On upcoming anniversary of Beirut port explosion, USUP Secretary General Michel Mallo gives SuroyoFM latest developments

BEIRUT — In an interview with SuroyoFM program Opinion, Secretary General of the Universal Syriac Union Party (USUP) in Lebanon Michel Mallo spoke about the latest developments in the investigation of the 4 August 2020 Beirut port explosion, the disruption of the investigation, and the move to withdraw political immunity from those responsible for the explosion.

Regarding the economic situation, Mallo declared that the already-dire economic situation in Lebanon exacerbated and further worsened after the Beirut port explosion, which caused widespread damaged to infrastructure and caused material losses estimated at $ 8 billion, according to the World Bank.

“As for the death toll, it exceeded 200, in addition to a lot of missing people whose fates are still unknown because their bodies were not found,” he added, indicating that the explosion has caused the displacement of about 300,000 people.

When asked about his opinion on the cause and responsibility for the explosion, Mallo stated that, “The Lebanese officials, from all parties, who have neglected Lebanon are directly responsible for the explosion.” He went on to say that no response has been seen by Lebanese officials so far about the port explosion.

“As for the indirect cause of the explosion, it is due to rampant corruption and the power mafias who take shelter in Hezbollah,” Mallo added.

“Hezbollah does not care about Lebanon or Lebanese people,” he continued. “It even does not believe that Lebanon exists in the first place, because it believes that Lebanon is a province of Iran and is working on the project of Wilayat al-Faqih, far from Lebanon’s interest.”

He urged the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) people in the east to stand firm in the face of the two conflicting projects in the region.

“The Syriacs are the authentic people of the East, and we must preserve our countries such as Lebanon, Syria, etc.,” Mallo concluded.