Fearing civil war amnesia, activists fight to preserve Beirut port silos

Families of victims of the 2020 Beirut port blast are pressuring Lebanon’s government to keep its silos as a memorial, arguing the move would be a powerful acknowledgement of suffering in a country still struggling to come to terms with years of war and strife.

As Lebanon marks the 47th anniversary of the start of the war on Wednesday, Ghassan’s daughter and other relatives of those killed in the blast are fighting government plans to demolish the disembowelled silos.

Lebanese officials say the ruined silos should make way for new ones, the proposed move gaining momentum amid projections of global grains shortages due to Russia’s war in Ukraine.