Lebanon Justice Minister Third to Quit over Beirut Blast
Lebanon’s justice minister quit on Monday in the third cabinet resignation since a deadly blast blamed on state negligence ripped through the capital, a ministry official said.
Marie Claude Najem, who was heckled by protesters in a damaged Beirut street two days after the explosion, submitted her resignation to Prime Minister Hassan Diab, whose government was set to meet later in the day to discuss the August 4 disaster.
Several MPs also quit and local media reported Diab was mulling announcing the entire government’s resignation, a day after protesters briefly occupied and ransacked government ministries.
Hundreds gathered again in and around Martyrs’ Square, a short walk from the port where the devastating explosion occurred, killing at least 158 people and injuring a staggering 6,000, many bloodied by flying glass.
“Those who died paid the price of a state that doesn’t care about anything except power and money,” said protester Tamara, 23, whose friend Rawan, 20, was killed in the blast.
“It’s not enough that ministers resign,” said her friend Michel.
“Those who put the explosives there must be held accountable. We want an international tribunal to tell us who killed (Rawan).”
Police later fired tear gas in an attempt to disperse protesters who hurled stones and let off fireworks near a street leading to parliament, AFP correspondents said.
Many wore helmets and gas masks, some wielded makeshift shields and others rushed to pick up smoldering tear gas shells and threw them back towards police.
– ‘My government did this’ –
While it is not known what started the fire that set off a huge stockpile of ammonium nitrate, protesters say the disaster could not have happened without the corruption and incompetence that have come to define Lebanon’s ruling class.
A picture went viral online showing the city’s devastated port, with a low wall in the foreground bearing the spray-painted message: “My government did this.
Ayooluwa Joshua