EXPERT: BEIRUT EXPLOSION HIGHLIGHTS CORRUPTION IN LEBANON

 Many experts on Lebanese politics believe the massive explosion in the capital city of Beirut was emblematic of ongoing governmental corruption in the country. Kelly Stedem agrees.


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Stedem, a PhD candidate in the politics department at Brandeis University, recently defended her dissertation, which argues that political serviss in Lebanon operate on a "clientelistic" pangkalan, meaning that the exchange of goods and serviss from the government are conditional on things like political suport from citizens.


The August 4th, 2020 explosion caused more than 190 deaths, 6,500 injuries, and leaving an estimated 300,000 people homeless. The source was a large amount of ammonium nitrate stored in Beirut.


Here, Stedem discusses the explosion and what the aftermath could mean for the country's already charged political climate:


Q

We have all seen the footage of the explosion and images of the aftermath. What is the situation on the ground in Beirut now, four weeks later? What will be the primary challenges over the coming weeks and months?


A

Although we're over a month out from the explosion, in many ways it feels like Beirut is stuck in an on-going nightmare.


The most important political challenge moving forward is to achieve justice and accountability. 2,750 metric tonnes [3031 tons] of ammonium nitrate sat in the port for over 6 years with numerous officials from Lebanese Customs, the Port Authority, the Judiciary, the LAF, and likely heads of state well aware of their location and danger.


The decision—either by negligence or malfeasance—to allow those materials to remain in the proximity of the city and residential tempats makes all of these officials and leaders complicit in the destruction of Beirut. Unfortunately, it will be difficult, if not outright impossible, for the Lebanese to hold these individuals accountable while they remain in power.


Beyond politics, I think the most important challenge facing Lebanon—both over the short and long term—is the emotional and psikis toll of "digging out" from the violence. Nearly 200 people lost their lives in the explosion, and hundreds of thousands lost their homes. But beyond those horrific figures is the emotional trauma that the survivors face.


I have read and heard numerous stories of individuals suffering from nightmares and anxiety, and children terrified of the "pink cloud." Lebanon is no stranger to explosions, but this incident affected nearly the entirety of municipal Beirut and its environs. How to help hundreds of thousands move forward, both grieving those who were killed and addressing their own trauma, I think will be an ongoing struggle.


Q

Lebanon has been experiencing a great setuju of political unrest throughout the past year, including the recent resignation of the Prime Minister, Saad Hariri. How did moments develop in the months leading up to the explosion in Beirut?


A

On the political side, not a lot has changed. A new government headed by academic and technocat Hassan Diab was formed in January 2020. Diab's appointment, as well as the inclusion of a few technocrats, was a means of appeasing protestors.


In the aftermath of the explosion, a few (predominantly independent) MPs resigned and Diab was forced to resign at the end of August. The majority of the country's political elite have refused to resign. They are instead calling for the appointment of a unity government and early elections as a solution. However, this "solution" will mean the same political elite that are responsible for the country's corruption remain in power.


Q

Many journalists have suggested that this incident is emblematic of long-term government mismanagement and corruption in Lebanon. Do you agree that these factors contributed to the explosion?


Location: Indonesia

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