“For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light.” ~ Luke 8-17
Everywhere you look around in Lebanon, there is corruption. Behind this corruption lie the faces of our political rulers. Even garbage became a gold mine for them. The garbage crisis in 2015 was their fault and it hasn’t ended yet. Throughout this revolution, so many cases of corruption have been exposed to the public.
People in Lebanon have broken off from the chains of fear and are now speaking up, and also officials related to, or working for, the government. That “explosion” of revealed corruption has been as such that it has crossed our borders to reach recently the European Union.
Early this week, French politician Thierry Mariani presented passionately a complaint case of corruption to the European Parliament, based on a letter he had received from a member of the Municipality of Tripoli addressed to the European Union and EU foreign affairs.
Via Frederick Florin/AFP via Getty Images
“Where does the money we sent to help Lebanon go?” MP Thierry Mariani appeared saying in the video from the European Parliament. Referring to the letter in his hand, and speaking about the stolen Lebanese money, he is seen addressing the members that the European Parliament should be aware of how the money donated is being spent in Lebanon, and that the EU should supervise how the donations are being used instead of being lost in the corruption.
MP Mariani talked about the letter indicating that the European Union had donated around $1.63 million to Lebanon to establish a waste sorting plant in Tripoli. He emphasized and reiterated that this money was sent to help the people and not to aid corruption or play a role in corruption.
La corruption ns tuera … pic.twitter.com/E6TEWPLtWN
— Larissa Aoun (@LarissaAounSky) ١ ديسمبر ٢٠١٩
According to LBCI, the letter was sent by the member of Tripoli Municipality Nour Al-Ayoubi. In her letter, she stated that the factory was functional for a few months and then it was closed and led to more bad than good. The Factory was not serving its intended purpose of sorting and composting.
None more than we the Lebanese understand the outrage expressed by MP Mariani in the face of corruption. The European Union should certainly wonder and even investigate where their donation of $1.63 million has gone.
Tripoli is one of the poorest cities in Lebanon. Politicians only visit when it is election season. It has been sucked dry of money, and it has been used as a war zone to further political agendas.
Since the onset of this revolution, Tripoli has shown the whole world its potential, its patriotism, and its ability to stand up in the face of corruption. Today, Tripoli has risen from the ashes of destruction and manipulation. Today, Tripoli has spoken and made her voice heard because Tripoli is the bride of the revolution.
