Liberia: House to Probe Violence At Bea Mountain

21 June 2023
The New Dawn (Monrovia)
By Bridgett Milton And Jonathan Browne

The House of Representatives has instructed its joint committee on Mines & Energy and Labor to review recent violence and potential threats to national security and rule of law at Bea Mountain Mining Corporation in Kinjor, Grand Cape Mount County and report in one week.

The House took the decision here Tuesday, 20 June, during its regular session following a communication from Grand Bassa County Electoral District#5 Representative, Thomas A. Goshua, in which he cites potential threats to national security and the rule of law at the company.

According to Rep. Goshua, he received a complaint from a member of his constituency, who works for Bea Mountain Mining Corporation in Kinjor, Grand Cape Mount County.

He said the complaint among other things, alleged that on June 4, 2023, a group of persons believed to be in the employ of Bea Mountain engaged in violent activities wherein they mobbed and beat up several employees of the company, including expats and the company's lawyer who was nearly killed.

Rep. Goshua added that the violent conduct is ongoing as several expatriates and Liberian workers exposed to those forms of threats are likely to organize themselves in self-defense.

"I have documents in my possession which show that the Ministry of Justice and the Liberian National Police also received these complaints nearly two weeks ago. Unfortunately, the law enforcement authorities directly failed to take any action to investigate or make any arrest. In other words, the Police has reneged on its function to investigate these allegations".

Goshua at the same time alleged that the company had met with the Ministers of Justice, Internal Affairs, Labor, and Mines and Energy to seek Government's action but to no avail which he further claims is troubling and undermines all efforts to attract investors to Liberia.

He said what is even more troubling is a sequence of allegations that the Minister of Labor is an instigator of this violence or disruption at Bea Mountain.

"I know of a similar set of allegations against the Minister relating to recent disruptions at ArcelorMittal Liberia and within other concessions", the lawmaker writes.

Meanwhile, Rep. Goshua is calling on Plenary of the House of Representatives to investigate the matter by inviting the Ministers of Justice, Mines, and Energy and Labor, including the Inspector General of Police in order to clarify the allegations.

Read the original article on New Dawn.

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