English version:

To His Excellency General Joseph Aoun, President of the RepublicTo His Excellency Mr. Nabih Berri, Speaker of Parliament
To His Excellency Judge Nawaf Salam, Prime Minister

We respectfully submit this national petition to you after all legal and administrative avenues have been exhausted in halting the ongoing construction works in the Shawakeer area of Tyre. These works are being carried out in violation of environmental and heritage laws, posing a serious threat to the Tyre coastline, the Tyre Nature Reserve, its wetlands—one of the last protected coastal areas in Lebanon—as well as to significant archaeological sites (five plots under construction are listed on the General Inventory of Historic Buildings) and to the environmental and cultural identity of the city.

We have formally addressed the concerned ministries—namely the Ministries of Environment, Culture, and Defense—and a judicial decision was issued on March 8, 2025, by the Urgent Matters Judge in Tyre to halt the works and appoint an environmental expert. Despite the Ministry of Defense being officially notified of this ruling on March 20, 2025, the works have continued unlawfully.

On May 15, 2025, a second decision was issued by Judge Yolla Ghadimi reaffirming the need to stop the works. This ruling was officially delivered to the relevant authorities on May 28, 2025. Nevertheless, the construction continues in blatant violation of judicial orders.

We, the undersigned—citizens, activists, legal experts, and civil and environmental actors—appeal to you for immediate intervention to stop the ongoing works within the vital area of the Tyre Nature Reserve. These works, executed in coordination with the Army institution, aim to establish an officers’ club and a commercial facility.

We demand that these activities be halted immediately, based on the following:

Findings of the 2019 archaeological survey, which confirmed the presence of 20 significant archaeological sites in Shawakeer dating to the Bronze, Iron, Roman, and Byzantine eras;

1. The commencement of construction without conducting a mandatory archaeological assessment;
2. Execution of the project without submitting a legally required Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), in violation of:
3. Law No. 444/2002 (Environmental Protection Law)
4. Decree No. 8633/2012 (Environmental Impact Assessment)
5. Decree No. 8213/2012 (Strategic Environmental Assessment for public projects)

In addition, the construction violates several key laws:

1. Law No. 166/LR of 1933 (Protection of Antiquities)
2. Law No. 144/S of 1925 (Protection of Public Property)
3. Law No. 708/1998 (Protection of Coastal Areas of Environmental and Archaeological Value)

 

Esteemed Leaders,

We greatly value the sacrifices and national role of the Lebanese Army. It is precisely because of this deep respect that we believe such legal and environmental violations, carried out under the name of a project attributed to the institution, tarnish its image and contradict its mission as a guarantor of sovereignty and the rule of law.

Continuing this project will result in:

1. The destruction of a unique coastal and ecological system
2. The obliteration of a wetland area
3. Encroachment upon archaeological sites and national treasures
4. Violations of the rights of local residents and farmers

 

Accordingly, we demand:

1. The immediate cessation of all construction activities within the reserve;
2. A transparent internal investigation in coordination with judicial and oversight bodies;
3. A return to legal procedures through the enforcement of environmental and heritage protection laws;
4. Reorientation of the site for environmentally and culturally appropriate public use under the management of the state and civil society.

 

We submit this petition to you out of a deep belief in our shared responsibility to protect what remains of Lebanon’s natural and cultural heritage, to prevent violations of the law and constitution, and to safeguard the dignity of the state and its institutions.

With the utmost respect and appreciation.