Arab and Muslim American groups express support for Lebanon after explosion
Prayers and support after a massive explosion destroyed the port district of Beirut Lebanon on Tuesday August 4, 2020 pour in from across the globe including from Arab and Muslim organizations in the United States. Nearly 200 people were killed and more than 5,000 were injured by the explosion caused by a stockpile of nearly 3,000 tons of the fertilizer and bomb-making chemical agent ammonium nitrate
By Ray Hanania
The devastation caused by the suspicious explosion that took place in Beirut, Lebanon’s industrial waterfront district on Tuesday August 4 has drawn sympathies and support from around the world to the victims.
A stockpile of nearly 3,000 tons of ammonium nitrate, a volatile chemical compound often used to make large explosives and as a fertilizer, exploded killing nearly 200 people and injuring more than 5,000. The explosion devastated a wide area of Beirut’s seaport and adjacent central business district.
Videos of the explosion have been distributed throughout social media showing the initial explosion and a large black cloud of smoke with smaller fiery explosions followed by a huge grey mushroom cloud explosion that spread for blocks destroying buildings and tossing cars and people for thousands of yards around the site.
The ammonium nitrate reportedly was being stored at a warehouse at the port after it was confiscated from a ship in 2014. Lebanese officials declared a two-week state of emergency in response to the explosion and investigations into responsibility.
EMERGENCY RESPONSE
Anera Supporter, you’ve been hearing from us about the dire situation in Lebanon. Yesterday’s events are unprecedented.
Beirut woke up today to over 300,000 homeless, thousands injured and likely hundreds dead from yesterday’s blast. Your support is needed today to get critical medical and humanitarian supplies to Beirut.
Some are saying this is the third largest blast in a populated area in history, with only Hiroshima and Nagasaki being larger. Emergency rooms are over capacity with badly injured people, and medical supplies are quickly being depleted with no restock available. Hundreds of thousands of residential buildings have been destroyed, leaving families homeless in the middle of a pandemic and financial crisis. With the port damaged, expensive air shipments are currently the only way to get humanitarian relief into the country.
This comes on top of months of misery throughout Lebanon. Anera will not be able to meet all the needs.
We are increasingly being called on by our partners and a community that does not know where else to turn.
And the American Human Rights Council based in Detroit also issued a statement of support from director Imad Hamad.
AHRC urges immediate humanitarian aid to Lebanon:
In the wake of the deadly explosion in Beirut on August 4th, SAMS extends its deepest condolences and unwavering support to the people of Lebanon. As a result of the devastating blast, more than 135 people were killed, 5,000 were injured and large sections of Beirut were damaged or destroyed, including key medical facilities. As hospitals continue to receive the injured, upwards of 300,000 people were made homeless and are now in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.
Thankfully, all SAMS personnel are safe and unharmed by the blast or its aftermath. We are presently on the ground assessing needs and planning the launch of an emergency response, which will include providing medical supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) to first responders, and emergency kits for those who have lost their homes. We are also working with local partners to coordinate medical relief efforts, share relevant stocks (blankets, diapers, etc.) and potentially expand psychosocial telesupport to those traumatized by the blast.
Even before this tragic event, many vulnerable Lebanese and Syrian refugees were suffering as a result of an economic crisis and COVID-19 mitigation measures. This disaster has plunged more than 300,000 people into homelessness overnight, at a time of unprecedented financial challenges and in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has also exacerbated the existing humanitarian needs of vulnerable Lebanese and Syrian refugees, at a time when many find it difficult to meet their daily needs for food, shelter and healthcare.
Please help SAMS deliver life-saving relief in the wake of this tragedy. Donate and share this campaign with family and friends. Together we can show our solidarity for the people of Lebanon.
Please stand with those who have lost so much by supporting our disaster relief efforts in Lebanon. Share this campaign with friends and family.
Ray Hanania is an award winning political and humor columnist who analyzes American and Middle East politics, and life in general. He is an author of several books.
Hanania covered Chicago Politics and Chicago City Hall from 1976 through 1992 at the Daily Southtown and the Chicago Sun-Times. He began writing in 1975 publishing The Middle Eastern Voice newspaper in Chicago (1975-1977). He later published “The National Arab American Times” newspaper (2004-2007).
Hanania writes weekly columns on Middle East and American Arab issues as Special US Correspondent for the Arab News ArabNews.com, at TheArabDailyNews.com, and at SuburbanChicagoland.com. He has published weekly columns in the Jerusalem Post newspaper, YNetNews.com, Newsday, the Orlando Sentinel, Houston Chronical, and Arlington Heights Daily Herald.
Hanania is the recipient of four (4) Chicago Headline Club “Peter Lisagor Awards” for Column writing. In November 2006, he was named “Best Ethnic American Columnist” by the New American Media. In 2009, Hanania received the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award for Writing from the Society of Professional Journalists. He is the recipient of the MT Mehdi Courage in Journalism Award. He was honored for his writing skills with two (2) Chicago Stick-o-Type awards from the Chicago Newspaper Guild. In 1990, Hanania was nominated by the Chicago Sun-Times editors for a Pulitzer Prize for his four-part series on the Palestinian Intifada.
His writings have also been honored by two national Awards from ADC for his writing, and from the National Arab American Journalists Association.
Hanania is the US Special Correspondent for the Arab News Newspaper, covering Middle East and Arab American issues. He writes for the Southwest News newspaper group writing on mainstream American issues.
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