杏MAP导航

By Joseph Tulloch and Rabih Abi Abdallah

On the 4th August, 2020, 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate exploded in Beirut鈥檚 port.

The blast 鈥� which was one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history 鈥� left over 200 people dead, and thousands injured.

Five years on, relatives of the victims say that justice has still not been done.

Accountability denied

Among them is Elie Hasrouty, whose father, Ghassan, was killed in the blast.

鈥淭oday鈥�, he told Vatican News' Rabih Abi Abdallah, 鈥渙n the fifth anniversary [of the explosion], the image of justice denied still looms鈥�.

Preliminary investigations have concluded that the explosion was due to a failure to store the ammonium nitrate correctly, but no culprits have yet been formally identified.

There has been widespread anger in Lebanon at the political negligence and corruption believed to have led to the blast, with many accusing politicians of obstructing the investigation.

Transforming tragedy into justice

Hasrouty, an engineer, warned of the dangers of 鈥渆mpty performances鈥� from political leaders, aimed at 鈥渁ppeas[ing]鈥� those who want the truth to come to light.

He also highlighted the risk of a 鈥渕ere indictment or accusation鈥� that 鈥渂eautifies the scene without touching the core of the crime鈥�.

He did say, however, that he saw a 鈥渇aint glimmer of hope鈥� in the fact that Judge Tarek Bitar had recently been allowed to resume his investigation into the blast.

Hasrouty鈥檚 鈥渄eepest hope鈥�, he said, is that the memory of the events of the 4th August might encourage his fellow citizens to 鈥渃ome together, act, organise and pray鈥�, and thus 鈥渢ransform tragedy into a milestone of justice and peace鈥�.

Elie Hasrouty meets with 杏MAP导航 Francis

The voices of the 杏MAP导航s

At a prayer vigil in Beirut on Sunday evening, a message from 杏MAP导航 Leo was read aloud by Paolo Borgia, the Apostolic Nuncio to the country, expressing the 杏MAP导航's concern for the victims.

鈥淒eath does not have the final answer鈥�, the message said, adding that the 鈥渂eloved and suffering鈥� Lebanese people remain 鈥渁t the centre鈥� of 杏MAP导航 Leo鈥檚 prayers.

Hasrouty, who was present at the vigil, expressed his gratitude for Leo鈥檚 鈥渃loseness鈥� and 鈥渃are鈥�.

In 2024, he had met with 杏MAP导航 Francis, as part of a group of Lebanese of various religions who had lost loved ones in the blast.

At the time, Hasrouty told Vatican News that the encounter was 鈥渞eally emotional鈥�, and had left him with a sense of 鈥渟olidarity鈥�, and 鈥渢he will to go on and make justice happen鈥�.