> Mr Nyang. > A man in your position should not use the word TRIBALISM on this platform > yet the tribalist for whom it may concern is Jammeh's government,and i see no > reason why i should surport your view.Infact your explaination on tribalism in > this case is remote you better put your case in a better prospective while i side > with Kutubo et al and the Manneh Kunda Kabilo in Brufut. > > Respect > FYE. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dave Manneh" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Thursday, July 05, 2001 9:41 PM Subject: Re: Mr. Nyang: TAF has got the BUG too!!!!! > Mr Nyang, > Could you please be kind enough to produce an iota of evidence to that effect. How can our right to a > dwelling be tribalistic. I think you are a very dishonest fellow, if am to be frank with you. How can you > ignore wholeheartedly the genuine heart wrenching plea of poor helpless people, and rubbish it as tribalistic. > Below is the email I had ready for you earlier, I didn't sent it for I thought others have responded > eloquently to your nonsense earlier. > > Please read it carefully. > ******************************************************************************************************** > Take a breather my uncle, and read my commentary at the top of the forwarded article. No need to get all wound > up! > I do not know about the examples of developments in Ghana or Senegal, for I have never been to any of those > countries. I do not know who Taf Njie is or what tribe he is from, for last names are not the most definitive > way of defining ones tribe in The Gambia. > > You asked how may years has the land been left un-utilised, this is a genuine question and I shall break the > answer down for you and in the event show the futility of that question. > > Point one: Manneh Kunda is the the biggest family/clan in Brufut. Now let's do some simple mathematics; big > clan => big families => less space for houses (expansion), Result young men move out and build houses for their > young families on clan land. (This has always been the tradition). > > Point Two: These folks are not complaining that they need the land for sustainable farming, but most > importantly due to the fast and explosive growth Brufut is experiencing, the land has already been divided > amongst the young men of the clan. > The clan gives/used to give out plots of land to people for free (all they needed to bring was kola nuts. > There are countless people in Brufut who have their homes/compounds through this traditional way). This is > definitely not the case here, instead one man wants to enrich himself even more. > > Point Three: Less than 0.1% of these affected young men can afford to buy the houses Taf is building. So the > the question now begs, does Taf's entrepreneurship override their need for housing their young families? > > Point Four: Since when do clans have to pay rates for lands belonging to them (Actually these lands have > belonged to this clan for over 10 generations. Maybe you are right that rates have to be paid, but please show > me. And if that is the case all efforts shall be made to make sure that it is paid (even the overdue ones). Am > confident that I can speak for my cousins and uncles on and off this distro!! > > Point Five: Why should Taf compensate people, who do not want to get rid of their land and who most > importantly, need the land more than he does? > > Point Six: Where is this WOLLOF disease nonsense coming from? Where is that stated either in my commentary or > in the forwarded article. > > If there is any objectivity needed it is needed most from your side. This illegal land seizure, affects me > personally but I think I am being objective here. > > NB. In the UK, am seen as another Black person, not Wollof or Mandinka, so the tribal bias you are insinuating > should be withdrawn forthwith. > > All the best > Manneh > > Sheikh Tejan Nyang wrote: > > > Haruna, Bandy. Dave , karamba , Kutubo and others, > > > > Folks , > > >From the statements ive had made here in The Gambia i am convince beyond reasonable doubt and came to the > > conclusion that tribilism is the main issue behind the seen on the TAF > > saga. For those who know me and my > > background, I will be the last person to be call a tribalist or an > > advocate of tribalism I have always been > > and continue to be a strong believer of speaking the truth come what > > may. Kutubo, I have also sisters and > > brothers who a mandika in the real sense .Thanks for your understanding. > > > > Chi Jamma, > > > > Kutubo Manneh wrot > > e: > > > > > Mr Nyang, > > > With all due respect,i think your comments are uncall for and to > > > say the least very distasteful!Like any community,one does not fold your > > > arms when your inheritantance is being taken away from you without due > > > compensation.This particular place has been transformed into its present > > > state through the back breaking labour of our grand fathers,fathers and > > > ourselves and i must say no power,be it individual or government has the > > > right to take it away from us!! JUST PUT YOURSELVE IN OUR POSITION FOR A > > > MINUTE! > > > And to bring in that TRIBAL COMMENT,is the most distasteful of your > > > piece,being a member of that KABILO,i have cousins who are WOLLOFS AND > > > FULLAS and anybody who knows BRUFUT wll tell you that it is the most > > > "tribally blind" town in the kombos!My brother please we are in the twenty > > > first century and let us take this TRIBAL NONSENSE from our lives. > > > But fight we will for OUR LAND,EVEN IF IT WILL TAKE A 100 YEARS!! > > > Kind regards. > > > KUTS > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > From: Lamin Manneh PF <[log in to unmask]> > > > To: <[log in to unmask]> > > > Sent: Thursday, July 05, 2001 10:53 AM > > > Subject: Re: Mr. Nyang: TAF has got the BUG too!!!!! > > > > > > > Mr. Nyang, i think Taf is not a smart businessman. I will not make a multi > > > > million Dallasi housing project in somebody's bonafide property. If he > > > > succeeded against the will of the legitimate owners in Brufut(because > > > > government backed him), be assured that another government can avert the > > > > executive order of this government and Taf will be the big looser at the > > > > end. Remember, what the government is saying is not a law but a cabinet > > > > decision which is unfair to the coastline Kombokas. > > > > Being a son of Manneh Kunda Kabilo in Brufut, i support any kind of > > > > development efforts in Brufut whether it is government or private sector > > > > investments but such development initiatives must follow certain protocols > > > > and traditional regiments. I think Taf and government are overlooking > > > these > > > > realities. Mr. Nyang, this is a very simple matter- Taf can simply go to > > > > Manneh Kunda, asked the size of land he want and buy it from them. He > > > could > > > > have put in the millions of Dallasis allegedly used to bribe government > > > > officials to purchase atleast some part of the land by now. Businesses > > > don't > > > > prosper or last longer in Africa mainly because of the corrupt way they > > > > started. > > > > Finally, i think your idea of tribalism is very misleading and unfair to > > > the > > > > Manneh Kunda Kabilo. Taf is not rejected because he is a Wollof but mainly > > > > his unscrupulous and dubious manner of acquiring the land of poor farmers. > > > > Hey, we host Ghanaians in Ghana Town and give a vast area of land to them > > > > free. How would you describe that? We have Wollofs, Karoninkas, Jolas, > > > > Fullas, Lebou(from Senegal), Ghanaians Shriffs etc in our Kabilou and they > > > > are all united in this struggle. > > > > > > > > Please withdraw your ugly comments > > > > See you all in Atlanta > > > > Lamin PF Manneh > > > > > > > > > > > > >From: Dave Manneh <[log in to unmask]> > > > > >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list > > > > ><[log in to unmask]> > > > > >To: [log in to unmask] > > > > >Subject: TAF has got the BUG too!!!!! > > > > >Date: Wed, 4 Jul 2001 05:50:12 +0100 > > > > > > > > > >Culled from the Observer. > > > > > > > > > >Makes an interesting reading as it seems that TAF Njie too has got the " > > > > >BUG". That disease of greed that unfortunately seems to be gripping the > > > > >Gambian Business community. > > > > >Just because The Gambia is unfortunate to be lumbered with a bunch of > > > > >idiots as a government should not warranty the few Gambian Businesses we > > > > >all look up to, to become self-obsessed with making millions whilst > > > > >trampling on the rights of poor innocent citizens. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Tuesday, July 3, 2001 > > > > > BRUFUT ELDERS PETITION > > > > > JAMMEH OVER TAF LAND > > > > > ALLOCATION > > > > > > > > > > The elders and people of Brufut, Manneh Kunda Kabilo, > > > > >last week > > > > > petitioned President Jammeh over the allocation of a > > > > >swathe of > > > > > land which they claimed belonged to the community of > > > > >Manneh > > > > > Kunda Kabilo in Brufut to Taf Construction by the > > > > >Department of > > > > > State for Local Government and Lands. The petition > > > > >which was > > > > > signed and thumbprinted by Kajali Manneh, Kijera > > > > >Manneh, > > > > > Amadou Manneh, Kebba Musa Manneh, Omar Manneh and > > > > > Kebba Jatta was also sent to all secretaries of state, > > > > >commissioner, > > > > > Western Division, director of lands and surveys, seyfo > > > > >of Kombo > > > > > North and the alkalo of Brufut. > > > > > > > > > > Below is the full text of the petition: Your > > > > >Excellency, We feel > > > > > deeply honoured to bring to your attention a serious > > > > >land problem > > > > > currently taking place between the Manneh Kunda Kabilo > > > > >of > > > > > Brufut and the local government authorities. The past > > > > >few weeks > > > > > have witnessed serious confrontations between the > > > > >people of > > > > > Manneh Kunda Kabilo, local government authorities and > > > > > Mustapha Njie of Taf Construction. After the > > > > >controversial > > > > > housing scheme called Operation House the Nation at > > > > >Bakau > > > > > failed, Taf Construction has again been allocated a > > > > >vast stretch of > > > > > our land in Brufut by the local government authorities. > > > > >We learnt > > > > > of this allocation by demarcation pegs without any > > > > >prior > > > > > consultation between the relevant authorities and > > > > >traditional > > > > > landowners. > > > > > > > > > > On seeing the pegs, we made appointments and met first > > > > >with the > > > > > director of lands and surveys and then with the > > > > >secretary of state > > > > > for local government and lands on February 26, 2001. At > > > > >both > > > > > meetings, we were informed that the area was allocated > > > > >to Taf > > > > > Construction and on each occasion, we expressed our > > > > >concerns > > > > > about the allocation and appealed for a reconsideration > > > > >of the > > > > > decision as we had already allocated the land area to > > > > >some 300 > > > > > youths of the Kabilo who are still in family compounds > > > > >and are > > > > > without land to build houses for their families. > > > > > > > > > > The meeting with local government and lands secretary > > > > >concluded > > > > > with an agreement that a technical team would be sent > > > > >within the > > > > > shortest possible time to further discuss the issue > > > > >with us. What > > > > > we saw the following day (February 27, 2001) and indeed > > > > >to our > > > > > dismay, was a team from Taf Construction putting up > > > > >more > > > > > demarcation pegs in the area. This was baffling and > > > > >irritating to us, > > > > > as it was inconsistent with the agreement we had > > > > >previously with > > > > > the secretary of state for local government and lands. > > > > >After all > > > > > these, we were invited to a meeting at the tribunal of > > > > >the district > > > > > Seyfo on Sunday March 11, 2001. In attendance at this > > > > >meeting > > > > > were the commissioner of Western Division, the district > > > > >seyfo, the > > > > > National Assembly member for Kombo North, Brufut > > > > >village alkalo, > > > > > elders of Manneh Kunda Kabilo, representatives of > > > > >Brufut Village > > > > > Development Committee and a representative from Taf > > > > > Construction amongst others. > > > > > > > > > > At this meeting, we were told that government has > > > > >allocated our > > > > > land to Mustapha Njie as compensation for the land that > > > > >was > > > > > previously allocated to him in connection with > > > > >Operation House > > > > > the Nation but subsequently withdrawn. We expressed our > > > > > > > > > > concerns and total rejection of the project because we > > > > >believed it > > > > > was unacceptable for a single man to benefit at the > > > > >expense of > > > > > thousands of underprivileged people of Brufut. The > > > > >meeting ended > > > > > in a stalemate. > > > > > > > > > > On March 18, 2001, we were invited to another meeting > > > > >at the > > > > > tribunal of the district Seyfo. This meeting was > > > > >attended by the > > > > > commissioner of Western Division, the district seyfo, > > > > >the National > > > > > Assembly member for Kombo North, an officer from the > > > > > Department of Physical Planning, alkalo of Brufut, > > > > >Manneh Kunda > > > > > Kabilo representatives and a representative from Taf > > > > >Construction. > > > > > At the meeting, we again emphasised and reaffirmed our > > > > >concerns > > > > > over the landlessness of our youths and the negative > > > > >impact the > > > > > project would have on the livelihood of over 400 > > > > >households in > > > > > Manneh Kunda. > > > > > > > > > > Here at stake is the enrichment of one person and the > > > > >future > > > > > livelihood of over 2000 persons who cannot afford a > > > > >house in the > > > > > scheme. This meeting too ended in a stalemate. On hand, > > > > >Your > > > > > Excellency, we wish to inform you that vast areas of > > > > >Brufut land > > > > > have already been allocated; instances of such > > > > >allocations are the > > > > > Brusubi Housing Scheme on the East, TDA on the North > > > > >and the > > > > > Wildlife Reserve Area on the West of Brufut. In > > > > >essence, we are > > > > > left with very little land to accommodate our coming > > > > >generations > > > > > and it is unbearably difficult for us to create a > > > > >gloomy future of our > > > > > children and enrich a single person. We have the > > > > >confidence that > > > > > your government is by the people and for the people and > > > > >the > > > > > livelihood of a people is more paramount to you than an > > > > >individual > > > > > economic interest. > > > > > > > > > > Your Excellency, we are bringing this crisis to your > > > > >attention for > > > > > your quick intervention in the light of the concern you > > > > >have for the > > > > > poor and downtrodden. If the government were to have > > > > > educational or other development projects that would go > > > > >directly > > > > > to benefit the people, definitely we would not have had > > > > >any > > > > > objection but giving our land to a single rich man just > > > > >to make him > > > > > richer is disheartening and intolerable. Finally, while > > > > >we await your > > > > > intervention, we wish to assure you that we will remain > > > > >peaceful > > > > > and law-abiding until justice takes its course. We > > > > >thank you in > > > > > advance for your due consideration of this matter. > > > > > > > > > > > > >--------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > - > > > > > > > > > >To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L > > > > >Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html > > > > >You may also send subscription requests to > > > > >[log in to unmask] > > > > >if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to write > > > your > > > > >full name and e-mail address. > > > > > > > >--------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > - > > > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > > > > Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com > > > > > > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > -- > > > > > > > > To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L > > > > Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html > > > > You may also send subscription requests to > > > [log in to unmask] > > > > if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to write > > > your full name and e-mail address. > > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > -- > > > > > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > > > To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L > > > Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html > > > You may also send subscription requests to [log in to unmask] > > > if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to write your full name and e-mail address. > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L > > Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html > > You may also send subscription requests to [log in to unmask] > > if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to write your full name and e-mail address. > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L > Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html > You may also send subscription requests to [log in to unmask] > if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to write your full name and e-mail address. > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html You may also send subscription requests to [log in to unmask] if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to write your full name and e-mail address. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------