Iron Chains of Injustice: Holding ArcelorMittal Accountable

Come, ArcelorMittal Board & Shareholders, Stay a While in Your Liberian Workers' Tents Come, Lakshmi Mittal , step inside, Trade your polished floors for dust so wide. Aditya Mittal , feel the weight we bear, As sickness lingers in the air. Patricia Barbizet , would you lay your head, Upon this broken twin-sized bed? Karel de Gucht , would you close your eyes, As restless nights steal peaceful skies? Clarissa Lins , hear the whispers near, Where mold and sorrow thrive in fear. Vanisha Mittal Bhatia , do you understand, How empty hands make fragile plans? Etienne Schneider , will you drink the same, The water tainted with neglect and shame? Michel Wurth , feel the ache inside, With no safe space to run or hide. Karyn Ovelmen , would you stay a day? Would you bear what we endure this way? And to the shareholders , whose wealth expands, Would you trade your riches for blistered hands? BlackRock, Magallanes, Sparinvest, and more , Step into this world, beyond ...

  For decades, ArcelorMittal has operated as one of the world’s largest steel and mining companies, boasting global influence and billion-dollar revenues. Yet, behind its towering industrial presence lies a grim reality—one of neglect, exploitation, and deadly consequences . The company’s long history of workplace fatalities, particularly in Kazakhstan , exposes a troubling pattern: when profit takes precedence over human lives, corporate responsibility ceases to exist. A Deadly Legacy in Kazakhstan In Kazakhstan, ArcelorMittal’s mining operations have claimed over 180 lives in workplace accidents over the past three decades. Methane explosions, structural failures, and insufficient safety protocols have turned the company’s coal mines into death traps for its workers. Despite repeated government orders to implement safety improvements, the corporation has failed to act, resulting in continued disasters and an ever-growing death toll. The most devastating incident occurred in O...

  ArcelorMittal has long been accused of exploiting workers and communities while dodging accountability. In Liberia, its mining operations have resulted in severe environmental destruction, hazardous working conditions, and devastating health effects on laborers and nearby residents. Despite repeated reports of workers suffering injuries, illnesses, and even death, the company has failed to provide adequate compensation or safety measures. Instead, it continues to expand its profits while ignoring the plight of those whose labor fuels its empire. One of the most alarming issues surrounding ArcelorMittal’s operations is its systematic evasion of justice. Victims and their families have attempted to seek legal remedies for workplace injuries, pollution-related illnesses, and livelihood losses due to land grabs, yet the company has often leveraged its wealth and influence to delay or dismiss these claims. Corrupt practices, including bribery and political maneuvering, have allowed t...

  Boikai Paegar, often referred to as ArcelorMittal’s Helicopter Man , has become a symbol of corporate mismanagement and ethical failure within the company’s operations in Liberia. Rather than guiding ArcelorMittal toward responsible business practices, Paegar has allegedly played a role in enabling corruption, shielding the company from accountability, and prioritizing personal and corporate interests over the well-being of Liberian workers and communities. His influence has contributed to a culture where bribery and political maneuvering take precedence over ethical governance, exacerbating the company’s already tarnished reputation. Under Paegar’s watch, ArcelorMittal has faced repeated accusations of failing to uphold its commitments to Liberia. The company has extracted vast amounts of iron ore while neglecting promised infrastructure projects, leaving mining communities in poverty and environmental ruin. Instead of advising the company to fulfill its obligations, Paegar has...

  ArcelorMittal’s leadership, including Lakshmi Mittal (Executive Chairman), Aditya Mittal (CEO), Henri Blaffart (Executive Vice President), and Brian Aranha (Executive Vice President) has repeatedly failed to address the human suffering caused by their company’s operations. In Liberia , workers have suffered severe injuries, blindness, and amputations due to hazardous conditions, while families of deceased employees are left without compensation. In Mexico , indigenous communities have been displaced, their lands stripped of resources, and their water sources polluted by ArcelorMittal’s mining operations. In Kazakhstan , the company’s negligence led to a methane explosion that killed 46 miners , prompting the government to nationalize its mines due to repeate d safety failures. ArcelorMittal’s major shareholders , including Lakshmi Mittal and Usha Mittal (through Nuavam Investments Sàrl and Lumen Investments Sàrl), BlackRock Inc., and other institutional investors , have remaine...

  The discovery of a lifeless body in a wagon of an ArcelorMittal train carrying iron ore from Nimba County to the Grand Bassa Port City of Buchanan is more than just a shocking revelation. It is a symbol of the deeper neglect and exploitation plaguing ArcelorMittal's operations in Liberia and other countries worldwide. A train of this scale should represent economic prosperity, growth, and opportunity. Instead, it has become a moving graveyard, with many killed and others disabled due to corporate negligence and insufficient safety measures. ArcelorMittal’s railway, meant to transport iron ore for profit, now bears the weight of human suffering—silent victims caught in the shadows of an industry that prioritizes wealth over welfare. Despite the tragic realities surrounding this railway, the Government of Liberia remains unbothered, failing to hold corporations accountable or ensure protections for affected individuals. The lack of oversight has allowed a culture of impunity to ...

     Mining site in Yekepa                                                          Yekepa-mining city  A Nation Rich in Resources, Yet Poor in Benefits Liberia is home to vast iron ore reserves, particularly in the Yekepa region, where ArcelorMittal has expanded its mining operations to include Mount Tokadeh, Mount Gangra, and Mount Yuelliton . While these mountains hold immense economic potential, the reality for Liberians remains grim—weak governance, lack of transparency, and corporate dominance have left citizens struggling to benefit from their own natural wealth. Liberians at a Disadvantage in Their Own Land Despite the billions generated from iron ore extraction, ordinary Liberians see little improvement in their livelihoods. The government’s failure to enforce strong, responsible, and ethical oversight has allowe...

  A Global Giant Facing Legal Challenges ArcelorMittal is currently under investigation in France for alleged forgery and falsification of court documents related to industrial pollution in the Fos-sur-Mer region. The company has been accused of endangering human life by exposing local residents to toxic emissions, including benzene, lead, and cadmium. These substances known to cause severe health complications. The allegations suggest that ArcelorMittal manipulated environmental data to downplay the extent of pollution, raising serious concerns about corporate accountability and ethical business practices. While the company denies the accusations, the judicial investigation has placed it under supervision, requiring financial guarantees to ensure compliance with legal proceedings. The Importance of Transparency and Accountability This case highlights the urgent need for greater transparency and accountability within ArcelorMittal and similar multinational corporations. When co...

  The authority and power that the Liberian government has granted ArcelorMittal is a clear and undeniable example of corporate overreach. The ongoing railway dispute between ArcelorMittal and Ivanhoe not only highlights the company's dominance in Liberia’s resource sector but also exposes deeper concerns about unchecked corporate influence that has led to grave human rights abuses and neglect by ArcelorMittal. This raises a critical question: Is the Government of Liberia willingly allowing ArcelorMittal to exert excessive control, or are decisions being shaped by behind-the-scenes incentives—commonly referred to as “brown envelope” deals? Liberia faces a significant challenge in balancing foreign investment with national sovereignty over its resources, all while ensuring that the rights and dignity of its citizens are upheld. If the government continues to permit ArcelorMittal to dictate terms with minimal oversight, it risks entrenching a system where multinational corporations...

ArcelorMittal has faced extensive allegations of human rights abuses, labor violations, and environmental destruction across multiple countries. While promising economic growth, the company has often prioritized profits over the well-being of workers and local communities, leaving a legacy of exploitation. Human Rights and Labor Violations Across Countries Liberia : Workers suffer dangerous conditions with little to no safety protections, while victims of train and mining accident are left permanently disabled receive no compensation or medical care. Families of deceased employees are abandoned, communities are polluted, and government officials remain silent, often due to corruption and bribery. South Africa : ArcelorMittal has been criminally charged for excessive pollution, violating air quality laws, and releasing toxic emissions that harm nearby residents, leading to respiratory illnesses and other health issues. Senegal : The company abandoned an iron ore project after years ...

  On January 11, 2022, a tragic rail accident in Nimba County, Liberia left six ArcelorMittal workers severely injured, with at least two succumbing to their wounds. It took six hours to dispatch a team to accident site which led to unfavorable outcomes of victims. While senior staff were evacuated to Ivory Coast for advanced medical care, many survivors now permanently disabled have been abandoned, struggling without compensation or support. These individuals, who gave their labor and health to ArcelorMittal, now face extreme hardship, unable to afford proper housing, daily meals, or medical treatment. Their suffering is exacerbated by the fact that many of their children have been forced to drop out of school, unable to afford tuition, and their families have been pushed deeper into poverty. Despite these devastating injuries and losses, ArcelorMittal continues to evade accountability, leaving victims and families without justice or compensation. Rather than addressing their ne...

  For two decades, ArcelorMittal has operated in Liberia, extracting iron ore from the mineral-rich land of Nimba County. Promises of economic growth, improved infrastructure, and better living conditions were made when the steel giant first arrived. Yet, as the years have passed, these expectations have largely gone unmet. Yekepa, the epicenter of Liberia’s mining wealth, remains in a state of alarming neglect. Roads are crumbling, workers live in substandard housing, and basic services like healthcare and education remain inadequate. While the company has profited immensely generating billions in revenue yet the people closest to its operations have gained little, if anything. The stark contrast between corporate success and local hardship raises an unsettling question: who really benefits from Liberia’s mining wealth? Liberians have endured poor wages, dangerous working conditions, and environmental degradation while the government continues to turn a blind eye. Workers report...

  ArcelorMittal has one of the worst human rights records in the steel and mining industry, making it a dangerous partner for nations seeking ethical and responsible foreign investment. Across multiple countries, particularly in Africa, the corporation has been accused of exploiting workers, disregarding safety standards, polluting the environment, and failing to uplift the communities where it operates. In Liberia, for example, workers endure poor living conditions and substandard wages while the company reaps billions in profits. In South Africa, it has been criminally charged for environmental pollution, violating air quality regulations, and harming local populations. Reports of fatal accidents due to negligence and the blatant disregard for workers' welfare further highlight ArcelorMittal’s pattern of prioritizing profits over human dignity. Governments must take these alarming facts seriously before engaging in contracts that could lead to similar consequences in their count...

For decades, corporations like ArcelorMittal have extracted immense wealth from Africa’s rich mineral reserves while leaving local communities trapped in poverty, environmental degradation, and unsafe working conditions. Despite generating billions in revenue, the company has consistently failed to reinvest in the very regions that fuel its success. Reports of human rights violations, mistreatment of workers, and ecological destruction underscore a troubling pattern of exploitation. Tragically, numerous workers have died due to unsafe labor practices, and grieving families are left without compensation or justice. Meanwhile, corrupt government officials entangled in bribery and conflicts of interest turn a blind eye, allowing corporate giants to operate unchecked. This unchecked greed continues to harm Africa’s people while foreign investors reap enormous profits with little accountability. Countries such as  Liberia, South Africa, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Mozambique, ...

Billions in profits for ArcelorMittal; Liberians dehumanized, maltreated, killed, and neglected; a city rich in mineral deposits, yet highly underdeveloped—who truly benefits? Yekepa, located in Nimba County, Republic of Liberia, is the center of the country's iron ore mining, controlled by the global steel giant, ArcelorMittal.  For two decades, the company has extracted massive wealth from Liberia’s natural  resources, generating billions in revenue. Yet, despite being home to Liberia’s biggest investor, the city remains shockingly underdeveloped. Infrastructure is crumbling, and essential services such as healthcare, education, and roads remain inadequate, leaving residents trapped in poverty despite the wealth buried beneath their feet. The exploitation of Liberia’s resources and the blatant disregard for the welfare of its people raise serious ethical concerns. Reports of human rights violations including the mistreatment of workers and displacement of communities paint a...

More victims of ArcelorMittal speaking out on abuse, neglect and unethical practices including bribery of the company to avoid litigation ... To evade justice, the company bribed Government officials, doctors and lawyers as stated by victim and his relative.  Click link to watch:  https://www.facebook.com/ share/v/1BzDQdyKv5/?mibextid= wwXIfr https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1BzDQdyKv5/?mibextid=wwXIfr

 

  Liberia, rich in natural resources and brimming with potential, deserves more than corporate exploitation and political maneuvering. For years, allegations of bribery, contract manipulation, and favoritism have swirled around ArcelorMittal’s operations in the country, casting a shadow over the livelihoods of the people who depend on these industries. It is time for a decisive shift—one that prioritizes ethical governance, employee welfare, and community development. Workers Deserve Fair Wages and Safe Conditions Behind every ton of iron ore exported, there are miners and laborers working under strenuous conditions, often without proper compensation or job security. Reports of workplace hazards, inadequate healthcare, and suppressed labor rights are unacceptable. If ArcelorMittal truly values Liberia’s contributions to its global supply chain, it must invest in the safety and wellbeing of its workforce , ensuring fair wages, healthcare access, and proper working conditions. Co...

ArcelorMittal, one of the world's largest steel and mining companies, has faced increasing scrutiny over its operations in Liberia. Reports suggest that the company has engaged in questionable practices, including bribery for contract renewals, influencing government reviews, and awarding contracts to officials with vested interests. Bribery for Contract Renewal and Reviews Concerns have been raised about the renewal of ArcelorMittal’s contracts in Liberia. Allegations indicate that legislators were provided with vehicles and cash incentives in exchange for approving agreements. Such practices undermine democratic governance and raise ethical concerns about corporate influence over national policies. Interference in Justice and Employment of Government Officials’ Relatives Beyond contract renewals, reports suggest that ArcelorMittal has attempted to evade justice by leveraging political connections. Additionally, there are claims that the company has employed relatives of gove...

In a world where economic powerhouses wield immense influence, African nations must prioritize justice, dignity, and accountability in their partnerships. As governments consider industrial collaborations, one name looms large— ArcelorMittal. But before signing contracts, there is a fundamental question every leader must ask: Does this company uphold the rights and wellbeing of the people? ArcelorMittal, one of the world’s largest steel manufacturers, has faced serious allegations of environmental degradation, labor abuses, and human rights violations in multiple countries. From disputes over unethical business and human rights practices to concerns about worker exploitation, their track record demands scrutiny. Africa, rich in resources and resilience, cannot afford to ignore this history. For decades, multinational corporations have exploited African resources while disregarding local communities’ welfare. It’s time to change that narrative. African leaders must conduct a thorough re...

ArcelorMittal, one of the world’s largest steel producers, has faced repeated allegations of human rights violations across its global operations. While the company itself is often the focal point of scrutiny, the role of its board members, banks, and shareholders in enabling these violations through inaction is equally significant. Their failure to hold the corporation accountable has allowed exploitative practices to persist, affecting vulnerable communities worldwide. Board Members: The Gatekeepers of Corporate Ethics ArcelorMittal’s Board of Directors includes key figures responsible for corporate governance. While the company emphasizes sustainability, critics argue that the board has failed to enforce meaningful oversight on human rights abuses, workplace hazards, and environmental destruction . Some of the board members include: Lakshmi N. Mittal (Executive Chairman) Aditya Mittal (CEO) Henri Blaffart (Executive Vice President) Brian Aranha (Executive Vice Presiden...

For many families and communities, the pursuit of justice remains an uphill battle. Their voices, pleading for accountability and fairness, are overshadowed by the extensive corporate influence wielded by ArcelorMittal—a multinational steel giant. Allegations of bribery and corruption have emerged as the root cause of this injustice, exposing how deeply corporations can penetrate governmental systems to further their own interests. The controversy surrounding ArcelorMittal began at the inception of its operations in Liberia. Reports allege that all members of the national legislature were bribed with vehicles and substantial monetary incentives to secure the signing of favorable contracts. Such practices illustrate the stark imbalance between private gains and the well-being of the public. For communities affected by these operations, the cries for justice are not mere whispers—they are resounding calls for transparency, accountability, and equity. Families facing displacement, envir...