After the Beirut Port explosion on August 4th, countries and public figures stepped up in massive support for Lebanon.
Fueled with distrust in the Lebanese government, the citizens urged donors to donate directly to NGOs to ensure help was delivered where it was needed most.
However, country leaders who did end up donating to the Lebanese government now might have reasons to regret it.
Here are donations from abroad that did not serve the good purpose of their donors to relieve the sufferings of the victims of the blast. So far, these are the ones that came to light:
#1 Iraqi Flour Donation
One of the most recent scandals is the 7,000 tons of flour donated by Iraq to Lebanon that got damaged in the rain after being stockpiled in unsanitary conditions in the Camille Chamoun Sports City football stadium in Beirut.
#2 Fish From Mauritania
In early September, the Lebanese Army announced that it had received 12 tons of fish donated to Lebanon from Mauritania.
“The Army Command is in contact with a number of associations specialized in preparing meals to cook fish and distribute them to the people affected by the Port blast,” wrote LAF in a statement.
There’s no reported news on what happened to the fish since.
#3 Turkish First Aid Kits
Turkey was among 30+ countries that sent emergency aid to Lebanon. However, some people reported finding first aid kits sent from Turkey being sold in popular supermarkets.
#4 Swiss Detergent
A bag of detergent from Switzerland was being sold on the black market in Lebanon. When questioned, the seller allegedly admitted to stealing it from European Union aid.
#5 Medical Aid From Kuwait
Somehow, medical aid that came from Kuwait was also found being in pharmacies in Lebanon. How it got there is a mystery…
#6 The Sri Lankan Tea
Of course, no one can forget the case of the missing Sri Lankan tea because this one made the headlines around the world after the incident sparked public controversy.
Responding to the accusations, President Aoun stated that the tea was given to the soldiers and guards of Baabda Palace – not the Lebanese people.
In their defense, some of them were said to be among those who had sustained damage by the explosion at Beirut Port…
