By Aaron Wesley Geezay,geezayaaron@gmail.com
Cesstos, Liberia- In Rivercess County, a complain has been made by about alleged human rights violation by Chinese nationals with a local mining company, but the management of the company has taken due note of this.
The company is called Bola Mining Cooperative in the southeastern Rivercess County.
It has been learned that one of the foreign workers was involved in the beating of a female Liberian clearer who works with the Bola Mining Company.
The Bola mining company is owned by a Liberian, but its operations are being handled by the Chinese who are noted for industrial mining.
The company is presently operating in Central “C” Statutory District, mainly the Teeflewein near the famous Sand Beach gold camp and the Abidjan Gold mining camp in Kploh chiefdom, central Rivercess Administrative district.
Speaking in tears over the weekend with this Reporter, 25-year-old Ruth Peterson, a victim of alleged rights violation said she was beaten by one Lee, a Chinese national who is an excavator operator of the company.
Ruth explained that she is currently four months pregnant.
She said that her beating came about when the perpetrator accused her of throwing dirt cleaner on him, while sitting during the early morning hour of Sunday, June 2, 2019.
Ruth added that she had just completed her sweeping task, and was preparing for laundry/clothes washing when she and Lee had the confrontation.
She further said that following the accusation between them, she left the guy sight and started gathering her materials to begin washing.
“When I was bending down putting the clothes together in the kitchen to start washing it was the time he started to punch me from the back,’’ the 25-year-old woman explained.
“At the time, only two of us were there and when I ran away from him it was after that the others girls that cooking started to come around.’’
Ruth further explained that a day after the incident she was taken to Sand Beach, the mining hub of the County which is about four kilometers away from Teeflewein (walabayah), where the Company has its mining camp for medication.
Despite being treated for about a week plus, Ruth said she is still feeling serious pain in her back since she experienced the violent act on her.
But when contacted, the management team of Bola Mining Cooperative on ground could not immediately comment on the issue.
But when pressed further, the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, Trokon Hills commented on issue and said the company regrets the situation.
According to him, the company, as Liberian-owned entity, they will not do anything that will denigrate the dignity of any Liberian.
He added that with the respect for the rights of workers, the situation was handled by the relevant authority.
Mr. Hill informed this entity that the company has undertaken the cost of the medical treatment of the victim and they are expecting her to resume work upon recovery.
Meanwhile, the county coordinator for the Ministry of Gender and Children Protection, Mr. Henry M. K. Jabbie has denied presiding over such case.
According to the gender Coordinator, the acts is a complete violation of the female worker’s right and such matter should have been handled by the Ministry of Gender and not any other body.
He however promised that the case will be pursued until the alleged perpetrator faces the rightful legal process.