Lebanon, one year after the Beirut Port explosion

Pessimism and despair gripped every corner of Lebanon on 4 August 2020 after an explosion in the port of Beirut killed more than 160 people and injured more than 6,000 others. The anniversary of this tragedy has reopened old wounds in Lebanese society, which over the past year has taken to the streets to demand answers. The Beirut port tragedy that forever changed the lives of its citizens came at a time when the country's economy was in the doldrums. 

Since the explosion took place in Lebanon's capital, the repercussions have been felt at every possible level. The first consequences came just a few days later with the resignation of the prime minister, Hassan Diab, which has left a country that is now going through its worst moments. The current impasse in the Lebanese state represents a crossroads of the highest complexity. The confrontation between the political class has kept a society on tenterhooks, which was waiting for the formation of a government to be able to access the international aid it so desperately needs. But this requires internal agreements between the various Lebanese political movements, something that has not been possible so far, due in part to Lebanon's complex sectarian-based political system that makes important decisions a challenge.

The tragedy that struck Beirut unleashed a wave of resignations and increased the anger of Lebanese society. For the past year, Lebanon has appointed three prime ministers in order to carry out the task of forming a government, without success. Hassan Hariri resigned in October 2019 as he bowed to popular pressure in the face of a crippling economic recession, with the Lebanese pound drastically losing its value. The lack of liquidity prompted Lebanese banks to limit withdrawals and dollar transfers from September 2019. These situations triggered mass protests that ended with his resignation. He was replaced by Hassan Diab, who resigned on 10 August, amid a new wave of social pressure following the explosion in the port of the Lebanese capital. The legislature then appointed Mustafa Adib, but he also resigned less than a month after taking office, citing difficulties between the different political parties in forming a cabinet. On 15 July, former prime minister-designate Saad Hariri resigned again after being unable to reach an agreement with Lebanese President Michel Aoun to form a government. It is clear that the return of billionaire Najib Mikati as prime minister faces major challenges. The Lebanese are also sceptical about the formation of a government of technocrats, as the previous government was hamstrung by the interference of the main political-confessional parties, rendering it unable to undertake such reform.

In the absence of the exact cause of the explosion, which is still under investigation, the official version points to an accident in hangar 12 of the port that detonated the 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate in storage. However, the story of this tragedy began eight years ago, when a Russian-chartered, Moldovan-flagged Rhosus ship travelling from Georgia to Mozambique docked in Beirut. After a series of incidents, it was subjected to an inspection by port technicians who allegedly found deficiencies and prohibited it from resuming operations. In Beirut, port authorities impounded the ship after finding multiple deficiencies, according to a maritime news article published in 2014. A photo from the same year shows some of the 2,750 bags of ammonium nitrate, which eight years later have been photographed in the warehouse that eventually exploded, according to the New York Times. The Rhosus was condemned to oblivion and its cargo was stored in the port of Beirut. According to this newspaper, this vessel began to sink in February 2018.

The picture remains apocalyptic in Lebanon one year after the tragedy, and the roots of this political and social instability lie in the country's economic and financial crisis. The collapse of the currency, rising inflation, coupled with this explosion and the coronavirus pandemic, have exacerbated political tensions in a nation crying out for answers. The Beirut port disaster was the spark that lit the fuse to a revolution that had been months in the making. The spectre of corruption has not gone away in a Lebanon that does not understand how more than 2,700 tonnes of ammonium nitrate were allowed to be stored unchecked in the city's port for years. Trust has been broken and the exchange of accusations or the unwillingness to find the source of this crisis has only worsened the situation. 

The first judge appointed to the investigation, Fadi Sawan, was suspended in February after two former ministers he had accused of criminal negligence requested that the Beirut Court of Cassation transfer the case to another judge, Tariq Bitar. In December, Sawan indicted interim Prime Minister Hassan Diab and three former ministers, Ali Hasan Jalil, Yusuf Fenianos and Ghazi Zaiter, who refused to appear before the judge. As of 17 December, the investigation was suspended until the appointment of a new judge for the case. But Judge Bitar has already come up against the same barriers as his predecessor. Nevertheless, Judge Bitar is not giving up and has vowed to press ahead with the investigation that caused a deep crater in the port site, devastated homes, educational institutions and businesses in half the city, took the lives of hundreds of people and left 6,000 others badly injured. 

Protests that began in October 2020 to end widespread corruption and mismanagement of resources have now turned into violent demonstrations over an economic and legitimacy crisis that has brought Lebanon to the brink, in part exacerbated by measures imposed to stop the spread of the coronavirus. The story of this small nation took a dramatic turn on 17 October when the government announced new fiscal measures. This reform led thousands of people from different religions and social classes in the country to protest, demanding economic and social reforms and changes in the political sphere, which they accused of corruption. One year later, Lebanon - a country of some five million people and home to more than 1.5 million refugees - is one of the world's most indebted nations. Protests that began in October to end widespread corruption and mismanagement of resources have turned into daily demonstrations over an economic crisis that has brought Lebanon to the brink.