MONROVIA – Three employees of Bea Mountain Mining Corporation are believed to have been held hostage by members of the Matambo Community in Grand Cape Mount County after being allegedly kidnapped on Jenna Brown Road while working.
They are believed to have been taken into the bush by their kidnappers.
The management of the mining company has filed a formal complaint with the Liberia National Police for investigation.
Those kidnapped include one Turkish expat, Sabahattin Urekli and two Liberians – Armah Boakai and Tokpah Mulbah.
FrontPageAfrica gathered that the people of Cape Mount where the mining company has its concession has been making some unfair demands, including only people from the county should be given jobs at the concession, thereby, instilling fear in other Liberians who are not from the county working with the company.
Bea Mountain has a Mineral Development Agreement with the Government of Liberia representing the People of Liberia including Grand Cape Mount. The MDA provides for several obligations and rights to the Government and Bea Mountain. The company’s obligations under the MDA also provide certain benefits to the communities in which the company operates. However, the communities continue to demand extra benefits from the company outside the agreement with the Government.
FrontPageAfrica gathered that, even though Bea Mountain is executing its obligations as provided for under the Mineral Development Agreement (MDA), the company still voluntarily decided to engage the community to negotiate some of their demands. While in these discussions, the community particularly in Matambo kidnapped one Turkish and two Liberians (not Cape Mountainians).
The alleged kidnappers are, meanwhile, assured the company that the hostages are safe and would be turned over to the company if a ransom was provided.
They have requested 10 bags of rice, two tins of oil, two cartoons of fish, cartoons of chicken, a bag of onion and US$1,500 to meet the demands of tradition.