department, where 10 members were killed in the explosion, towards the port of the capital. They carried placards demanding justice and images of the victims of this tragedy. The explosion of hundreds of tons of ammonium nitrate stored in a warehouse at around 6 PM on August 4, 2020, left at least 220 dead and thousands injured. However, no senior officials have been held accountable, and investigations or legal actions related to this explosion have been obstructed. According to Reuters, the ammonium nitrate shipment was en route to Mozambique on a chartered Russian ship in the summer of 2013 but was unloaded during an unscheduled stop at the Beirut port. This shipment remained in a warehouse at the port since that year, and in a legal dispute over unpaid fees and damages, no one claimed the shipment. The FBI has concluded that at the time of the explosion, only one-fifth of the total 2,800 tons of ammonium nitrate had been unloaded, and the rest of the shipment vanished before the explosion. Reuters reported that many Lebanese officials, including then-President Michel Aoun and then-Prime Minister Hassan Diab, were aware of the existence of this shipment. In this regard, Michel Aoun stated after the explosion that he had told security chiefs to 'do what is necessary.' Amnesty International stated that it is unacceptable that after three years, no one has been held responsible for this tragedy. Aya Majzoub, Deputy Director of Amnesty International in the region, said, 'Officials have used every tool at their disposal to undermine and obstruct internal investigations to avoid accountability and perpetuate a culture of impunity in this country.' The third anniversary of the Beirut port explosion; still no accountability for any officials. The national state of emergency in Lebanon has been extended; referring to the continued supply of weapons from Iran to Hezbollah. Alliance Against a Nuclear Iran: Hezbollah Lebanon continues to stockpile weapons. Ongoing tensions at the Lebanon-Israel border; several Hezbollah members were injured.