Now based in Beirut, Aïda is eager to channel her love for writing and her keen insights into politics of the Middle East and humanitarian affairs. With an unwavering belief in the transformative power of advocacy and education, she tirelessly supports human rights and social justice causes, striving to inspire positive change and nurture resilience in communities across the globe.
- Joy by name not by life – Portrait from the South - November 30, 2024
- Beirut’s unanswered cry for Justice: four years after the 2020 explosion - August 4, 2024
- Reform or Facade? Pezeshkian’s Challenges in Transforming Iran - July 11, 2024
On 4th August 2020, 6h07 pm, the largest non-nuclear explosion in history shattered the surroundings at the port of Beirut killing over 200 people, injuring 7,000 others, and devastating 77,000 buildings. Since then, the families of the victims have been doing sit-ins on the 4th of each month to demand justice, justice that remains elusive, whether on a local or international level. The investigation is stalling.
book: Beyrouth à coeur ouvert)
“August 4th did not just destroy the port. It destroyed our lives,” declares the daughter of one of the explosion victims. “The government ignores us, private initiatives keep our heads above water and give us hope.” Indeed, since the tragedy, many funds have been raised to help families in need. Other NGOs have emerged following the tragedy, such as the Krystel El Adem Foundation, named after a young woman who lost her life that day. The pain is unimaginable. The struggle seems eternal. And Lebanese people are still trying to make peace with the event.
Let’s go back to the source of the tragedy.
“MV Rhosus”, a general cargo ship was abandoned in Beirut, Lebanon, after its charterers lost interest in the cargo and the ship was deemed unseaworthy. The ship’s 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate were seized and brought ashore in 2014. These materials subsequently played a role in the devastating 2020 Beirut explosion. The fundamental reasons behind this catastrophe are still mostly unknown. Why was the cargo ship in Beirut? Was the shipment really abandoned or was it left on purpose?
The journey of the cargo ship began in Georgia in 2013, carrying ammonium nitrate with Mozambique as the final destination. It stopped in Beirut to pay for the Suez Canal passage. To cover these expenses, the ship’s owner requested to add an additional shipment. As a result, the already overloaded Rhosus cracked and was abandoned at the port of Beirut. According to Lebanese law, if no one claims a cargo after six months and one day, the customs authorities become the owners. This is what happened in this case.
To whom did the ammonium nitrate belong? The owner of the cargo was registered in the UK under the company “Savaro Limited,” which turned out to be a shelf company. Firas Hatoum, an investigative journalist, discovered that two entities were hiding behind this company, both run by two Syrian-Russian businessmen. The brother of one of them was under U.S. sanctions for attempting to bring ammonium nitrate into Syria in 2013.
Let’s not forget the political context in Syria in 2013: war was raging, but it faced significant challenges in sustaining itself. The use of chemical weapons was explicitly forbidden by the U.S. in 2012 for the Syrian conflict. The only way around this prohibition was through Lebanon. There is an obvious link between all these factors, yet nothing directly proves Syria’s involvement in the matter or identifies the true owner of Savaro, and thus the ammonium nitrate. It all remains a mystery.
Why did the authorities not act directly when the ammonium nitrate was at the port? They failed to properly identify the nitrate for months. Despite numerous alerts and warnings between 2013 and 2020, they were informed but did not take action. Hangar 12, where it was stored, was in poor condition. The army was notified but responded that it did not want it. No inventory was conducted to determine if the entire quantity was still there. All these factors highlight the negligence and poor management of the government and how terribly they handled the situation.
Some things to keep in mind: the authorities forbade rescuers from abroad (Limoges and the Netherlands) from entering the blast site. The families of the victims were forbidden to search for survivors at night because “there were no lights.” When unarmed civilians peacefully protested for days afterward, they were shot with live ammunition. And many such incidents occurred.
Why did the container of ammonium nitrate explode? A lot of people heard planes, but the international community dismissed this idea entirely, calling it an “accident,” making the Lebanese think it was all in their heads, a product of their imagination. At a Lebanese level, the rule of law has become a joke. Four years have passed, and no one has been held accountable. The wounds are still open and bleeding more than ever.
The Beirut explosion was not just a tragic accident; it was a devastating event that exposed the deep-seated issues of negligence, corruption, and impunity within Lebanon’s political and administrative systems. Four years later, the pain and loss remain raw for the families of the victims, who continue to fight tirelessly for accountability. Despite their relentless efforts, justice remains a distant dream, as local and international authorities fail to bring those responsible to account.
The unanswered questions surrounding the MV Rhosus, the mishandling of the ammonium nitrate, and the broader geopolitical implications only add to the sense of injustice and betrayal felt by the Lebanese people. Each sit-in, each protest, and each plea for justice is a testament to the resilience and determination of the victims’ families and the wider community.
This tragedy also serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for systemic reforms in Lebanon. The international community must support these efforts, ensuring that such a catastrophe never happens again. The Beirut explosion is a scar on the nation’s history, but it also represents a call to action for a better, more accountable future.
As we remember the lives lost and the countless others forever changed on August 4, 2020, we must continue to demand justice, transparency, and reform. Only then can the wounds begin to heal, and only then can the hope for a brighter future be realized. The struggle is far from over, but the spirit of those who continue to fight for justice will not be extinguished.
- How should the international community respond to the ongoing quest for justice in Beirut?
- How do you think the resilience of the Lebanese people has shaped their response to the tragedy of the Beirut explosion?
- How might the political and economic landscape of Lebanon have contributed to the systemic failures that resulted in the Beirut explosion?
Suggested readings
Anera. “Beirut Explosion: Responding in the Aftermath”. 2021
