In the Aftermath: Explosive Tensions Rock Lebanon
By Sharanya Swaminathan & Dhanviee Misra, 10/11/2020
Political Tensions and the Domestic & International Responses
Lebanon has a past of political instability and tensions, and the recent blast in Beirut further fuelled the ongoing economic and social conflicts. These conflicts are the result of security risks, weak governance due to sectarianism, a shaky economy, the impact of the Syrian civil war, and the increasing tension between Israel and Hezbollah – a Shiite political party and militant organization backed by Iran and designated by the United States as a terrorist group.
With the Lebanese economy in freefall, its currency losing 70 percent of its value, and the staggering corruption of the government, less than a week later of the explosion, Prime Minister Hassan Diab addressed the nation, announcing his resignation and that of his government in the wake of the blast, which he called a "disaster beyond measure." In an impassioned speech, Diab denounced Lebanon's ruling political elite for cultivating what he called "an apparatus of corruption bigger than the state." The Lebanese government tried to negotiate with IMF, the International Monetary Fund, but because the coalition government is backed by Hezbollah, who dug tunnels from Lebanon into Israel that violated a 2006 cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah, an agreement wasn’t achievable. The damage was worth more than $10 billion, but the government could only come up with $66 million. Moreover, what appeared at first to be an accident turned out to be the result of criminal negligence since the ammonium nitrate that caused the explosion had been stored in the port for seven years while government officials debated over who was responsible for it. To make the situation more adverse, coronavirus cases have spiked since the blast. And now with the country’s major port demolished in the explosion, Lebanon is struggling to import what its people need to survive.
After the almost immediate discontinuity of the government, public initiative and the instant HR measures taken by the Lebanese Red Cross demonstrated to be the only functional ways of putting back the pieces of the shattered land. There were people on the ground, local NGOs and CSOs, including various local women-focused NGOs, assembling, supporting search, rescue, and cleanup efforts, and the provision of emergency support – medical, food, cash, shelter, and mental health support. The Lebanese Red Cross provided first-hand medical aid by moving 75 ambulances that were put in a state of readiness as a reserve, securing blood units by mobilizing 13 blood transfusion centers and 10 of them were opened with all the technicians and workers in the centers, providing psychological support and restoring family association.
Lebanon's ex-Prime Minister Hassan Diab appealed to "friendly countries" for support. In acknowledgment, countries like the USA, India, and Saudi Arabia expressed their condolences with Lebanon. Close allies and traditional adversaries alike offered and provided medical, technical, and financial aid such as health equipment and emergency doctors. These countries include the UK, Iran, Turkey, Palestine, Egypt, Qatar, Kuwait, Tunisia, Russia, Netherlands, Cyprus, France, and Israel. The French Prime minister himself headed to Beirut and also sent 55 security personnel, six tonnes of health equipment, and around 10 emergency doctors. Turkey's Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) assisted in the search for survivors, digging through debris to look for people and recover bodies. The group also organized a kitchen at a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon to deliver food to those in need.
Many Lebanese feel that the country cannot recover until the sectarian system is revoked. Abolishing this structure could help accommodate the numerous religious sects that exist in Lebanon and eliminate the unbounded concentration of wealth with the government.
With the Lebanese economy in freefall, its currency losing 70 percent of its value, and the staggering corruption of the government, less than a week later of the explosion, Prime Minister Hassan Diab addressed the nation, announcing his resignation and that of his government in the wake of the blast, which he called a "disaster beyond measure." In an impassioned speech, Diab denounced Lebanon's ruling political elite for cultivating what he called "an apparatus of corruption bigger than the state." The Lebanese government tried to negotiate with IMF, the International Monetary Fund, but because the coalition government is backed by Hezbollah, who dug tunnels from Lebanon into Israel that violated a 2006 cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah, an agreement wasn’t achievable. The damage was worth more than $10 billion, but the government could only come up with $66 million. Moreover, what appeared at first to be an accident turned out to be the result of criminal negligence since the ammonium nitrate that caused the explosion had been stored in the port for seven years while government officials debated over who was responsible for it. To make the situation more adverse, coronavirus cases have spiked since the blast. And now with the country’s major port demolished in the explosion, Lebanon is struggling to import what its people need to survive.
After the almost immediate discontinuity of the government, public initiative and the instant HR measures taken by the Lebanese Red Cross demonstrated to be the only functional ways of putting back the pieces of the shattered land. There were people on the ground, local NGOs and CSOs, including various local women-focused NGOs, assembling, supporting search, rescue, and cleanup efforts, and the provision of emergency support – medical, food, cash, shelter, and mental health support. The Lebanese Red Cross provided first-hand medical aid by moving 75 ambulances that were put in a state of readiness as a reserve, securing blood units by mobilizing 13 blood transfusion centers and 10 of them were opened with all the technicians and workers in the centers, providing psychological support and restoring family association.
Lebanon's ex-Prime Minister Hassan Diab appealed to "friendly countries" for support. In acknowledgment, countries like the USA, India, and Saudi Arabia expressed their condolences with Lebanon. Close allies and traditional adversaries alike offered and provided medical, technical, and financial aid such as health equipment and emergency doctors. These countries include the UK, Iran, Turkey, Palestine, Egypt, Qatar, Kuwait, Tunisia, Russia, Netherlands, Cyprus, France, and Israel. The French Prime minister himself headed to Beirut and also sent 55 security personnel, six tonnes of health equipment, and around 10 emergency doctors. Turkey's Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) assisted in the search for survivors, digging through debris to look for people and recover bodies. The group also organized a kitchen at a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon to deliver food to those in need.
Many Lebanese feel that the country cannot recover until the sectarian system is revoked. Abolishing this structure could help accommodate the numerous religious sects that exist in Lebanon and eliminate the unbounded concentration of wealth with the government.
Causes & the Aftermath
On August 4, 2020, a catastrophic explosion occurred in Beirut, Lebanon’s capital and its largest city. This deadly blast left at least 200 dead, 3 missing, 6,500 injured, $10-15 billion USD in property damage, and around 300,000 people homeless in the city whose population tops 2 million. The United States Geological Survey reported that the seismic event had a magnitude of 3.3 ml, which makes it one of the most powerful non-nuclear explosions in all of history. The explosion was felt all over Lebanon and its surrounding countries.
The exact cause of the explosion is yet to be determined, but it appears that it was due to a fire that triggered the explosion of ammonium nitrate. Around 2,750 tonnes of the substance had been stored in a warehouse without any precautionary measures for the past six years, despite repeated requests and warnings. Lebanese broadcaster LBCI and Reuters news agency reported that the fire began with the welding work done in Warehouse 12, which is the storage facility that held the confiscated ammonium nitrate from the MV Rhosus ship. The fire started a small explosion which preceded a much more massive explosion that occurred soon after.
Hundreds were killed in the blast, including both those near the port and those much farther away. Some of identified casualties include Jean Marc Bonfils, a French architect who was born in Beirut and was actually broadcasting the incident live during the first smaller explosion but died in the second, and Sahar Fares, one of the many firefighters who died at the scene of the blast. Numerous civilians, first responders, and local workers were also killed or severely injured. Hotels, hospitals, and other facilities were damaged, making it extremely difficult to serve those who were in dire need of medical attention and those who had no place to stay. Saint George Hospital, for example, was damaged so badly that many patients had to be treated in the streets. The Sursock palace, the cruise ship Orient Queen, and many more important buildings were also ruined.
One notable effect of the explosion is a renewed sense of anger in the people of Lebanon. Demonstrations have been on the rise, with many viewing the explosion as a result of corruption and poor management of facilities. Port officials Hassan Koraytem and Badri Daher, the latter being the director general of Lebanese Customs, were arrested after thorough investigation found them guilty of playing a role in the explosion.
The exact cause of the explosion is yet to be determined, but it appears that it was due to a fire that triggered the explosion of ammonium nitrate. Around 2,750 tonnes of the substance had been stored in a warehouse without any precautionary measures for the past six years, despite repeated requests and warnings. Lebanese broadcaster LBCI and Reuters news agency reported that the fire began with the welding work done in Warehouse 12, which is the storage facility that held the confiscated ammonium nitrate from the MV Rhosus ship. The fire started a small explosion which preceded a much more massive explosion that occurred soon after.
Hundreds were killed in the blast, including both those near the port and those much farther away. Some of identified casualties include Jean Marc Bonfils, a French architect who was born in Beirut and was actually broadcasting the incident live during the first smaller explosion but died in the second, and Sahar Fares, one of the many firefighters who died at the scene of the blast. Numerous civilians, first responders, and local workers were also killed or severely injured. Hotels, hospitals, and other facilities were damaged, making it extremely difficult to serve those who were in dire need of medical attention and those who had no place to stay. Saint George Hospital, for example, was damaged so badly that many patients had to be treated in the streets. The Sursock palace, the cruise ship Orient Queen, and many more important buildings were also ruined.
One notable effect of the explosion is a renewed sense of anger in the people of Lebanon. Demonstrations have been on the rise, with many viewing the explosion as a result of corruption and poor management of facilities. Port officials Hassan Koraytem and Badri Daher, the latter being the director general of Lebanese Customs, were arrested after thorough investigation found them guilty of playing a role in the explosion.