Commenting on the scenes of waste and garbage floating on the Zouk El Mosbeh coast in Kesrouan, the president of the Independence Movement Michel Moawad issued the following statement:

“The Lebanese woke up to a scandal that represents a true national disaster: Shocking scenes of waste and garbage floating on the shores of Nahr El Kalb and Zouk Mosbeh (Kesrouan), following the flooding at the Bourj Hammoud landfill.
The flooding had caused the waste to slide into the sea, and it moved towards the Kesrouan shores, becoming a threat for the whole Lebanese coast… What we have all been witnessing are scenes of floating repulsive waste, which, very obviously, had not been subject to any sorting. It is clear too that no preventive measures had been taken or considered in order to prevent such a catastrophe.

“We call for an urgent emergency Cabinet Meeting to take imminent decisions that deal with this environmental tragedy and not allow it to worsen. The government must declare an environmental state of emergency, until a comprehensive and permanent solution is found for the waste crisis in the country, putting an end to the scandal of the ‘temporary’ landfills solution. If the Cabinet fails to assume its responsibility in this crucial matter, it must resign immediately; what we are witnessing cannot wait till after the Parliamentary Elections.

“I also call upon the Judiciary to address this scandal by initiating all the necessary judicial investigations, and bring to justice those found responsible for this tragedy. The toughest judicial sentences, allowed by the Lebanese laws, must be enforced on anyone found guilty for negligence or for having allowed things to reach what we are at today.”