Monrovia, Liberia – Following a violent demonstration that resulted in the police using weapons, two deaths have been verified by Inspector General of Police Gregory Coleman.
IG Coleman stated at a press conference over the weekend that while the police are sorry for the deaths of the two residents, peace has returned to Kinjor, Grand Cape Mount County.
He claimed that the police are still closely monitoring the situation through the application of community policing.
The IG added that two of the nine injured police officers received gunshot wounds during the demonstration in Kinjor.
But reports from the county say three residents of the town of Kinjor in Grand Cape Mount County tragically lost their lives as a result of a violent demonstration against the Bea Mountain mining firm. This was a startling turn of events. Protesters with long-standing grievances against the mining firm allegedly turned the demonstration into a violent altercation with state security stationed at the concession area.
For months, tensions had been building in Kinjor as locals expressed worries about the effects mining operations were having on the environment and the apparent lack of benefits to the town. When locals’ frustrations reached a breaking point, they staged a large-scale protest in the streets to call for justice and equitable treatment.
After conflicts between demonstrators and security personnel turned violent, the situation swiftly spiraled out of hand, resulting in mayhem and violence. The already tense mood in the community was further heightened when three persons lost their lives amid the disturbance.
Liberian politicians stepped in to bring peace back to Kinjor in reaction to the terrible deaths and rising levels of violence.
In an effort to calm the unrest and address the underlying problems that are causing the protest, a delegation of legislators led by Hons. Yekeh Y. Kolubah, Emmanuel Dahn, Mohammed Dosii, Foday Fanhbulleh, Bintou Massalley, and others arrived in the town.
