Global Witness Honors Murdered Liberian Environmental Rights Defenders in Latest Report
September 20, 2025
By: Jeremiah Sackie Cooper
Gmail: jeremiahcooper105@gmail.com
Monrovia: International watchdog Global Witness has honored three young Liberian environmental rights defenders who were killed while resisting land grabs, resource exploitation, and environmental destruction linked to Turkish-owned Bea Mountain Mining Company.
In its newly released report, Global Witness highlights the courage and sacrifices of 21-year-old Enssa Massalay, 17-year-old Abraham Kerkulah, and 21-year-old Bangalie Kamara, who were murdered on February 29, 2024, during a protest against the mining giant’s operations in western Liberia.
That day, hundreds of residents and workers flooded the streets to denounce alleged environmental pollution, injustices, and poor labor practices tied to Bea Mountain Mining Company. What began as a peaceful demonstration quickly escalated when the Emergency Response Unit (ERU) of the Liberia National Police intervened.
Eyewitnesses reported that officers fired live ammunition into the crowd, leaving more than 20 people seriously injured and three dead.
Civil society groups in Liberia have welcomed the recognition, stressing that the report brings long-overdue global attention to the dangers faced by local communities defending their land and environment.
CSOs warn that Liberia’s tragedy reflects a broader global crisis
They are urging the Liberian government to strengthen protections for environmental defenders, conduct transparent investigations into past killings, and hold security forces and companies accountable for abuses.
Right groups at the same time want multinational companies to respect human rights, uphold due process in land deals, and engage meaningfully with communities affected by their operations.
“It is unfair that activists continue to suffer simply for demanding respect for their rights, such as the right to benefit from investment on their land and to be consulted on decisions that affect their land, the environment, and future generations” Francis Colee, program lead at Green Advocates International emphasized
“ In Liberia, we are yet to see the promised jobs, development or better days that the government and companies promised but defenders are being attacked, harassed, intimidated, arrested, detained and tortured for standing up for and speaking out on behalf of their communities. It is a shame that defenders have to pay this price to exercise the rights that our governments and companies claim to protect” he added.
Additionally, the GW report noted that at least 146 grassroots environmental defenders were murdered or forcibly disappeared worldwide in 2024 alone, underscoring the escalating risks for those challenging powerful corporations and state-backed projects.
As climate change, mining, and industrial expansion intensify, Global Witness and local advocates are warning that the safety of environmental defenders is no longer just a local issue but a matter of urgent international priority.
