LIBERIA – The African Youth Peer Review Committee (AYPRC) has filed a 10 Million United States Dollars legal suit against the management of the Bea Mountain Mining Company (BMMC) for reportedly violating the rights of people living in the company’s operational area.
The AYPRC’s legal suit which has been accompanied by a joint resolution from residents of Jehkandor Town in Gaworlor District, Grand Cape Mount County is encapsulated with several counts, created as a result of chemical pollution by the BMMC’s operations in the county.
An AYPRC’s Release Issued in Monrovia quotes the group Executive Director Jeedlee Kinnii as saying that the company has blatantly violated the rights of residents of Jehkandor Community by polluting the only water source used by citizens within that area.
He said the lawsuit against the management of Bea Mountain Mining Company will serve as a deterrence to other company’s that willfully violates environmental and other laws in Liberia and go sky-free.
According to Kinni, upon his organization’s visitation to the Jehkandor Town in Grand Cape Mount, it was observed that the management of Bea Mountain have failed to put in place safety measures that would have protected residents from the chemical spillage that have affected every faucets of the community.
He noted that the health of those living in Bea Mountain operational area is deteriorating daily, with the company doing absolutely nothing to address the situation.
He said women and children are greatly affected by the Bea Mountain chemical spillage, as they are left with the mercy of God in fetching for themselves food and other means of livelihood.
It can be recalled, the management of Bea Mountain has strongly resisted a recent EPA’s report which among other things suggests that the company’s mining operations have created a chemical spillage on the Mafar River and Marvoc Creek.
Though the EPA has stood by its report against the Bea Mountain company, nothing more has been done to address the prevailing challenges citizens in the company’s operational areas face.
But the latest AYPRC’s lawsuit, according to the group Executive Director, will give hope to the affected community, as Justice in his words, will be served in favor of the poor people in Cape Mount.
The lawsuit at the BBM was filed at the Fifth Judicial Circuit Court in Grand Cape Mount County.
Snippets from the Writ of Summon to the Bea Mountain Mining Company reads: “Greetings, you are hereby commanded to summon the within named defendants, namely: Bea Mountain Mining Company (BMMC), by and thru its General Manager and to include authorized officers of Grand Cape Mount County, Liberia and cause them to appear before this Honorable Court, the 5th Judicial Circuit for the county of Grand Cape Mount, R.L sitting in its May term A.D. 2022 and or file its answer to plaintiffs’ complaint on the 30th day of June A.D. 2022 at the hour of 1 PM”
A portion of the plaintiff’s complaint to the court also reads: “Plaintiffs says that Article eleven (11) of the 1986 Liberian Constitution stipulates that all persons are born equally free and independent and have contained natural, inherent and inalienable rights, among which are the right of enjoying and defending life and liberty, of pursuing and maintaining the security of the person and of acquiring, possessing and protecting property, subject to such qualification as provided for in this constitution.
That the defendant (BMMC) Tiling Storage Facility spilled water pollution on the landscape of the plaintiff causing deaths to aquatic species including fish, crabs, crawfish, and other inhabitants and these fatalities were caused by asphyxiation (deprivation of oxygen needed to sustain life underwater as evidence by the attached photos, marked as exhibit P/2 to form a part of this complaint…. Further to count six (6) supra, plaintiffs maintain that the dog ate the contaminated fish as a result of the chemical spillage perpetuated by the defendants on the plaintiffs’ landscape causing their creek, Marvoe and Mafa River to be polluted, hence, the plaintiffs’ attention was drawn to the devastating condition of their landscape.
In substantiating this allegation, the plaintiff attached and marked as exhibit P/3 in bulk, the PRESS RELEASE of the conduct of the investigation of alleged water pollution at Marvoe Creek and Mafar River, Grand Cape Mount County, Liberia published by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to form part of this complaint….”
Wherefore and in view of the foregoing, plaintiffs pray your Honor and this Honorable Court to award them Ten Million United States Dollars (US$10, 000, 000,00) as general damages to be determined by the Jury for the pain, distress, inconveniences, and agony suffered by plaintiffs at the instance of the defendants and grant unto them all other relief as may deem just, legal and equitable in the premises.”
