By Lamin Fatty
A member of ‘GANBANAAXUN’ has been asked to quit the home in Bajaha Kunda which he built and was living in for the past fourteen years.
Ali Siraye Camara, said his brother Bayoro Siraye Camara who has been forced to desert the village, came to settle in Bajaha Kunda, so as to get closer to the village health centre and school and when approached by his brother, the then Alkalo of the village gave him land to settle opposite the health centre. Ali said that this was the land his brother settled on with his family and built his own local bakery, to sell bread and also served tea for anyone who is interested. Ali said his brother was very industrious and worked hard to live a decent life with his family.
Ali added that his brother’s predicament came when he became a member of ‘Ganbanaaxun’, an organisation which is opposed to the caste system within the Sarehule community. Ali explained that the landlord, a ‘freeborn’, who gave him land on which he built his home suddenly asked him to vacate and when he refused to vacate he summoned Bayoro to the Wuli East District Tribunal which gave his verdict that the land belongs to the Bajaha family and gave Bayoro two days’ notice to vacate. According to Ali, when Bayoro continued to stay in the home, he was called to answer at the Sarengai Police Station, where he was detained and later transferred to the Basse Police Station where he spent two days in custody. Ali said his brother was then transferred from the Basse Police Station to the remand wing of Janjangbureh Prisons where he is still detained.
When contacted to shed light on this issue, a member of the Bajaha family, who gave the land to Bayoro denied all what Ali Camara said about his brother and how he was told to vacate his compound. Saikouna Bajaha said this issue of Bayoro Camara has nothing to do with caste or his membership of an organisation. He argued that the issue is that their parents gave Bayoro land to settle which they are reclaiming, adding that when Bayoro was given the land, he was categorically told that whenever they need the place back, it will be taken from him, which he (Bayoro), agreed to. He said that now they need their land and Bayoro should not insist in staying.
Foroyaa has been reporting on happenings regarding caste issues in some communities in the Upper River Region (URR). The reports talk about scuffles and even deaths of people involved in these scuffles, in these communities in the URR.
Some have been banned to enter their village mosques, shops, vehicles, village markets and even to bury their dead at village cemeteries, just because they are members of this ‘GANBANAAXUN’.
