Amel Association International extends its deepest condolences to the families of the victims and the bereaved, and to the entire Lebanese people, from the far south to the far north, following the painful tragedy that struck the city of Tripoli as a result of the collapse of residential buildings, claiming the lives of innocent people whose only “fault” was to be born in a country where human dignity is violated on a daily basis in multiple forms.
What happened in Tripoli is neither an isolated incident nor an unavoidable act of fate. Rather, it is the direct result of accumulated violations that continue to claim the lives of Lebanese citizens, whether through external aggression or, more dangerously, through an internal enemy embodied in neglect, mismanagement, and the chronic abandonment of people’s fundamental rights to safe housing and a dignified life.
For decades, large parts of Lebanon, with Tripoli at the forefront, have suffered from systematic marginalization, marked by the near-total absence of the state at both the planning and implementation levels, and by the lack of fair public policies that place human beings at the center of priorities. Entire neighborhoods have been left to their fate, where vulnerability accumulates upon poverty, and risk upon risk, until tragedy becomes a recurring scene, paid for time and again by the poor and working-class communities.
Amel Association International affirms that political competition, if it is to exist at all, must be limited to developing the best possible ways to respond to people’s needs and serve their interests, rather than fueling divisions or deepening social and political conflicts. In all cases, the most vulnerable groups remain the primary victims of such policies, in Lebanon and around the world.
Guided by its mission to uphold dignity as both a social and human rights imperative, Amel Association International reaffirms its commitment to strengthening its humanitarian and social response in North Lebanon, particularly in Tripoli, within available capacities. This includes expanding its health, social, and psychosocial programs, supporting affected families, and working to mitigate the impact of this tragedy on local communities.
The organization will also intensify its efforts to encourage international and regional partners to unify and coordinate their support, ensuring an effective response that goes beyond emergency interventions and opens pathways toward longer-term, more sustainable assistance.
Amel Association International stresses that confronting the tragedy of Tripoli cannot be achieved through temporary remedies or seasonal promises, but only through comprehensive and sustainable solutions. These must begin with recognizing the right of the city’s residents, a city of pride, culture, and history, to safe housing, essential services, and equitable development, and must culminate in public policies that protect people rather than abandon them to neglect.
In conclusion, Amel Association International emphasizes that this incident should serve as a stark warning: when neglect and corruption become entrenched practices, they lead not only to the collapse of buildings, but ultimately to the collapse of the state and the foundations of social cohesion. It is in no one’s interest for the current situation to persist, as the cost is always paid in human lives and dignity.
Lebanon today urgently needs justice and a genuine race against time to save what remains and place human beings at the heart of any inclusive national project. Human dignity cannot be postponed, and people’s lives are not expendable. Tripoli, like all marginalized regions in Lebanon, deserves a state that protects it, not one that is absent.
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license
