Mr .Conteh,
To put the records straight. Gambia has never been an tribal free society and we do hope it will be one day. I am ready to take anybody on this subject starting from colonial days to the first and second republic and even case by case as to how tribalism has effected our society and Africa in general.. Lets be horniest to ourselves

Chi Jamma,

[log in to unmask] wrote:

> Comrades:
>
> The incident in Brufut should serve as a testament
> for those of us who are fortunate to have means
> in not depending on farming.  Our parents, brothers
> and sisters who have enjoyed farming and are entrusted
> with land ownership from generations to generations are
> being encroached by lack of proper economic planning
> by these greedy proprietors.  Investors in these kind
> of ventures should seek other long-term investments for
> the greater benefit of the Gambian society.  Real estate
> devolopment is minimal, especially when there are few
> private sector employees who might have the resources
> to buy these houses.
>
> We must therefore seek to form an organization to
> serve as an umbrella group in protecting the Gambian
> farmer.  Going back to the early 7os in the Kombo St.
> Mary area, I remember freely walking from Bakau to
> Serra Kunda and greeting farmers as they worked on their
> farms.  With the inconsistencies and lack of proper
> planning by Sir Dawda's legal government, the ministry
> of local government gradually displaced these farmers
> without providing long-term economic solutions to the
> plights of the Gambian farmers.  As people increased
> migrating to the Kombo St. Mary area, the Gambian
> farmers' economic prowess became extinct.  Poverty
> and lack of proper distribution of wealth gradually
> became evident in these affected areas.
>
> As we fight this illegal government, we must engage
> the opposition to clearly define to us its
> position, especailly in urban encroachment.  Is it
> feasible to post a school teacher to a locality when that
> same school teacher can teach in his native village?
> Why centralize ministerial departments in one region,
> when you can serve the Gambian people better by
> bringing their governments to them?  Why abandon
> Banjul and not find solutions in preventing the
> mighty Gambian River from swallowing this beautiful                         city?  Why make Banjul a ghost city?  This kind of
> leadership must change.
>
> As we move in the new century, the illegal government
> of the day has made it a priority in taking land from
> the Manneh Kunda Kabilo.  What right does an illegal
> government have in denying the rightful owners the
> freedom of ownership.  As Mr. Mustapha Njie dreams of
> increasing his wealth, he is gradually setting economic
> disparity in Brufut.  As an entrepreneur envisions                    development, he or she must be careful in not tipping                        the scale to a position of economic disadvantage                          for the natives.  This in simple economic theory is called
> disequilibrium.
>
> I have read comments for and against this land dispute.
> I was totally shocked to hear from an elder brother who
> evoked tribalism in this dispute.  I asked Mr. Nyang,
> what actually has gone wrong with your thinking?
> I thought we live in a non-tribal society, and as such,                     there is no parallel to ownership and tribalism.                            The right to ownership cannot and should not be disturbed,                   especially when the illegal government is trying to                          correct a wrong with a wrong.
>
> As a product of the farm system, I cannot sit and let
> these greedy entrepreneurs invade traditional Gambian
> land ownership.  This tradition is deeply rooted from
> Serre Kunda to Basse, Fatoto, Saloum, Badibous and the
> rest of the country.  It is dangerously unfair to the
> Kombo people that their land can belong to the govenment
> and that if you come from other parts of the Gambia, you
> have the inherent right to peaceful land ownership.  What
> kind of law is this?  Why victimize the Kombos?  Are we
> not all Gambians?  It is sad that some farmers in the
> Kombos walk almost four miles to the nearest plot of
> land to farm, as compared to few years ago when they only
> walked may be a mile.  By the time our dear relatives
> get to their farms, they are already exhausted to do any
> meaningful farming.
>
> I felt that as a Gambian it is my duty to fight for the
> Gambian farmer.  I have enjoyed years of farming, and
> without this treasured tradition, I might not have
> the opportunity that I enjoyed today.  The question is,
> will you sit and let a profession that fed, clothed and
> educated you, be slowly encroached by lack of economic
> vision?  My answer is that we have a duty to respond.
>
> >From this unfair law, I am appealing to those interested
> to form a support group in helping the Gambian farmer.
> I appeal that we contribute to a fund in helping the
> Manneh Kunda Kabilo and the rest of innocent Gambian
> farmers whose land might be earmarked for this unfair law.
>
> Naphiyo,
>
> Comrade ML Jassey-Conteh
>
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