Irate Brufut Villagers Clash With Paramilitary
The Independent (Banjul)
NEWS
July 23, 2002
Posted to the web July 23, 2002
By Seedy Bojang
Banjul
The acrimony generated in the Brufut land dispute with TAF Housing Scheme
reached a new pitch when Brufutarians clashed with paramilitary personnel
sent there to bulldoze structures already built on the controversial sites
by defiant villagers.
A sizeable crowd of villagers engaged in running battles with the
paramilitaries.
The incident occurred shortly before Friday prayers, when countless numbers
of villagers abandoned their prayer to oppose the demolition exercise
allegedly masterminded and sponsored by Mustapha Njie, proprietor of TAF
Holding Company, who notwithstanding was compensated with several hectares
of land belonging to the villagers, by the government.
The situation worsened into manic chaos, when the aggrieved villagers stood
their ground before being informed that President Jammeh had made a
personal endorsement of the housing scheme by offering to lay the
foundation stone at the controversial site. However, the village's town
crier trumpeted that the whole community should demonstrate their
opposition to the move, which would squeeze them off their ancestral land.
At 5 pm what looked like the whole community of Brufut converged on the
spot to prevent TAF Construction workers and a detachment of paramilitaries
from effecting the demolition. The crowd threatened to set a caterpillar
ready for the demolition on fire. Youths masqueraded themselves and carried
petrol to burn the bulldozer, if the situation is not halted.
During the demonstration, a team of government officials headed by the
Commissioner of the division and Chief Eric Tunde Janneh arrived at the
Alkalos residence to hold a reconciliatory meeting with the elders of the
affected wards (Kabilos) of Manneh Kunda and Suba.
They announced that they were representing the Department of Local
Government and Lands on the disputed land issue. They said the affected
wards would be compensated contained in a letter read to them (the full
text of which we are reproducing at the tail end of this story).
Malamin Manneh secretary general of the Brufut Village Development
Committee, warned that the issue cannot be compromised as long as TAF
Construction insisted on building on the controversial site.
'We will never sacrifice our limited space for the interest of a self-
serving business entrepreneur, at the expense of thousands of people,' he
said. He said a site has already been identified for TAF, which is less
than 150 meters away from the proposed site. 'If TAF is still sticking to
his capitalistic tendency to deprive the poor of their limited resources,
we will not welcome President Jammeh' he said.
Alhagie Musa Manneh said they prefer to die than capitulate to TAF, which
is only investing for gainful profits, while their sons and daughters are
still without a plot of land. He said they are neither cooperating with the
initiative nor are they interested in the compensation. All the other
speakers, including the head of the wards (Kabilos) argued that the
proposed project is not in the interest of the villagers, who are the sole
owners of the proposed site, including the area covered by the
compensation.
The letter from the Department of Local Government and Lands to the WD
Commissioner dated 17 July 2002.
COMPENSATION IN RESPECT OF LAND AT BRUFUT ALLOCATED TO TAF HOLDING LIMITED
You will recall that following the allocation of a piece of land at Brufut
to TAF Holding Ltd for the development of a housing project, there has been
a constant encroachment into it delaying the start of the project.
Following numerous meetings to settle the matter amicably, as well as
findings on the ground following a site visit I am to inform you that the
following decisions have been reached.
i) to maintain the allocation to TAF Holding Ltd so that the project can
finally start without any further delay ii) to use the newly demarcated
BRUFUT, layout to compensate the contending parties as follows a) Manneh
Kunda Kabilo 450 plots in Brufut layout plus D170, 000.00 cash compensation
b Suba Kabilo 100 plots in Brufut layout plus D102, 872.00 cash
compensation
In this regard, you are being requested to administer the above
compensation package with the assistance of the Chief of Kombo North.
Also be informed that His Excellency, the President will lay the foundation
stone at the TAF project site during the forth-coming July 22nd
celebration.
I will be grateful if this is brought to the notice of the people of Brufut
on time.
Thanking you for you cooperation.
Abdoulie Manneh For: Permanent Secretary
Cc: Secretary General Permanent Secretary Director General - NIA Inspector
General of Police Chief of Kombo North Alkalo of Brufut The Manneh Kunda
Kabilo The Suba Kabilo CEO - TAF Holding Ltd Office of The President DOS
for The Interior
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