05/09/2020

World Council of Churches, Act Alliance, and Middle East Council of Churches call for independent investigation into Beirut port disaster

BEIRUT — A month after the Beirut port disaster, the World Council of Churches, Act Alliance, and the Middle East Council of Churches offer their deepest condolences to all Lebanese who lost loved ones on 4 August.

The groups declared their solidarity with the bereaved and wounded and called for an independent investigation to hold those responsible accountable.

In their statement, the groups called for the creation of a comprehensive humanitarian mechanism for coordination and cooperation between international humanitarian organizations, states wishing to give assistance, and Lebanese civil society.

The statement praised the swift and effective action taken by Lebanese civil society in response to this disaster.

Act Alliance stressed the importance of the following elements as necessary for sustainable recover:

  1. There must be genuine accountability for this disaster through an independent investigation, to hold those responsible to account and to prevent impunity.
  2. A comprehensive, detailed, and sustainable commitment to ensuring a lasting positive impact and sustainable recovery in the face of multiple crises.
  3. Members and partners must mobilize their resources — human, financial, communicative/ artistic, and spiritual — to support the Lebanese people.
  4. All initiatives taken by religious organizations and churches to respond not only to the humanitarian needs of the Lebanese people but also to their spiritual needs must be supported.