Lebanon Files Official Complaints For Pager Explosion Attacks On ILO

PHOTO via Wikimedia Commons

JAKARTA - Lebanese Minister of Manpower Moustafa Bayram said his government had filed a complaint with the International Labor Organization (ILO) over the deadly quarantine explosion that occurred in September in the country.

"I came here to complain about this to ILO, because if it is not dealt with, it could be that this crime will become commonplace and widespread in the future," he said as quoted by ANTARA from Anadolu, Wednesday, November 6.

Bayram described the attack as a "terrible war on humanity, technology, work," he said at a joint press conference with the Accredited Correspondent Association for the United Nations (ACANU) in Geneva and more than 4,000 civilians "became martyred, injured and disabled" in a matter of minutes.

"This is a bad precedent," he said.

Although Israel did not officially recognize responsibility for the series of attacks, the minister said: "It has been widely accepted, accepted internationally, that Israel is behind this heinous act."

"We are in a situation where ordinary objects, objects you use everyday become dangerous and deadly," he said, adding that several workers lost their fingers and several others lost their total vision as a result of the attack.

Lebanon raised and underlined this issue "to prevent it from happening in the future," said Bayram. "I consider it a moral obligation to my country and the world."

"We consider it necessary to show that this is against the work environment, security and safety, contrary to the principles of decent work... maintained by ILO," he said.

Lebanese representatives in Geneva told Anadolu the complaint had been filed "three days ago."

Responding to the question, he acknowledged the possibility of filing a complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO) in the future.

The minister called for a ceasefire and full implementation of UN resolution number seven 1701 which urged a complete cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.