An investigation with impact: Qarib-Funded partners Manateq block controversial development in Tyre
With the support of Qarib, investigative journalists from Manateq helped protect one of Lebanon’s most important coastal reserves and stood firm in the face of military intimidation.
In August 2024, as war raged across South Lebanon and the skies over Tyre echoed with the constant hum of Israeli drones, an entirely different kind of threat emerged—one aimed not at military targets, but at Lebanon’s fragile environment, cultural heritage, and civic oversight.
A multi-million-dollar development project began to rise—quietly and without permits—on state-owned coastal land adjacent to the internationally protected Tyre Nature Reserve. This land, steeped in archaeological and ecological significance, is protected by multiple national laws. And yet, bulldozers moved in.
But thanks to our partner Manateq.net, the project didn’t remain in the shadows for long.
Within days of spotting early encroachments, Manateq journalists began documenting the violations. Their first report, quickly dubbed “The Suspicious Project,” asked the questions that no one else dared: Who authorized this? Why were there no environmental assessments? How could such a plan be executed next to a Ramsar-protected wetland and an ancient Phoenician city?
What followed was a series of investigations—filmed on site, published under pressure, and driven by continuous journalistic commitment. Their coverage exposed:
- The opaque partnership between the Ministry of Defense and a politically connected contractor.
- The complete absence of legal permits, maps, or public consultations.
- Direct threats to both the ecological balance and archaeological integrity of the Tyre coastline.
But the cost of this investigation was high.
In October, Mahdi Krayem, one of Manateq’s reporters, was detained by the Lebanese army during a routine field visit to document the site. His arrest was widely condemned by journalists and civil society—leading to a national campaign that forced the authorities to release him just days later. A lawyer from the Alternative Syndicate, supported through Qarib’s legal aid program for threatened journalists, traveled to Sidon to advocate for his release.
This case proved a turning point. Under public and legal pressure—and following a formal complaint by the Green Southerners environmental organization—the Commander of the Lebanese Army ordered a suspension of all construction work in late June