By Amadou Manjang & Mustapha Jallow
A group of Gambians who own landed properties in Batokunku has renewed calls for the return of their lands alongside with compensation.
They also demanded permit to rebuild their homes which were seized and demolished by former President Yahya Jammeh.
They say the current authorities are not doing enough or taking their demands seriously. The properties, according to their documents, were purchased from the natives of Batokunku, Kombo South District.
Some made some developments on their plots before the former regime demolished their properties. Now, they want their plots back but allege the state is giving them a deaf ear.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Ya Mamie Ceesay, mother of the two US-Gambian citizens who were murdered by Jammeh’s hit-men, said Gambians abroad bought landed properties in Batokunku.
“It wasn’t donated or given to us. We bought it. When we bought it, we didn’t buy it just like that; rather we bought it and went to Physical Planning. We have gone to all the places we were supposed to and they approved our papers. And we paid income tax and compound tax,” she explained.
Ceesay accused ex-President Jammeh of using his powers {as a leader} to destroy their built homes. She said some have gone far enough to fence their lands and others have built their houses and they were even living there.
“He [Jammeh] brought caterpillar and his soldiers and erased all the structures on the land which now resemble a jungle,” she accused.
Ceesay believes that given Yahya Jammeh’s government is gone and another government replaced him, she expects that the new government would wipe their tears by providing ‘justice for us’ because they are citizens of this country.
“We had used our money and spent on our lands but the cruel leader [Jammeh] destroyed it,” she said.
She added: “The conversation is not about returning it. You know, returning means you don’t own it but for us, this is our property. We own it. What we expect from the government is that they will call for a dialogue so that they can know what we have lost there so they can compensate us accordingly.”
“Maybe if they can’t compensate us in full, they can give partial compensation so that we can at least know the government cares about Gambians whose properties were destroyed by Jammeh.”
“We feel that the government did not care about us. They have no pity on us. We are still voicing our concern; we are telling government that, Batokunku is owned by Gambians, it’s Gambians who own the lands. It is Gambians who bought the plots of land. It is their hard earned monies,” she stressed.
“I heard that the Janneh Commission has advised the government to review the case of Batokunku to resolve it. I think to review a situation will require that there is a contending issue. There is no contending issue here. The issue was Yahya Jammeh took our land and now Jammeh is gone,” Ceesay said.
“We want our lands back. We are ready to rebuild our compounds. We will go to government, to the Land Office, Physical Planning, and anywhere we can or supposed to go to, to get the permit to rebuild our compounds,” she continued to make demand.
She added: “We are hopeful that they [government] will allow us to rebuild our lands. But we also expect compensation from the government. They have to compensate us for our losses. This is what we are waiting for.’’
Meanwhile, volume 3 of the defunct Commission of Inquiry into the Financial Activities of Public Bodies, Enterprises and Offices as regards their dealings with Former President Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh and Connected Matters recommended for all genuine claimants of property demolished at this area be compensated for loss of property from monies recovered.
Also, the outdated Commission held that if any of the claimants held leases from the State, they should be compensated in kind at an appropriate location consistent with the use to which the lease was issued by the State.
The defunct Commission found out that the leases for land area was granted by Minister Manlafi Jarju to Yahya A.J.J Jammeh with effect from 15 May 2002. DLS file contains a completed application for a grant of a lease by the ex-President in person dated 23rd April 2002.
The Application appears to be supported by an incomplete Transfer of Ownership form signed by one Mamudu Jatta as transferor with an unsigned Alkalo stamp. It was also not signed by the Local government officer.
Physical Planning clearance given dated 13th May 2002. Certificate of occupancy issued dated 14th May 2002. There were certificates of occupancy issued for the different leases on this vast area of land.
The Janneh Commission report indicated that the documents in the files do not support the issue of the leases to Ex-President. The GT Board was not involved in the preparation and issue of these leases.
Despite the many claims, the area fenced by the Ex-President does fall within the Tourism Development Area (TDA), according to the Janneh Commission Report.
The Commission concluded that this is an illegal allocation of TDA land to the Ex-President and is an attempted land grab by him (Jammeh).
“Being an illegal acquisition of public land, the lease should be rescinded,” the Commission recommended.
This paper also tried to reach the permanent secretary for the Lands Ministry, but couldn’t get hold of him through phone as the phone was unreachable.
