NGOs ask the UN for an international investigation into the Beirut explosion

MADRID, 4 Ago. (EUROPA PRESS) -

A group of 37 human rights experts from different NGOs has asked the United Nations Human Rights Commission on Wednesday for a "rapid and independent" international investigation into the explosion that took place in Beirut two years ago and which claimed the lives of more than 200 people.

"The colossal deadly explosion in Beirut on August 4 (2020) requires a swift and independent investigation that underscores international human rights obligations, clarifies responsibilities related to the explosion, and leads to justice and accountability," they said. Human Rights experts expressed in a statement.

The powerful explosion, which occurred just two years ago, occurred when a stockpile of ammonium nitrate stored in a port warehouse blew up, destroying 77,000 apartments, injuring 7,000 people, displacing more than 300,000 and leaving at least 80,000 homeless children, according to UN data.

Two years after the incident, the ravages of the explosion continue to be felt in Beirut and Lebanon, both at the environmental level and in terms of "human devastation".

"The catastrophic explosion occurred when Lebanon was already facing a devastating political, economic and financial crisis, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic, which has caused a sharp deterioration in human rights protection and much suffering," the 37 experts have recalled in the letter.

In this sense, they have assured that the explosion and its consequences would have brought to light "systemic" problems of a "negligent" government, as well as generalized corruption. They have also pointed out that the national investigation process has been blocked on several occasions, which is why the families of the victims have requested an independent investigation from the international community.

"This tragedy marked one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in recent history, but the world has done nothing to find out why it happened... On the second anniversary of the explosion, we are dismayed that people in Lebanon They are still waiting for Justice, and we ask that an international investigation be launched without delay," have been requested by members of NGOs, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch or International Legal Action.