Is the Beirut Blast Investigation Going Anywhere?
In this Aug. 5, 2020 file photo, smoke rises after an explosion the day before at the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon. Lebanese judicial officials say Lebanon has received on Monday, May 31, 2021, a "preliminary report" from France regarding last year's massive port blast in Beirut that killed and wounded many.
Over the course of 10 months, many speculations about the cause of the blast have spread on news and media platforms. Yet, till this very moment these speculations remain unbacked by concrete evidence. Months of red tape and political interference have stalled investigation thus further enraging the families of the victims, Lebanese in general, and the international community; such a massive explosive needs some form of tangible explanation so that justice can be made.
As days pass by, people were beginning to lose hope as people succumbed to general perception: Everything dies in the Middle East, even the truth. Nevertheless, foreign enitities are not willing to let go of the incident as it touched the hearts and minds of even foreign nationals. For instance, a group of US lawmakers, encouraged by the Human Rights Watch, have called on the Biden administration to support a United Nations-led investigation despite the obstruction, evasion, and delay that the UN may encounter with Lebanese authorities.
Heeding to the calls of the international community, judicial investigator Judge Tarek Bitar, claimed that the investigation is in its last phase, and the truth should come out in 2 months “once and for all”. In a few weeks, the stage of summoning defendants will begin, the Judge said, expressing confidence that the truth would be reached and those responsible for the explosion would be held accountable. He then claimed that the investigation is based on 3 hypothesis:
· A terrorist attack
· A missile strike
· A mistake in the welding process of Warehouse No. 12, which led to the outbreak of fire, and then the explosion
He also claimed that one of these hypothesis, after some investigation has been excluded by 80%.
Till the Blast Did Us Apart
“It was like a dream, it was the day after I wanted to see you in your white dress “ Gilbert posted on his social media account, Annahar.
Many young adults in Lebanon, dream of finding love, settling down, and starting a family. That however, was not the case for Gilbert Karaan, the fiance of the firefighter Sahar Fares. All his aspirations and fantasies were taken away on August 4, 2020, along with over 200 victims’ lives and dreams. On the occassion of the day scheduled for their wedding, Gilbert relives the sorrow that he felt on that day. Unfortunetly, this story is one of many sad stories.
“Our wedding cocktail will be to provide 100 food boxes for the needy and poor in the two towns you loved the most Jdeideh and Qaa and some medical examinations for the elderly", Gilbert wrote on Facebook.
Communication and Public Relations Department