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ADNews-Monrovia,Liberia: What was planned as a peaceful demonstration by aggrieved workers at AFCONs, an Indian subcontractor for ArcelorMittal Liberia, spiraled into violence on Wednesday, leaving seven police officers and one army officer hospitalized.
By John Flomo
Authorities arrested 27 protesters following chaotic clashes in the bustling mining town of Yekepa, a key hub in Liberia’s iron ore–rich Nimba County.
The workers, numbering in the hundreds, had gathered to demand long-overdue salaries, access to safe drinking water, and improved living conditions in their makeshift camps.
For months, the workers said they had endured sweltering heat without reliable access to clean water, overcrowded barracks plagued by poor sanitation, and stagnant wages amid rising living costs driven by inflation.
“We wake up thirsty, work in the dust, and go to bed hungry. How can they expect us to keep mining their riches?” one protester said, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal.
Frustrations boiled over in the pre-dawn hours. At about 2 a.m., the workers marched on the AFCONs camp, a sprawling compound housing hundreds of staff members, senior management, and essential operations supporting ArcelorMittal Liberia’s iron ore projects.
By 6 a.m., protesters had fully blockaded the entrance, preventing workers, managers, and state security personnel from accessing the site. Barricades made of tires, logs and debris obstructed the main gate, stranding vehicles as tensions mounted.
Government officials, citing public safety concerns and economic disruption, ordered state security forces — including police from the Emergency Response Unit and army personnel — to clear the blockade.
What began as tense negotiations erupted into violence around midday. Protesters hurled rocks and debris, while officers responded with tear gas, rubber bullets and batons.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic, with workers fleeing into nearby bushland, injured officers clutching head wounds, and an army carrier vehicle damaged during the confrontation.
Sources said the Ministry of Labor had previously engaged the workers but failed to provide concrete resolutions, worsening the standoff.
AFCONs, which provides critical support services such as haulage and maintenance for ArcelorMittal Liberia’s $2.6 billion iron ore operations, has faced similar labor disputes in the past as Liberia works to revive its mining sector following the Ebola crisis and civil war.
Police have since restored calm in Yekepa, a town closely tied to ArcelorMittal Liberia’s mining operations and the livelihoods of thousands of residents.
Authorities said an investigation is underway to determine charges against the 27 detainees, who are being held at the Yekepa Police Station.
Hospital officials said the injured officers suffered fractures, lacerations and concussions but are in stable condition at the Jackson F. Doe Memorial Regional Referral Hospital in nearby Tappita.
Union leaders and civil society groups condemned the violence and called for urgent dialogue.
“This is a cry for dignity, not destruction,” said Nimba County labor representative James Kollie.
ArcelorMittal Liberia and AFCONs have not yet issued official statements. Operations as the camp remain suspended, with potential ripple effects on the local economy.
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