On August 4, 2020, an explosion in Beirut's port resulted in at least 220-235 deaths, over 6,500-7,000 injuries, 300,000 people left homeless, around $3 billion in damages, and devastation of parts of the Lebanese capital, including healthcare facilities, hospitals, and clinics.
Four years later, Judge Tarek Bitar has charged over a dozen senior officials with negligence, but the lack of accountability, obstruction by the ruling elite, including Hezbollah and its allies, and political and judicial pressure have frustrated the families of victims and survivors.
Former Lebanese President Michel Aoun stated that the explosion was triggered by a fire igniting ammonium nitrate fertilizer stored haphazardly in a warehouse for years.
The UN, activists, Western countries, human rights groups, survivors, families of victims, and civil society organizations have expressed shock and criticized Lebanon's leadership for impeding the investigation, calling for a thorough, transparent, impartial, and international fact-finding mission to support Bitar's probe.
Despite charges made against former officials, including former Prime Minister Hassan Diab and three ex-ministers, the investigation into the explosion has stalled due to legal and political wrangling, and no one has been held responsible for the disaster.
Frustrated by the stalled probe despite relentless efforts, families of victims are planning demonstrations converging on the Beirut port to demand for the investigation to be completed.
Concerns of a possible full-scale war between Israel, Hamas, and Hezbollah overshadow this year's remembrance events, prompting Western governments to urge their citizens to leave Lebanon.
Lebanon has faced multiple crises since the explosion, including economic turmoil, the COVID-19 pandemic, political paralysis, government deadlock, and tensions with Israel near the border.
While officials claim the investigation will resume soon, with the court issuing arrest warrants if needed, activists push for a UN fact-finding mission, which Lebanese officials reject.
Sources: Al Jazeera, Ya Libnan, La Repubblica, CNA, Asharq Al-Awsat, The Straits Times, The New Indian Express, Yeni Akit, RocketNews, Latestly.
This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.
