Jabou,

Without claiming to be an authority on the land tenure system of our
country, I wish to make a small contibution to this issue at hand.

The land tenure (distribution / allocation) system in the Gambia is an
intricate and complex system.  Let's start with the easy ones. Land acquired
through purchase for private use (residence, private gardens & orchards etc)
is usually considered private property. This is common to find in the
Greater Banjul Area.

Land that has been in the custody of a clan for generations, being utilised
for various purposes, is usually considered to belong to that clan, although
this is not a written law. Therefore, as I understand the Brufut dispute,
Government cannot, without consultation with the traditional owners,
indiscriminately allocate the land. The people who have been using the land
for generations must have a say in the future itilisation of the land.

But in the Gambia many decisions are taken without regard for justice. And
this is one of the major reasons why farmers, for example are always
reluctant to develop or evn rehabilitate land.

Agroforestry is an agrricultural system / practice that can permit a piece
of land to be used over and over again for many years thereby reducing the
need fallow farming. It is very income generating and land corserving. But
farmers are afraid of investing in developing the land just to be taken away
from them tomorrow. The land tenure system has no provisions for the right
to retain land indefinitely.

One of Government's most important tasks therefore is to revisit this
archaic British land tenure system to suit the Gambia's current needs.

Alhaji



>From: Jabou Joh <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: State Land?
>Date: Wed, 4 Jul 2001 18:37:52 EDT
>
>I have a question.
>Which land in Gambia is considered state land, and which is land that
>traditionally belongs to certain families or groups? Does each group of
>people have land that is traditionally their's? For example, do the Wollofs
>have land that is considered wollof land just as these other folks seem to
>have land that is traditionally their's, or is it that in Gambia certain
>groups are entitled to traditional land while others have nothing to claim?
>I
>really need to know the answers to these questions because if it is true
>that
>only certain groups have claim to land, then that is quite unfair and a
>potentially huge problem. Who allocated these traditional lands orginally
>and
>how was it determined who gets what and what groups are entitled and which
>ones are not?
>
>Jabou Joh
>
>In a message dated 7/4/2001 5:06:35 AM Central Daylight Time,
>[log in to unmask] writes:
>
><< Comrades:
>
>  I support the Manneh Kunda Kabilo in Brufut in appealing
>  to the dictator to rescind land given to Taft.  Where on
>  earth does a self proprietor get historical land for his own
>  enrichment?  What right does the illegal government have
>  in intimating that land in Kombo Central, Kombo South and
>  Kombo North belong to the state?  This kind of law is
>  unfair to the farmers in Kombo.
>
>  This kind of law is about to cause division in The Gambia.
>  Why pass a law at the detriment of farmers who are
>  denied the right to earn a decent living?  Why not make this
>  law unilateral in claiming all the land in The Gambia state
>  land?
>
>  As we struggle to get our country back, we must also ask
>  the opposition parties' position on this controversial
>allocation of historical land.  What will they do in a
>  situation where an entrepreneur is given the liberty to
>  claim a hard working kabilo's land?  What right does Mr. Njie
>  have in enriching himself at the expense of The Gambian
>  farmer?
>
>  If land in the three effected areas of Kombo is use to
>  capacity, will the illegal government move to Kombo East,
>  Foni West, Foni Bintang, Foni Bondali, Foni Kansala and Foni
>  Jarrol?  Will the illegal government claim to have
>  title to land in Kiang East, Kiang Central and Kiang West?
>  As we move towards Fatoto, will the illegal government claim
>  land in Jarra East, Jarra Central and Jarra West?  Will it
>  steal land in Niamina, Fuladou, Niani, Jimara, Kantora, Sami,
>  Tumanna, Basse, Wulli, Nianija, Saloum, Upper Badibou, Central
>  Badibou, Lower Badibou, Njain Sanjal, the Nyomis and Jokadou?
>  Comrades this is very disturbing.
>
>  The dictator should reconsider stealing the Manneh Kunda
>  Kabilo land to benefit a single entrepreneur.
>
>  Naphiyo,
>
>  Comrade ML Jassey-Conteh
>  Greensboro, NC/Kombo East Constituency
>
>  ----------------------------------------------------------------- >>
>
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