Will the United Nations Interfere in the Beirut Port Blast Investigations?

Family members of those killed in the 4th of August massive Beirut port explosion take part in a vigil to mark nine months since the blast. © 2021 Marwan Naamani/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images

53 Lebanese, regional, and international rights groups and individuals, as well as 62 survivors and families of the victims and firefighters, sent a joint letter to the UN asking the organization to launch its own impartial investigation. The reason behind this move is the slow and obscure investigation that has been finding no answers whatsoever. Instead, months of political red tape, obstruction, evasion, and delay, have suffocated the investigation; there is no imagine the forces at work to hide what really happened on August 4.

Human Rights Watch has documented many flaws in domestic investigations that render them unable to reliably deliver justice, including blatant political interference, impunity for senior political officials, failure to respect fair trial standards, and due process violations.

Lebanese, on a daily basis, talk about how all politicians should leave the country alone. As such, this may be their chance to find out the truth and sack corrupt politicians who are not only responsible for the blast, and who are behind much of the wrong-doing in the country.

Nevertheless, the nexus of corruption in the country is well- woven as many politicians, from different movements and parties, own businesses, banks, and organizations, which they use to keep themselves in power and to steer the country in their direction. They end up forming their own empire within a country whose resources cannot keep up with their greed.

However, history has proven that every empire has its days numbered. Conducting an impartial and internationally-lead investigation can be like a dagger into the heart of such empires, especially when power is centralized in one key individual: that corrupt politician.

Communication and Public Relations Department