Almost to the minute of the second anniversary of the explosion in the port of Beirut that destroyed them and pulverized the neighbors, a huge slide of the silos collapsed, showing once again the dysfunction of Lebanon and the failed attempt to bring those responsible to justice. Crowds lined adjacent overpasses Thursday to commemorate the deaths of more than 200 people in one of the worst industrial disasters in modern history. And in doing so, many also bemoaned the continued destruction of a country whose collapse is encapsulated in Lebanon’s inability to hold its leaders accountable for either the boom or the willful collapse of its economy. Hailed at the time as a galvanizing moment that could finally break a corrupt protectorate that had enriched Lebanon’s leaders at the expense of its citizens, the post-explosion era served to reinforce the status quo. The port of Beirut was a microcosm of Lebanon’s failures, a place where civil war-era leaders all had a stake in various areas of its operations and made deep financial cuts under informal agreements. Activists carry symbolic coffins and the Lebanese flag during a march to Beirut port to mark the second anniversary of the Beirut port explosion. Photo: Wael Hamzeh/EPA While the destruction of the bulk terminal, a global pandemic and a sinking economy may have taken their toll, the safety nets that helped bring Lebanon to ruin remain intact. Efforts to investigate the cause of the explosion and the negligence that led to 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate being haphazardly stored for seven years remain deadlocked, with little political will for any meaningful retrial. Among a crowd gathered near the port, Alan Hobeika, 17, held a photo of his friend Elias Khouri, who died in the explosion at his home not far away. He said he participated in the memorial march because “justice has not been served until now. I am here to honor him so that he will not die in vain. We should at least give him his rights so he can rest in peace.” “It’s been two years and so far we can’t call it accountability or justice. I don’t think it will happen anytime soon unless the international community intervenes.” “The pain [at Elias’s death] growing more and more every day. It’s getting worse and worse.” Ongoing grief is a common feeling among many survivors and family members. The mourning extends to many other Lebanese who fled the country, first angered by the economic collapse that resulted in a nearly 25-fold drop in the local currency and collectively traumatized by an event so devastating, yet seemingly so insignificant. Ahead of the anniversary, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for a “transparent, international investigation” into the blast. His call was rejected by many Lebanese, who point to the UN investigation into the assassination of the country’s former prime minister Rafik Hariri as an example of how a 13-year investigation has diminished the impact of the “justice” he delivered. “Nobody can solve this except the Lebanese themselves,” said Beirut resident Hassan Yamout. “And none of them will because they’re all involved in one way or another.” At 6.07pm, a minute before the ammonium nitrate explosion, after workers using welders had set fire to nearby sites, sirens started blaring and an ambulance drove through the crowd as people clapped in support. A short time later, a helicopter carrying a bucket of water flew over what was left of the grain silos, trying to put out the fires that had been burning at their base for weeks. “The rest will fall soon,” said Summer, 26, a student. “You should too. It’s just a symbol of failure.” Additional reference: Michael Safi