A meeting of the Ministers of Justice, Health and the Environment and Yazbeck discussed the environmental risks, pollution and diseases resulting from stored and carcinogenic materials in the closed warehouse of the Internet factory in Chekka
Ministers in the caretaker government, Justice Henry Khoury, Public Health Firas Abyad, and Environment Nasser Yassin, Chairman of the Parliamentary Environment Committee, Ghiath Yazbek, held a meeting in the presence of the head of the Environmental Protection Authority in Chekka, Pierre Abi Shaheen, University Professor George Khoury, member of the Chekka municipality council, Engineer Tony Al-Beik, and the participation of Judges Elie El-Helou, Samar Jaber and Lea Khoury held a joint meeting in the office of the Minister of Justice during which they discussed the environmental risks, pollution and diseases resulting from stored and carcinogenic substances in the warehouse of the internet factory in Chekka, which has been closed since 1991.
The meeting discussed the appropriate ways to isolate the factory and the materials inside it, especially the amante and the internet pipes and outside it, and do what is necessary to destroy them in a healthy way to stop the spread of cancerous and pulmonary diseases and air and water pollution, in conjunction with the judicial path that must be followed, starting with the bankruptcy court.
After the meeting, Khoury said: “I held a very important meeting with fellow ministers and His Excellency the Representative, which centered on an old issue related to cases of harm afflicting the people of the Chekka region as a result of leaving the closed internet factory as it is. There is a legal case that sponsors the situation of the factory, and we will seek to find out the truth.” The legal situation, the important thing is that we revive the communication and contacts that took place in the past, and we hope to reach a result that benefits the entire Chekka area.”
He pointed out that “the damages are very great, especially human and non-human”, and said: “As you know, the percentage of workers who were afflicted with diseases that took their lives reached 64%. As for the legal status of this factory, it is linked to the Bankruptcy Court in Beirut, and we hope That the legal situation be addressed and positive results reached with the cooperation of all.
In response to a question regarding removing the pipes from the plant’s perimeter, Khoury replied: “This matter is part of the plan that we developed during this meeting. It will be submitted to “Sendik”, which is a judicial body that issues reports on the provisions and legal motives according to which a judicial decision is issued, to take decisions in this regard.
Regarding the administrative routine that delays the decision on many cases for years, he said: “Our preparations are quick, as there are legal principles to deal with this file, as it is not possible to deviate from its management by the bankruptcy court. We have to facilitate cooperation with “Sendik” and the bankruptcy court in order to find solutions. In the end, the court takes the decision it deems appropriate.
In response to a question regarding compensation for those affected healthily, Khoury replied: “As I said previously, we will urge everyone, and I will meet with “Sendik” in order to closely examine the file to know the judicial backgrounds. There has already been contact with foreign companies to solve this issue, and we agreed to cooperate all of us to urge everyone. Including those directly concerned and those who own the file to help us find a solution. Sendik may be aware of many things.”
He added, “I will not talk much regarding the subject before looking at more details regarding the bankruptcy and the file. Perhaps following our meeting with your bond, we may know what is owed by the company and its debts.”
He considered that “the issue of workers falls within an integrated basket.”
Regarding the opening of the file of risks arising from the soil and coal factories in Chekka, Khoury said: “We will reach all files successively, but this file now constitutes a quick link more than others.”
In response to a question regarding how to reduce environmental damage, in conjunction with judicial procedures, Yassin said: “There are 3 paths that we will follow. The first is the path that the Minister of Justice talked regarding and is related to the bankruptcy court and how to deal with this issue, and the technical path that we will work on, especially with the Ministry of Justice.” Health, how the existing materials work, i.e. the pipes and the building, as well as other things that exist within the city of Chekka, and it is a technical and artistic work, and we will follow it up.
He added, “As for the third track, it is related to workers’ rights, as the least we can do today for our people in Chekka is to stand by them in this chronic issue that has been going on for more than 30 years.”
He continued, “We must stand by the families and workers who have suffered great harm, which we will follow up with the Minister of Labor so that they can obtain their rights through these three tracks.”
Regarding the soil factor file, the Minister of Environment said: “We have not stopped following up on this file. We are working with the Parliamentary Environment Committee to develop a modern law for all these industries. We have issued regarding 5 decisions and memorandums related to regulating this sector, and we hope that there will be a new law.”
He pointed out that “the basis is that there should be a law, as there is no clear law that sponsors this sector,” and said: “On the issue of coal, we are in the process of setting procedures for the transition from this substance to a lighter substance.”
He concluded, “We are moving on these files gradually.”
Regarding Yazbek’s satisfaction with the atmosphere of the meeting that he called for, he said: “What prompted me to this meeting is my direct observation of a human and environmental massacre in the full sense of the word that Chekka is being exposed to, which is the starting point for this disaster, and its people and residents pay the price for its consequences directly with its people.”
He pointed out that “the closed internet factory is embodied at the entrance to the north, static on the chests and affected by corridors, as it is located on the path of the Beirut-Tripoli corridor.” He said: “The region is teeming with tourist resorts, and there is direct health harm to which people are exposed.”
He added: “Among every 100 cases of cancer, 60 deaths are recorded, and among every 100 workers, more than 50% are affected directly. Therefore, silence kills more than the factory. We kept silent a lot and this factory was left, just as the people of Chekka were left to their fate. enough.”
He continued: “I and the representatives of Chekka activities, who have experience in the issue of the environment and follow this file, came today and knocked on the door of the Minister of Justice, who received us graciously. The Minister of Health and Environment were also kindly present, because we cannot solve the problem of this factory with intermittent, rather interconnected episodes. Our situation today An action plan, the Minister of Justice will take care of the judicial issue with the Bankruptcy Court and how to remove this file to finish it.For his part, the Minister of Environment will begin to develop an assessment of the reality of the land today, and how to deal with the matter and get rid of this factory.Tomorrow we will inform the Minister of Labor of the outcome of this meeting to discuss how to collect rights Laborers”.
And he added, “There is only one thing we insist on, which is to get out of monotony. This crisis is absolutely not related to our physical or financial situation, and it is not hampered by any of the obstacles that stop the state’s work today.”
He pointed out that “the judiciary is capable of resolving this issue,” and said: “Part of this file relates to foreign owners who were here, and there are owners who can work with them through the commercial courts to end the file. Therefore, nothing hinders it. If the factory stopped, death did not stops.”
Then Abi Shaheen spoke and said: “We broke the silence, and so did His Excellency the Ministers and Representative Yazbek, thank you. This is what we wanted because the silence lasted 22 years, during which we used to raise our voice alone without anyone hearing us.”
