The Lebanese government has resigned following the shocking explosion that has claimed at least 163 lives as of this writing.
Addressing the nation days after the deadly Beirut port blast that resulted in more than 160 deaths and over one thousand injured, the country’s prime minister announced his resignation and that of his cabinet.
Blaming “corruption” for the tragedy, Prime Minister Hassan Diab called for justice and a more transparent country “that respects its people.”
“The bad smell is everywhere. Today, we are here at this particular point, at this earthquake that hit Lebanon with all the social, human and economic and national consequences,” he said.
“Our main goal, our main aim, is to deal with these consequences, together with a quick investigation that will hold everyone responsible if they have committed mistakes.”
As the PM added, people responsible for the explosion caused by 2,000 tons of highly explosive ammonium nitrate that was stored at a port warehouse have to be brought to court.
“We need to move forward to more transparency, to a country that respects its people, to a country that lives with transparency, to a country that lives with equal policies, but right now we are not,” Diab added.
“At this particular moment, we have to go back to the people and fight with them against corruption. We need to open the door for national salvage, national rescue. We need to be part of the people. That’s why I declare the resignation of this government.”
Following the deadly explosion, the Lebanese government has been facing pressure and scrutiny, whereas people have taken to streets to demand justice.
As Nassif Hitti, who resigned from his position as the minister for foreign affairs one day before the blast, claimed, the tragic incident “reveals the kind of structural corruption, negligence, personalized politics, lack of responsibility and lack of accountability of the Lebanese system.”
Replaced!