Beirut: Rising from the Ashes

This report was prepared by LevantX’s Lebanon Desk, chronologically:

Louay Faour, Sandra Abdelbaki, Alicia Faycal, Toufick Najjar.

Image credit: Freimut Bahlo

A catastrophe unlike any other in Lebanon’s conflictual history. A disaster that shook the Lebanese people and broke the hearts of millions around the world. On August 4th, the Lebanese capital of Beirut was the victim of an explosion that killed hundreds, wounded thousands, and displaced hundreds of thousands.

At approximately 6 p.m. local time, the Port of Beirut, one of Lebanon’s most important transport hubs, was the scene of two explosions that could be felt even in Cyprus. The first, the causes of which are still unknown, resulted in a fire near the wheat silos in hangar 12. Emergency responders rushed to the site as people across the country watched the events broadcasted live on social media platforms and Lebanese TV stations, completely unaware of what was yet to come.

It was moments before tragedy struck. The second, devastating explosion ripped through the port and surrounding city. The cataclysm hit a city already reeling from a harsh economic crisis, the worst the country has ever seen. This second deadly blast, a result of ammonium nitrate being ignited in hangar 12, where it had been left for over six years, had a mushroom-like cloud circling a huge plume of black and red smoke. Local, regional, and international media instantly began reporting on the event. Some called it Beirut’s 9/11, others Beirutshima, in reference to Hiroshima in Japan.

Following the first few minutes of the explosion, many speculated that the explosion was an assassination attempt on former Prime Minister Saad Hariri. When bombings or explosions take place in the country, the Lebanese often tend to tie these events to assassinations of high-profile political figures or attacks by foreign actors. Former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, the father of Saad, was killed in a targeted bombing in Beirut in 2005 and many drew connections to this event, engrained in Lebanese memory.

Considering the immense tension that has been present in the country for some months now and the ongoing rumors about a possible assassination attempt against Saad Hariri, news about his demise in the explosion in Beirut instantly circulated on social media and the news. People were even reported to be screaming ‘Saad was assassinated!’ on the streets. Rumors and speculation ran rampant on these platforms. Little did the Lebanese public know that this explosion was caused by 2,750 metric tons of ammonium nitrate, which had been stored at Beirut port, on the city’s coastline, for over six dangerous years.

“When it first happened, we couldn’t but think of the possibilities that are most likely to take place in our country. People are afraid of bombs and attacks and spontaneously make connections in their minds. Fake news can be circulated quickly on social media and it took us a few minutes to know what really caused the explosion,” said Hanin Haidar Ahmad, a Lebanese citizen who was on her way back home from Beirut when the explosion took place.

In the aftermath of one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history, Lebanon is forced to contend with a complex set of issues: corruption amid revolutionary protests, inflation amid an ongoing economic crisis, and a global pandemic in tandem with the destruction of Lebanon’s iconic capital. Two days after the explosion, French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Lebanon and was received by Lebanese President Michel Aoun.

Macron visited the port and the nearby Gemmayze area to meet with local residents who were affected by the blast. He was the first politician – domestic or foreign – to visit the site of the destruction and talk to the thousands of residents affected. He experienced, first hand, the immense anger of the Lebanese nation, who urged him not to give any money to the current Lebanese government and to send French aid and responders since minimal official government aid was found on the ground.

At a press conference held shortly after, he laid out his vision of the French role in rebuilding Lebanon and the political initiative that he proposed to Lebanese officials. This included a package of reforms that would be a pre-condition to any financial aid and a promise of an international conference that would include both the US and EU; presided over by Macron himself. One eye-catching suggestion was the notion that money would be given directly to NGOs and the public, bypassing the state’s architecture that has been nationally and internationally condemned since October’s uprisings. He rounded off the press conference with a promise to return on September 1st to follow up on these initiatives. Incidentally, the same date that France's "State of Greater Lebanon" was founded a hundred years ago.

Politically speaking, the forces responsible for this massacre vary according to people’s opinions and backgrounds. Some blame Hezbollah, others point fingers at Israel. One thing that unites public opinion is the blame heaped at the feet of the Lebanese administration for leaving huge amounts of explosive material in the middle of the city’s port. This has created a renewed rage against the government and revived the October revolution, but this time the people have a goal: they want all politicians to resign immediately.

The political elite is the number one cause of this apocalyptic event. People went to the streets of Beirut, cleaned affected houses then went to protest afterwards. But, for what cause?

Of course, Lebanese people should be outraged, especially about blatant political corruption but what are the future aims of the protests? Beyond political persuasions and sectarianism, the protests should have clear and specific post-revolution aims. If you go to the streets and ask the protesters about the aim of the protests, they say that they want all politicians to resign. Many did, including Prime Minister Hassan Diab. Now what?

Responsible leaders that represent the protesters should stand up and should start taking action in leading the protests. Without independent leaders, the protesters cannot be heard, and without post-revolution aims and a devised plan, the country won’t be able to stand on its own two feet to take action against corruption and design a new system.