What Does Justice Look Like For The Victims Of August 4?
Main image via REUTERS/ MOHAMED AZAKIR
“This time, they can’t get away with it” was a popular sentiment amongst most after the August 4th explosion. Six months later, we find ourselves back at square one, most of the names and those implicated perfectly known to the public, yet no accountability and no justice in sight.
“I don’t want my daughter in heaven to think she died and no one did anything. I want her to know we are fighting for her and all the victims,” said Mona, mother of Rawan Misto, who died in the blast. “My daughter was taken away so suddenly, can’t I know what happened?”
Even more egregious than the initial crime, the existing political structure has robbed us of the ability to envision what justice could possibly look or feel like. Is it seeing certain ministers and prime ministers in court being sentenced to jail time? Does justice come in the form of reparations? A measly 4 or 5 million Lira in exchange for a life that was stolen?
And what else is the state getting away with? If they are not held accountable for 220 lives lost and a city decimated, how are we to hold them accountable for fraudulent elections? Stolen public funds?
Sadly in Lebanon, we have gotten to the point where we are unable to imagine a notion of justice, or what it would feel like.
