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Dozens of community residents from the steel giant ArcelorMittal operational areas in three countries have protested here, demanding social corporate benefits, including health, roads, education, and compensation for the destruction of their homes and farmlands.
By Thomas Domah, Nimba County
Nimba, Liberia, August 9, 2024 -The three most affected counties from ArcelorMittal Liberia’s operation under the banner Aggrieved Communities have expressed dissatisfaction over the negative impacts of the mining company’s operations in their areas. The aggrieved counties include Nimba, Bong, and Grand Bassa, where the company currently operates.
Addressing reporters in Yekepa, Nimba County, following a peaceful gathering during which they read a position statement, community leader and project animator for Green Advocates International Sam Yeadieh said ArcelorMittal Liberia is working in their communities with no positive impact on affected communities and the country at large, coupled with alleged bad treatment meted against them.
He lamented that the company’s operations had taken away land, destroyed livelihoods, and caused air and water pollution, as well as loud noises from rock blasts and train movements, among other disturbing experiences.
Mr. Yeadieh explained that citizens from the three affected counties continue to live in fear of security harassment, alleging that State Security uses excessive force in resolving conflicts between the mining company and communities.
According to him, people from the affected communities and counties are not criminals but rather people who rely on the land and natural resources for their livelihoods.
“This, we will present to you in our statement as it is read, and most especially, in the form of a torch with a black smoke to represent the irony of our today is one of the first times that we all have come together as affected communities to express our common frustration over the impact of ArcelorMittal Liberia’s work in our communities. Sadly, this great day has come at a very dark period in our lives; it is happening at a time when our land is being taken, our livelihoods destroyed, and our homes falling to the vibration of the blasting of mines and the movement of the train and heavy earth-moving equipment or yellow machines”, he outlined.
According to him, their air and water are polluted, while they live in constant shock from the blasts and sounds of trains’ movement. Despite being close to ArcelorMittal’s operations, they still live in deplorable conditions with little or no access to healthcare, sanitation, and economic opportunities to make a living and generate income to take care of their families.
He emphasized that their gathering in Yekepa, Nimba County, recently, under dark weather, indicated that they are not satisfied with their present living condition, which is characterized by a lack of benefits and job opportunities, among other things.
A resident of Gbapa Town in District#3, Nimba County, Dada Konkah, told reporters that AML management did not adequately inform residents of the affected communities before blasting the mines.
Konkah said that due to the lack of adequate information, the blasts and the movement of trains along the railway from Nimba to Grand Bassa County were destroying their homes and farmlands.
Evelyn Saye and Abel Nyanamah from Lugbeyee Town narrated that the company’s operation has also contaminated rivers and streams they fetch water from to drink, coupled with the extinction of fish, which is an important protein source in their diet.
“We are not satisfied; our crops are destroyed without prior notice and are not well compensated for them, including delay in payment process,” they said.
According to them, the grievance and payment process takes more than a year to reach a conclusion, and most of their grievances go unaddressed.
Alphanso G. Nya and Garteh Nohn Nya from Lugbeyee Town, Yorh Brown, Women Chair from Zolowee Town, and Marie Moore, all from affected communities in Nimba County, also joined the group to express their frustrations and disappointment, especially over how contracts are awarded by AML Management without prior and informed consent.
“We are not criminals; we are Indigenous people who depend on the land and forest for the sustenance of our lives,” Matthew B. Dolo and Moses Tokpah from Bong County lamented.
“We were here before ArcelorMittal; this is our ancestral land; therefore, we are calling on the management of the mining company to address our following demands: Have a dialogue with the affected communities to discuss a possible redress to all of the issues we have raised about the noise, water and air pollution, livelihood, County Development Fund, our inclusion in decision-making processes that affect us and future generation, and conduct a thorough review of the current grievance mechanism to identify key bottlenecks that prevent the chances of complaints being addressed by the company; and develop an FPIC policy for the company which will provide requirements for managing information about its operation with all stakeholders, especially the communities that are mostly affected by its operations,” they demanded.
The aggrieved communities and counties also called on ArcelorMittal- Liberia to be a true champion in protecting people and the environment, especially local communities and their livelihoods in Liberia. Editing by Jonathan Browne
