BY: Shallon S.Gonlor/+231881471044
NIMBA COUNTY — Since the coordinated country devils protestations against ArcelorMittal-Liberia operation in Nimba County on Monday, May 6, 2024, several residents predominately women, children and family members remain the main victims in displacement, running in bushes for shelter and safety.
The continued protest action has also contributed to abrupt school shutdown, disrupting normal basic and social services in the company’s mine affected communities.
Normal living conditions, including academic activity prematurely come to a hut on Monday as country devils or traditional bushmasters intensified protest actions, besieged ArcelorMittal-Liberia Operational site to prevent them access to all three mining areas through makeshift roadblocks.
As the result of the week long protest, WomenVoices Newspaper has gathered report that the situation in displacement sites remains critical as women and children remain victims with overcrowded conditions and limited access to safe drinking water, food, and health risks such as cholera, and malaria.
On Monday, May 6, 2024 angry residents of ArcelorMittal-Liberia affected communities as well as Pro Masters, Zoe Women, Chief and Elders from Yah Mehn, Zor, Sehyi Clans and elsewhere put out country devils, placed makeshift roadblocks at the entrances of the mines and Blei-Detton due to AML alleged failure to fulfill its responsibilities to improve the livelihood of the community people.
In a consolidated fight, the aggrieved citizens’ country devils however intensify protest actions to support the call demanding an end to ArcelorMittal-Liberia operation in the communities and the controversial expansion agreement signed between ArcelorMittal and the Liberian Government under Former President George Weah.
Former President Weah’s led-government and ArcelorMittal signed MDA amendment paves the way for the expansion of the company’s mining and logistics operations in Liberia.
The amended MDA coming into effect, ArcelorMittal-Liberia agreed to significantly ramp up production of premium iron ore, generating significant new jobs and wider economic benefits for Liberia including the concession communities of Yah Mehn, Zor and Sehyi Clans in Nimba County Districts 3&2 respectively.
The expansion project which encompasses processing, rail, and port facilities is believed to be one of the largest mining projects in West Africa. The expansion project includes the construction of a new concentration plant and the substantial expansion of mining operations in Nimba County, with the first concentration plant work ongoing in Zorlowee Town, Yah Mehn Administrative District.
Amid the controversial expansion agreement combined with some mining and environmental issues, resident of the affected communities in the operational areas have decried the poor living conditions of citizens, lack of adequate health facility, safe drinking water, schools, job opportunities among others, calling on the new Liberian Government of President Joseph N. Boakai and VP Jeremiah Kpan Koung to put an end to the additional expansion agreement entered into by Former President Weah on grounds that AML has not impacted their livelihood to give them a well-deserved life despite the huge extraction of resources from their farmland.
Meanwhile, the traditional bushmasters protestation which is affecting all three mining sites including Tokaded, Gangra and Yuelliton in the concessional affected communities has imposed fears in major farmers, school-going kids, and ordinary people including non-member, women and children, thus fleeing in the bushes for safety.
The ongoing week long protest actions up to present time, WomenVoices Newspaper has gathered report that close to hundreds women and children are seeking shelter and safety due to harm associated with the traditional bushmasters for non-member.
As is often the case in humanitarian crises, women and children are suffering disproportionate impacts from the country devils protest as displacement, hunger, lack of medical care and clean water are all reaching unprecedented highs.
