Public Actions

Lebanon’s government approved Wednesday a decision to demolish what remains of the Beirut grain silos’ crumbling northern block while preserving the southern block, Forces of Change MP Melhem Khalaf confirmed to L’Orient Today.

A decision to demolish all of the silos was first approved by the government in March but was met by challenges and public anger as families of the victims of the 2020 Beirut port explosion demanded their preservation as a “witness to the crime.”

During a meeting on Wednesday between caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, caretaker Environment Minister Nasser Yassin and Forces of Change MPs Najat Saliba and Khalaf, the government reached a decision to demolish only the already collapsing northern block of the grain silos but preserve the stable southern side, in addition to extinguishing the fire at the silos that has been ablaze for more than a month.

Khalaf explained to L’Orient Today that the decision was made on the account of the northern block’s inevitable collapse, incited by the fire. “Should we just sit back and watch it fall?”

Khalaf added that Wednesday’s decision includes amending the government’s decree to demolish the silos, stressing the preservation of the southern silos as a “witness memorial over the painful port explosion.”

Khalaf also noted that amending the decree might be an exceptional decision taken by President Michel Aoun and the government.