The Civics and Service International (CSI) has embarked again on another audacious project aimed at helping Liberians to maintain peace, tranquility in their communities.
This project holds duty-bearers accountable as well as promote community based monitoring, peaceful coexistence, and respect for human rights.
CSI, a highly known for promoting civic education, good governance, and respect for human rights across Liberia.
Currently, it is educating citizens about the Huiren Mining Company’s MoU, conducting surveys, water quality test, and multi-stakeholder dialogues in mining communities affected by Huiren’s operations in Jorquelleh District, Bong County.
CSI Country Director, Otis S. Bundor, stated that his organization is working with stakeholders in Jorpulo Clan, Jorquelleh District, to promote accountable governance and peaceful coexistence between locals and the mining company, which has concessions in that part of Liberia.
At a one-day multi-stakeholder dialogue held in Gbarmue Town to present CSI’s first survey findings, Mr. Bundor explained that CSI has worked to simplify, to the understanding of the locals, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the company and the locals.
He further stated that a CSI team, which recently visited the clan, also provided education to the residents of the four affected communities namely; Jackson Village, Gbarmue Town, Kpai Town and Banamah Town about their rights and responsibilities, conduct of a water quality tests, established conflict mechanism platforms among others.
“Today marks a very important day in Jorpulu Clan because we have brought the MoU that 95 percent of you didn’t know about as well as our research findings about the situation of Huiren Mining Company’s operation in your community,” he told the residents.
“We are going to submit a detailed report of our findings to you, the county legislative caucus, commissioners, relevant line ministries, and civil society organizations, outlining a detailed explanation of our findings,” he said.
He added that in 2023, they engaged stakeholders and affected mining communities of Huiren Mining Company to inform them about the project titled, ‘Enhancing Citizens Capacity and Promoting Accountable Governance in Mining Communities.’
Meanwhile, the report outlined that mining communities are prone to violence and Liberia is no exception, as their project seeks to promote peaceful coexistence and the establishment of peace-building mechanism platforms while holding the company and other stakeholders accountable.
The findings also show that 94 percent has never heard about the MoU, 95 percent had no knowledge about provisions in the MoU and 95 percent are unaware about Huiren Mining Company license, as Bundor then commended the German Corporation and the European Union for supporting the project.
The Deputy Mines Minister for Planning, Fahnseth Mulbah, then instructed the Huiren to submit the meeting minutes, attendance, bank account title and number, and names of signatories to the account within three days.
He urged the locals to remain peaceful, saying, “We want to see whether it is in the community’s name or an individual’s nam. At least our people can understand what is happening here. So please let’s continue this dialogue.”
Representing GIZ, the German Corporation, Samuel Summerville, commended the work of CSI and asked the affected communities to remain peaceful as CSI continues to champion change.
