“Bea Mountain Provoked the People” -Rep. Yekeh; Says the Company Will shut down, If…

MONROVIA: Montserrado County District #10 Representative Yekeh Kolubah has said he discovered that the Bea Mountain Mining Company (BMMC) in Kinjor, Grand Cape Mount County is responsible for the violent protest by workers and residents of the area and blamed the cause of the protestations on the company’s ill-treatment of the workers and people of the community they operate from just he and his advocate.

The tough talking representative was on a legislative committee constituted by the House of Representatives, the lower House of Legislature, to probe the cause of the persistent protest on the concessional area of the Bea Mountain Mining Company in Kinjor which reportedly left at least four persons dead and several others wounded.

Addressing a team of  journalists near the Camp Site of the BMMC, Rep. Yekeh alarmed that the health center of the expatriates including their pharmacy are well furnished, equipped with drugs and medication of all sorts and well air conditioned, while the clinic of the workers and people is poorly  equipped and unattended and even without drugs and medicines.

”These people are ill-treating our people. In this place where the Turkish are, you see the clinic equipped. You saw their pharmacy right? That is what is called a clinic. You went outside to where our people are?  The Representative asked.

He said, “The people the Turkish are taking the resources from, the people who are doing the heavy work are being denied basic health care and even running water. Did you see the clinic of the Liberian workers? No medicine there, no ambulance there whereas the Turkish clinic has medicines [in abundance] and ambulances show prove that the management is provoking the people to protest because they are heartless.”

The lawmaker said the only way these Bea Mountain people are going to live up to the MDA agreement is to shut them down, and we will take that stance to bring our people relief

Yekeh Kolubah furthered, “We’re coming to reach that point where we are to take that stance. These people feel very proud to carry us to their well-furnished and equipped clinic where there are air conditioners at the waiting room and their sitting places, while we observed during our visit to the clinic of the Liberian workers outside, there was on ambulance, the workers don’t have running water, whereas to them, the Turkish, there is running water, to them they enjoy A/C.” he said.

“You saw the medicine in their area, even JFK can come for medicine here and use it for the citizens of this country. You see how wicked these people are? Then we sit everyday saying we are representatives of the people. But with this visit, the people will see representation.  These Bea Mountain people will have to comply,” the legislator promised.

“In the first place,” he said, “the company lied to us under oath. They said there was running water over there where the workers are, but the reality is there is no running water there to drink.  They told us that there were bathrooms; where are the bathrooms for our people? Where are the bathrooms for our people?” the Rep Kolubah wondered.

Besides, he said the Turkish expatriates are driving trucks and vehicles, doing technical and professional jobs that the Liberians are qualified to do. “You see them driving trucks around here. Is it their jobs to drive trucks around here? How are you going to employ the people when you are doing the jobs the Liberians are supposed to do? Then we sit the whole day and call ourselves the government when our people are suffering,” representative said in an outburst.

He said this time around, watch the process and see;  I may resign from this committee if there is no result that will give our people relief.. These Turkish people have to do what they are supposed to do if their Bea Mountain Company should continue to operate in the country. .

Representative Kolubah indicated that iberia will develop when Liberians have interest in the country, noting that these Turkish people are looting our resources and the country is getting nothing in return, adding “And we must stop it.’

Kolubah emphasized that the Turkish people are provoking their Liberian workers and the people in the community that they operate from, noting that this level of provocation has caused our people to be demonstrating every day.

He maintained that unless the BMMC complies with provisions of the MDA which have been documented for more than 10 years, the people will always be provoked to demonstrate.

“Since more than 10 years ago, what have they done?  They provoke the people to demonstrate, expressing belief that most of these people calling themselves expatriates seem to be carboys in their home.

“When they come here, they behave like big boys.  They are big boys for whom – the Liberian people they are getting the resources from? Watch the Process and see. We are in it and they must live up to their commitment,” Rep Kolubah reassures.

Also speaking, the Representative Mohammed Dosii of the governing Unity Party (UP), in whose District  the Company is operating expressed indignation that the Bea Mountain Mining Company is not living by the Mineral Development Agreement based on which they are operating.

Rep. Dosii told journalists that the BMMCX is not delivering its social corporate responsibility to the Kinjor Community, while at the same time ill-treating the sons and daughters of the county who are working with the company.

He mentioned how sometimes the water the people drink was polluted by the company which has refused to give to the people sources of safe drinking water, and medical facilities, amongst others.

“When we talk about these people are blaming us for inciting the protest, “he said, adding the Legislative Committee will give their independent findings of the reality of the situation in Kinjor that is causing the persistent protest.

It can be recalled that the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Lands, Mines, Energy and Natural Resources, Senator Simeon Taylor, has blamed the recent violent clashes between aggrieved citizens and police officers assigned at the Bea Mountain Mining Company (BMMC) on alleged inciting comments made by his kinsman, Rep. Mohammed Dosii.

As the result of the protest,  at least two persons were reported dead and several others injured and hospitalized when aggrieved citizens of Bangoma and Kinjor staged a violent protest, demanding improved working conditions and increment in salaries, amongst others.

Police fired tear gas and live bullets to disperse the crowd which previously setup up blocks, burned down a police station, several machines belonging to the company, vandalized a vocational school, the homes and properties of some peaceful citizens who were reportedly against their action to stage a violent protest to stall the operations of the company.

Following the incident, Senator Taylor filed a formal complaint against his colleague Dosii to the Plenary of the Liberian Senate.

In his communication dated February 29 and addressed to Senate Pro Tempore Nyonblee Karnga Lawrence, Senator Taylor claimed that Representative Dosii was on February 24, 2024 seen in a gathering in King Jor, urging and rallying the citizens of Grand Cape Mount County to engage in a county-wide protest against the company.

“In the words of Hon. Dosii, he pleaded with the citizens to stage a protest that will bring all activities of the company to a standstill. Regrettably, there is a violent protest ongoing in King Jor at the moment, just days after the call. Madam Pro Temp and distinguished Senators, I urge this body to take this issue on the part of Hon. Dosii very seriously, as his actions have led to the alleged loss of lives and wanton destruction of properties.”

He stressed the need for the Senate to liaise with the House of Representatives to have his kinsman show cause for his action in inciting the citizens to engage into a protest action that resulted in the loss of lives and the damage of properties worth thousands of United States dollars.