Lebanon Prez Aoun under fire for seizing Sri Lankan tea donated to Beirut blast victims

Leban President Michel Aoun has been caught in a storm of criticisms after it came to light that tea donated by Sri Lanka for victims of Beirut Blast was distributed to families of presidential guards. Aoun has been condemned for corruption coming to surface amid crisis Leban is facing after deadly Beirut blast that killed at least 190 people and injured thousands more.

Without trying to flare up charge of corruption, Sri Lanka’s ambassador to Leban, Shani Calyaneratne Karunaratne has however said that Sri Lanka's donation was a gift to Aoun and he was free to do anything with it, reported international media. She added that it was one of best teas in world and she is happy that whoever he gave it to is drinking it, however, she avoided question of who tea was intended for, Lebanese people or president.

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'Why are you so worried?'

"Why are you so worried about it? It is something from Sri Lankan people and people who own tea company," she said as reported by National, a UAE daily.

"I am tired with this kind of disrespect towards authorities,” she added over corruption charge on president.

President's office released a picture on August 24 with Aoun receiving Sri Lankan ambassador and quoted her as saying Colombo had "donated 1,675 kilos (3,685 pounds) of Ceylon tea to people affected by Beirut blast".

Lebanese media and social media questioned what happened to donation after which president's office issued ar statement thanking Sri Lankan counterpart "a gift of Ceylon tea" and saying it was received by army and distributed to families of soldiers in presidential guard.

Soon after president's clarification, social media was abuzz with hashtags such as 'tea thief' and 'Ceylon tea' slamming president over alleged corruption. 

Former Lebanese MP Paula Yacoubian who resigned after Beirut blast also slammed president for t distributing tea to affected people.

" tea was sent to Lebanese, particularly those affected by explosion. Of course, it wasn't a present for those who don't need it. Distributing aid to your entour is shameful," Yacoubian wrote on social media.

Beirut Blast

devastating explosion took place in capital city of Leban on August 4 which destroyed dozens of buildings. authorities claimed that improper stor of 2750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate was primary reason for deadly blast. In aftermath of explosion, UN anunced that it would be releasing an aid pack worth $9 million for Leban. 

According to an official estimate, 300,000 people were left homeless after blast. Thousands of people are living in damd buildings and some are shifted to shared shelters, with limited access to water and sanitation. Also, capital city had been facing wrath of pandemic as COVID-19 cases surged in city in month of August compelling government to impose lockdown to control surge.

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