House wants army, Police out of Bea Mountain 

The House of Representatives has requested the Executive to withdraw military and police personnel from concessional sites nationwide immediately. 

This followed last Thursday’s (February 29, 2024) brutal crackdown by Liberian National Police on aggrieved protesters on the operational side of Bea Mountain Mining Company in Kinjor, Grand Cape Mount County, which left three persons feared dead and several others sustaining injuries.

By Bridgett Milton

Capitol Hill, Monrovia, March 7, 2024 –The Government of Liberia, through the Ministry of States, has forwarded a request from the House of Representatives to the Ministry of National Defense and the Liberia National Police to withdraw state security personnel from the operational site of Bea Mountain Mining Company in Kinjor, Grand Cape Mount County.

A communication from the Minister of State, Sylvester M. Grigsby, to members of the House of Representatives on Thursday, March 7, 2023, says the directive has been forwarded to the Liberia National Police and the Ministry of National Defense for action. 

Members of the House of Representatives voted to recall officers of the Armed Forces of Liberia and the Liberia National Police from Bea Mountain Concession Company and all other concessional areas across the country.

The House made the decision following a communication from Grand Cape Mount County District# 2 Representative Mohammed Dosii requesting the indulgence of his colleagues to ensure the immediate withdrawal of AFL and ERU personnel from the company’s facilities.

According to Rep. Dosii, upon his visitation and communities’ engagement in his constituency at Bea Mountain in Kinjor, Gola Konneh District, he took keen note of the number of officers of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) and the Police Emergency Response Unit.

The lawmaker further observed that AFL and LNP personnel behaved like company contractors, performing hard labor.

“They came to this country; they say they are investors, but they are not; they came here to suppress us,” he added.

He said that on February 14, a group of peaceful citizens congregated at the company’s gate to stage a peaceful protest, expressing their disappointment in the management about alleged bad labor practices or patterns. Still, unfortunately, on the said day, his people were belabored by the military and the Police.

 At least three persons were feared dead, and several others were reportedly injured on Thursday, February 29, 2024, during protests against the operation of commercial gold mining company Bea Mountain Mining Corporation (BMMC).

The protests which turned bloody, took place in Tawore District, Kinjor, Grand Cape Mount County.

The Liberia National Police (LNP) had earlier denied report of deaths but subsequently confirmed there were two deaths.

However, our reporter who visited the scene with lawmakers from Monrovia and the County said residents of Grand Cape Mounty County had accused the police’s Emergency Response Unit (ERU) assigned at the concession area of allegedly discharging live bullets.

Part of the protesters’ demand has been to have one of their sons represented at the BMMC’s senior management level and distribution of electricity.

Protesters told our reporter that they peacefully protested when the LNP officers went on the scene and demanded their forceful removal.

But they said they resisted the police’s order, allegedly prompting the officers to discharge live bullets.

The citizens accused the LNP of killing three protesters through the discharge of the alleged live bullet, but the LNP denied. Editing by Jonathan Browne