On the anniversary of the Beirut port explosion, former Deputy Prime Minister Ghassan Hasbani emphasized the importance of commemorating the victims and the ongoing pursuit of justice. He stated, "By honoring their memory, we reinforce our determination to keep the living in their land and homes, and to preserve their identity in the face of the evil plan that has been confronting them since August 4, 2020. Unfortunately, the years pass and the magnitude of the crime grows. From murder, to displacement, to a change in the identity of the area surrounding the Beirut port."
During a meeting with the families of the martyrs, the injured, and those affected by the explosion, Hasbani highlighted the importance of continuing efforts on three matters: the independence of the judiciary, ongoing investigations with integrity to uncover the truth, and internationally protecting justice through petitions to urge the international community to support the judiciary and contribute to liberating it from the pressures it faces. Additionally, he stressed the need to preserve what remains so that they can build and continue after uncovering the truth and achieving justice.
He also shed light on a systematic plan to displace the area’s residents, saying, "Besides the martyrs, victims, and injured in the port explosion, an entire area has been destroyed, and a community remains steadfast despite repeated attempts to uproot it. The port explosion itself is a significant act of displacement for the Ramlet, Sioufi, Mador, and their surroundings, extending to Ashrafieh, aiming to empty Beirut of its people. There are those who are working hard to continue the effects of the explosion by tightening the noose on the residents. For example, they allowed wheat to ferment and burn, in order to suffocate the locals and drive them out. We did not stand idle and provided funding, working with the fire brigade to decontaminate the burnt wheat, stopping the fires and achieving victory. We are still working to preserve the grain silos and have halted the demolition project by pressuring the government along with the families to keep it as a testament to the major crime."
He added, "Many families are still unable to return to their homes despite external renovations, as the interiors remain uninhabitable. Additionally, there are plans to demolish the Beirut port and sell it 'piecemeal,' along with destroying the surrounding areas in Mador, Mar Mikhael, and Sioufi, to change its identity, demography, and ownership through plans that would empty the area of its residents and turn it into real estate for sale. Every day we discover a new scheme, sometimes under the guise of port development and sometimes under the pretext of urban development, beautifying the area, and boosting tourism. We were the ones who raised the banner ‘Restoring the Spirit of Beirut,’ and this was the slogan of our electoral campaign, but not at the expense of the martyrs' souls. The spirit of Beirut is restored by returning rights to their owners and achieving justice for the spirit of the martyrs while driving out the displacement projects."
Hasbani concluded by calling on every Lebanese to stand on August 4 alongside the families of the victims and martyrs and to join in their journey, "For it is an uprising against injustice and a march towards achieving justice, not only for those who died or were harmed, but for every Lebanese against the injustice that has befallen them."
