The Senator of Grand Cape Mount County, Simeon Taylor, has condemned the protest that took place last week in his county.
He told journalists on Sunday, “I condemn the protest in the first place. It was not timely; it should have been handled more better than that,” Senator Simeon Taylor told journalists on Sunday.
Last week, protest took place at Bea Mountain Mining Company, which led to the deaths and injuries, according to police report. According to the protestors, the company refused to adhere to their 31-point petition.
In it, they called for the removal of a Liberian to be replaced with a citizen from Cape Mount County, reinstatement of the Community Relations manager, the reinstatement of the Government Relations, Sando Whyne, the construction of vocational center, among others.
But according to the company, Henry Vincent, former community Relations Officer, was fired because he incited citizens against the company. Due to his action, he apologized. As for Whyne, he was dismissed for alleged criminal activities.
Senator Taylor said, “They were targeting private citizens’ homes. Some of those people they attacked… their homes are not working for the company; they are private citizens. This was my problem.”
He added, “This was not realistic. Yes, there were some concerns that needed to be addressed by the company, but the protestors were targeting one another, ordinary people, which was very bad.”
Last week’s protest led to the destruction of the company’s properties and the burring of peaceful citizens’ homes, as well as the death of one person.
The home of Boakai Lansannah Terafero, who contested against Representative Dosi in the just-ended 2023 presidential and legislative elections, was set on fire by the protestors.
One of the demands of the protestors is the withdrawal of armed men from the mines. However, according to Section 11.2 .a of the mineral development agreement signed between the Liberian government and Bea Mountain, “The Company may, directly or by contract with a responsible provider of security services, establish, manage and maintain its own asset and employee security and protection service for the purpose of protecting assets in the Production Area and in the immediate vicinity of other locations at which Company has or maintains property and assets through its own security force and to do so always in accordance with Law and rules and regulations promulgated by the Ministry of Justice relating to security forces. Such security force shall not bear arms and shall at all times operate subject to the authority of, and coordination with the Liberia National Police.”
Not only that, but also section (b) of the same MDA says, “In the event the Company deems it absolutely necessary to have armed guards for the purpose of protecting assets in the Production Area and in the immediate vicinity of other locations at which Company has or maintains property and assets, the Company shall make a written request to the Government. The Government shall provide armed guards as needed, which expense shall be borne by the Company.”