Two years have passed since the Beirut port explosion. Some of the judiciary is corrupt, while others are dysfunctional, but there is hope from those who are committed to the truth and justice, who submitted a petition to the UN to demand an international fact-finding committee to uncover the truth behind this crime against humanity. Will they succeed where some politicians have failed due to their negligence or appeasement, and where others have succeeded in imposing dysfunction as a fait accompli to undermine justice and conceal the truth?
A glimmer of hope reassures the Lebanese today on the second anniversary of the catastrophic explosion, which is that there are still those who carry the banner of truth through the petition submitted by the Strong Republic bloc to the UN Human Rights Council. To clarify the bloc's position on this matter, "Nidaa Al-Watan" spoke with bloc member Judge George Okeis, who prepared this petition. He explained: "This petition has been submitted to the Human Rights Council in Geneva. This council is part of the United Nations and is elected for a term of several years, with countries running for membership. It comprises 47 countries and meets every three months in a general assembly in Geneva to look into serious human rights violations around the world and address reports, complaints, and petitions."
Regarding the role of this council, Okeis stated that "it has the right to form fact-finding committees if one of the member countries supports a submitted petition. This matter does not require requests from governments; for example, it is not necessary for the Lebanese government to submit a request." Okeis continued, "In the case of the August 4 explosion, the victims' families submitted a petition, and we, as the largest parliamentary bloc, also submitted this petition; it suffices that one of the countries within this council adopts these two petitions for the council to be able to form an international fact-finding committee."
Okeis clarified that "this petition is entirely different from the one submitted by the Strong Republic bloc on August 17, 2020, just days after the explosion; that petition was submitted to the United Nations Secretary-General, while this petition is directed to the Human Rights Council, where we demand a fact-finding committee to look into everything that has happened from the date of the explosion until today, and it can meet with any reference it desires."
He further distinguished the capabilities of this petition, noting that "an international fact-finding committee will not be subject to any political or technical pressures, nor can anyone threaten to 'remove it' as Judge Tarek Bitar was previously threatened." As for the outcome of this committee's work, Okeis stated: "This committee will submit a report at the end of its mission, stating whether there were any human rights violations resulting from this crime explosion."
Okeis concluded by explaining that "the Strong Republic bloc based this petition on two human rights violations: the first is the violation of the right to life, and the second is the violation of the right to compensation, which is a fundamental right for the victims' families and the affected, to be compensated through a fair trial and a ruling that punishes the perpetrators."
"Nidaa Al-Watan" also spoke with Chouf Deputy Dr. Ghada Ayoub, who signed the petition. She pointed out: "Two years after the August 4 explosion, experience and practice have shown that achieving justice and truth remains elusive in the presence of a political system that prevents the Lebanese judiciary from performing its duties as required. There is a judge who has tried and continues to try to conduct his investigations but has been prevented through various means including threats and judicial tactics."
Dr. Ayoub continued: "We will not be able to achieve what we want as Lebanese people to unveil who is behind the August 4 crime and to establish justice for this crime. The data and facts show that when we approached the international court, we were able to reach the truth, to unveil who assassinated former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and those involved in the assassination operation. Thus, we have managed to uncover the trail of this crime. Therefore, in light of this reality, and a statelet in Lebanon, and illegal arms preventing the Lebanese judiciary from performing its duties, we must resort to a fact-finding committee after all domestic legal avenues have been closed."
Ayoub argued that the local investigation into the assassination of President Rafik Hariri has clearly proven that there are those who wish to bury this case to prevent the truth and justice. She observed: "While we saw what happened with the international court, there is no escape from this. Moreover, Lebanon is an inseparable part of both the Arab and international worlds, and there are international resolutions related to the Lebanese case; thus, it is a natural progression at this level, in addition to the fact that the August 4 crime has an international humanitarian nature."
Ayoub noted the intersection with the position of Bkerke, stating that "the call for an international conference was not made in closed rooms; therefore, there is no way to speak of a concealed internationalization, but the demand for a fact-finding committee through a petition to the Human Rights Council comes after all local legal avenues have been closed to the families."
"Nidaa Al-Watan" also interviewed Deputy Paula Yacoubian, who indicated that as change-oriented deputies, they certainly support signing this petition, which is among the most important demands of the victims' families and martyrs. She continued: "We stand with the committee of the free victim families who are not under pressure. Notably, this demand has been discussed with Ms. Najat Rushdie, the UN Deputy Special Coordinator in Lebanon, who wishes for any petition from the victims' families committee to be prioritized, so as not to be used as an excuse for any political stance against signing."
Yacoubian emphasized that as change-oriented deputies, they are "against politicizing this issue in any way and are in constant coordination with the victims' families committee, whether regarding the law for the silos, even in drafting the reasons for it, or in signing any petition they prepare. They are very keen not to allow the political parties of the Lebanese political structure to capitalize on this matter."
Regarding the work of the judicial investigator, Yacoubian noted that as change-oriented deputies, they asked President Nabih Berri about the decree concerning the Minister of Finance, to which President Berri responded about the Minister of Finance that the decree was rejected due to disputes over the names and how they would be counted on a basis of “the six and six repeated.” She observed that "after months of delaying this decree, it seems it has been returned to the Higher Judicial Council." She expressed her discontent with the systematic silencing process, particularly against change-oriented deputies.
Additionally, regarding the families of the victims, William Noun, the brother of martyr Joe Noun, told "Nidaa Al-Watan": "The fact-finding committee is our demand from the start when we called for an international investigation or an international fact-finding committee, but the ruling authority at the behest of Hezbollah and the Shiite duo rejected the international investigation, which led us to pursue a judicial investigation. However, after the undisclosed results that the judicial investigation reached, this authority became one of those rejecting it."
Regarding the petitions, Noun indicated, "In 2020, we signed a petition with more than 15,000 people prepared by the Strong Republic bloc to the UN, and today we have submitted a petition to the international human rights office in Geneva, hoping for the formation of a fact-finding committee."
He called upon all Lebanese people on August 4 to a popular revolt reflected in signing this petition, as the families of the martyrs will present to public opinion on the second anniversary how to achieve results with this committee because "political pressure seems to be increasingly tightening on the Lebanese judiciary, which does not bode well for its ability to reach the truth."
Noun observed, "We are approaching new presidential elections that might lead to changes in many judges like the head of the Higher Judicial Council, Judge Souhail Abboud, and we cannot guarantee the identity of the successor or their stance on this humanitarian and national case."
Noun concluded by clarifying that "the submitted petition is to support the judicial investigator, Judge Tarek Bitar, with an international fact-finding committee to help him continue his work. We, as the families of the firefighter martyrs and victims of the tragic explosion, are in continuous communication with the honorable deputies, and we have asked them for new legislations in the council to limit requests for dismissals so that Judge Bitar can continue his work. This is what Deputy George Okeis has commendably done."
In conclusion, it appears that the international community will be forced to bear its responsibility after this petition, amidst increasing discussions about internationalizing the Lebanese case. However, what concerns us as Lebanese people is unveiling the truth behind the port explosion so that we can look at the families of the martyrs with reassurance rather than guilt. Our conviction is firm that the truth will emerge.
