TROUBLE LOOMS OVER NIMBA AGAIN
By: Obadiah Karnah, II
Forum
Monrovia, Liberia
Distributed by
The Perspective
Atlanta, Georgia
Sources close to the Guinean border town of Jakayee, have revealed to The FORUM that certain individuals believed to be aggrieved land owners have resolved to use violent means to repossess their property in the county.
According to sources, certain members of Mandingo ethnic group have allegedly been planning to create havoc in the commercial town of Ganta as a way of attracting government’s attention to immediately intervene in the land dispute between the Mandingos on one hand and the Dahn (Gio) and Mano (Maa) tribes on the other.
But sources said the Mandingo ethnic group remains divided over the issue of using violence as a means of seeking redress to the land dispute, while others believe that such course of action was necessary given the long time the county authorities have taken to resolve the matter.
According to sources, those agitating for violence are saying that since the seating of the defunct National Transitional Government of Liberia in 2003, they have been finding it very difficult to accommodate their relatives or loved ones who are still in various refugee camps in Guinea.
The sources also noted that the discussions leading to taking violent
action in Ganta over disputed lands and houses said to be illegally occupied
by some members of Gio and Mano tribes in principal towns of Bahn, Saclepea
and Tappita are constantly being held under a big tree near Jakayee, since
March this year.
Information has it that some members of the aggrieved group have reportedly
planned to use petrol bombs to put ablaze every house built on their land
in the area. Some are quoted as saying, “violence is the only language
these illegal land occupants will understand.”
When contacted, one of the prominent Nimba sons and elders for the Mandingo ethnic group SheiK Kanfumba Konneh via mobile phone for comment on the report, his phone was either switched off or out of coverage area.
The newly appointed Development Supt. of the county, Roger Woodson confirmed
the information when contacted that there are some people coming from Guinea
informing the county authorities about the reported planned violence.
About a year ago, the Mayor of Ganta City, Madam Nohn Tensonoh and the former
Fire Service Director Ansuma Kromah have been at loggerheads over a piece
of land reportedly occupied by Madam Tensonoh for which Mr. Kromah has threatened
a lawsuit against her.
Former Superintendent of the county, Harrison Karnwea, at the head of several chiefs and elders of the county earlier visited Guinea and encouraged Nimba Mandingo citizens still in Guinea refugee camps to return home to contribute their quota to the reintegration, reunification and reconciliation process in Nimba County.
Meanwhile, some citizens of the county are saying that if nothing is done
by the Liberian government to resolve the matter, things might go off hand.