File photo of a damaged Beirut hotel. Courtesy Pixabay
New York/Beirut: As Lebanon stalled investigation into the August 4, 2020 Beirut port explosion, virtually accusing the United Nations office of not cooperating, the UN Secretariat claimed it has “repeatedly encouraged the Lebanese authorities to conduct a swift investigation” into the port explosion. It claimed that it had “in fact, responded with information” to requests from Lebanon’s judicial authorities investigating last year’s explosion.
The Beirut Bar Association had recently claimed that its three letters sent to the United Nations during the past year, asking for different kinds of help, had thus far been left unanswered.
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Last night (IST – November 23, 2021) Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, confirmed that the letters were received by the UN. “As far as I know at this point, but I’m… we’re continuing to check, we responded with information received from the judicial authorities investigating the port explosion,” he said. He, however, said at this point, he couldn’t provide any more details, “given that there are relevant legal proceedings ongoing”.
Dujarric though mentioned that since the explosion took place, the UN system as a whole and especially in Lebanon, was mobilized to help the victims and all those impacted. “… we provided assistance. And we remain fully committed to supporting the Lebanese people at this difficult time.”
The Bar Association had also sought the help of UN member states as well as the UN in securing satellite images from the moment prior to the explosion that could help it ascertain how the explosion happened. Dujarric, while stating that member states that have the capacity to do so can do so, also referred to certain press reports of yesterday that said one member state, in fact, had already done so.
– global bihari bureau
