Lebanon President, Michael Aoun, has received backlash after it emerged that Ceylon tea donated by Sri Lanka for the victims of the Beirut blast was instead given to the families of his presidential guard.
Sri Lanka donated 1,675 kilos of Ceylon tea in an effort to show support in the wake of the Beirut blast which killed more than 190 people, injuring 6,500 and leaving around 300,000 homeless.
The president’s office released a picture of Aoun receiving the Sri Lankan ambassador saying Colombo had donated the Ceylon tea “to those affected by the Beirut blast.”
After questioned about the use of the tea, they released a statement saying the “Ceylon tea had been received by the army… and distributed to the families of soldiers in the presidential guard.”
Aoun received backlash, with “tea theif” and “Ceylon tea” trending on Twitter.
Critics say this misuse of donated tea was another example of official corruption in the country.
One critic, Paula Yaoubian a former MP, stated “distributing the aid to your entourage is shameful.”
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