3 years on Beirut port blast, truth still obscured amid interference
5 Min Read
A political expert tells Al Mayadeen that the United States is prohibiting the Lebanese governments from looking into foreign offers to rebuild the economically-strategic facility.
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A Lebanese flag flying in front of one of the destroyed silos in Beirut port that collapsed due to the catastrophic explosion that took place on August 4, 2020 (Al Mayadeen illustration)
Three years have passed since the devastating Beirut port explosion, a tragic event that claimed the lives of over 220 people and caused injuries to 6,500 others, while the investigation into this catastrophic disaster has encountered numerous obstacles, and the main cause remains elusive.
The event was one of the main drivers that pushed the country further into a steep downward economic trajectory. But so far, the investigation's report remains undisclosed by the Lebanese judiciary, leaving tens of thousands of affected families and the Lebanese public seeking answers and closure.
A number of rigid hurdles, spanning between internal political disputes and foreign interference, have prevented the release of the conclusions of a probe into one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in recorded history.
The martyr's families reiterated to Al Mayadeen that they only seek the truth about what happened and who was responsible for the death of their loved ones, considering that it is shameful that those involved have not been arrested so far and describing the investigation as "politicized".
Read more: Lebanese PM: Divisions in judiciary may have 'dangerous consequences'
عوائل شهداء #مرفأ_بيروت لـ #الميادين: لا نريد سوى الحقيقة ومن المعيب عدم اعتقال المتورطين حتى بعد مضي 3 سنوات.#انفجار_مرفأ_بيروت @mayadeenlebanon pic.twitter.com/AVBCzE6Yde
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) August 4, 2023
A well-known path
Since the inception of the investigation into the port explosion, the case was subjected to politicization and lack of transparency, as admitted by the judiciary, lawyer and international law expert Qassem Hodroj told Al Mayadeen.
Hodroj criticized the judicial authority for the road it paved for the investigation, stressing that it is clear and well-known as to where the case is heading.
Recalling the words of the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, after the explosion, Hodroj explained that the government could have delegated the Lebanese Army to look into the incident; a party with high technical expertise in the [explosives] field, heavily trusted and supported by the public, and capable of cooperating with a group of countries on the case in accordance with internal and international laws.
"التحقيق في انفجار #مرفأ_بيروت ذهب منذ البداية نحو التسيس والاستنسابية".
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) August 4, 2023
المحامي والخبير في القانون الدولي قاسم حدرج #لبنان @almostshar202@wafasarayaaridi@mayadeenlebanon pic.twitter.com/7IMM1CQbsy
According to the lawyer, the families of the martyrs are the only victims of the Beirut port explosion, suggesting that they must hold the judge handling the case - Judge Tarek Bitar - accountable for the way he had handled the case so far, including making a number of questionable calls on the matter that eventually played a role in leading it to where it stands today.
He also called on the families to demand assistance in the dismissal of Judge Bitar from the case or taking his hands off the case.
Read more: Wahhab to Al Mayadeen: Judge Tarek Bitar a tool to trigger civil war
Likewise, Hodroj asserted that the media should have been prevented from discussing the course of investigations or filing accusations that affected decisions made by Judge Bitar and his case predecessor Judge Fadi Sawwan.
Among the number of tools used by relevant powers to derail the investigation, the law expert told Al Mayadeen that a campaign was launched by a number of media outlets and politicians to manipulate the Lebanese public opinion and that of the victims' families through the fabrication of fake narratives and scenarios.
"بعد ثلاث سنوات على انفجار #مرفأ_بيروت، لم يتوصل التحقيق بعد إلى كشف المسبب الرئيسي لهذه الكارثة".
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) August 4, 2023
ما أبرز المسارات القضائية التي سلكتها هذه القضية؟ ولماذا لم يتم التوصل إلى نتائج أولية حتى الآن؟
المحامي والخبير في القانون الدولي قاسم حدرج#لبنان@almostshar202… pic.twitter.com/XgTeEz3tcO
All solutions hit wall of US obstruction
The writer and expert on political affairs, Rony Alpha, speaking to Al Mayadeen, said the key to the truth regarding the Beirut port explosion lies in the judiciary holding the judges accountable.
He further expressed fear that the truth might never be revealed and stressed that there is an international conspiracy not to reveal the facts pertaining to the explosion, adding that Lebanon has asked France thousands of times to provide it with footage, and the answer from Paris was always that the satellite was not directed toward Beirut at the time.
Alpha said he believes that any international investigation committee into the Beirut port explosion will be like the international committee that investigated the assassination of Prime Minister Hariri - highly politicized and would be used by the West as a tool for meddling and coercion.
He pointed out that Lebanon has received several offers for the rebuilding of the port, but it is the United States that is preventing the political class from taking any decision in this regard, and this requires that the Lebanese government take sovereign decisions that are in line with the interest and sovereignty of the country, he added.
"The port of #Beirut was like a maritime hub for all the #Gulf countries, on the one hand, and for the countries of the #European coast, on the other hand," writer and expert on political affairs Rony Alpha told Al Mayadeen to describe the facility's strategic position.
Writer and political analyst Rony Alpha to #AlMayadeen: "The port of #Beirut was like a maritime hub for all the #Gulf countries, on the one hand, and for the countries of the #European coast, on the other hand."#August4th #BeirutPortExplosion #BeirutBlast @alpha_rony https://t.co/NY3C2RfjtS
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) August 4, 2023
Alpha said he believes that great efforts are being made to restore the port's pre-2020 status, adding, however, that this process is facing a number of difficulties given the massive amount of destruction that was dealt to the vital infrastructure.
He also revealed that the amount required to compensate the families of the martyrs of the port is $15.250.000 billion.
Read more: Beirut's grain silos partially collapse after burning for 2 weeks
Alfa concluded by stressing that the Beirut port explosion is a moral issue, not just a legal one, and that judges and security personnel must assume their moral responsibilities, especially since dusting off the repercussions of the port explosion will take many years.
Writer and political analyst Rony Alpha to #AlMayadeen: "The port of #Beirut was like a maritime hub for all the #Gulf countries, on the one hand, and for the countries of the #European coast, on the other hand."#August4th #BeirutPortExplosion #BeirutBlast @alpha_rony https://t.co/NY3C2RfjtS
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) August 4, 2023
