Bulock residents urge government to protect farms as border dispute continues

By Assan Bah

Residents of Bulock have urged the government to protect their farmland and livelihoods as a dispute over the Gambia-Senegal border continues to concern the community.

The concerns were raised during a meeting with the Chief of Defence Staff, Lieutenant-General Ousman Gomez, who visited the community as part of his nationwide tour of military installations and deployments. The meeting brought together the village Alkalo, members of the Village Development Committee, youth and women representatives and the Council of Elders.

The Alkalo, Momodou Lamin Bojang, opened the meeting and welcomed the CDS and his delegation. Speaking on behalf of the Village Development Committee, Chairman Ensa Badjie raised concerns about the lack of a vehicle for soldiers stationed at the Bulock military camp.

“It is very difficult for soldiers to be stationed somewhere without having vehicles,” Badjie said.

“If they want to move, they face challenges and we would like to bring that to the attention of the CDS for his consideration to get them a vehicle.”

Badjie said the presence of the military camp had contributed to greater security in the community. He recalled a period when residents faced problems with theft, livestock and insecurity linked to the Casamance conflict.

“Since the establishment of this camp, all that stopped and we are grateful,” he said.

But the VDC chairman said residents were distressed by the demolition of part of the camp’s fence by Senegalese soldiers during the July border incident. The Gambian government previously confirmed that part of the perimeter fence of a Gambian military installation at Bulock was demolished on 16 July and said the matter was being addressed through bilateral mechanisms.  Badjie told the CDS that residents believed the military camp was on Gambian territory and said the community did not want to lose the security benefits it had provided.

“If the camp is removed from there, it will be a ‘disaster for us’,” he said.

Sarjo Jarju, the youth representative, also called for more vehicles for the soldiers and expressed concern about what he described as a reduction in the number of troops stationed at the camp. He said residents had noticed the reduction and appealed to the CDS to consider increasing the deployment. Jarju praised the soldiers for their support to the community, including providing security during football matches and helping women in labour reach hospitals using military vehicles.

He said the reduced number of soldiers had affected their ability to provide security at football activities. Jarju also challenged the government’s position on the location of the disputed area, referring to colonial-era boundary markers.

“We have colonial boundaries here. We have seen them and they are still here. They are pegs,” he said.

He recalled a visit by the joint Gambia-Senegal border commission and said residents had welcomed the officials. However, he said the community was not satisfied with the boundary demarcation exercise because, in his account, the proposed line affected farms, orchards and cashew plantations.

Jarju said some young people who had benefited from the GIRAV Project Matching Grant had also been affected, while cashew farms remained an important source of income for families. He stressed the close relationship between the two countries.

“The people of Bulock do not see Senegal as only neighbours, but relatives and family,” he said.

He called on the government to work with Senegal to resolve the dispute peacefully. The two countries have previously agreed that outstanding border issues should be addressed through dialogue and established bilateral mechanisms.

Fatou Sambou, the women’s representative, said women and children would bear much of the impact of any disruption to the community’s access to farmland and other resources. She said the military camp needed greater mobility but also raised concerns about the area at the centre of the border dispute.

“This is the place we rely on for our agricultural activities like gardening and farming,” Sambou said.

“We get our children’s school fees. This is where we get firewood and sell it to feed our families.”

She said the area was also important for livestock.

“If that is cut without due consideration for our welfare will cause a lot of trouble for the people of the community,” she said.

Sambou said residents were deeply concerned by the government’s previous statement on the disputed area.

“We are crying. We are in sorrow. We are having sleepless nights. We want help,” she said.

“We want the Government to stand for us and ensure that our welfare and that of our children and families are put into consideration.”

The chairman of the Council of Elders, Alhagie Jerreh Badjie, praised the soldiers for what he described as their continued support to the community and their service to the country.

He also called for the border issue to be resolved.

Responding to the concerns, CDS Gomez assured the community that the Bulock camp would receive a vehicle.

“That will not be a problem,” he said.

On the border issue, he said the matter was being handled by the governments of The Gambia and Senegal through their established mechanisms.

Gomez said that when the Senegalese forces demolished part of the Bulock camp, he instructed Gambian soldiers to remain professional and not react. He said President Adama Barrow, as the Commander-in-Chief, had also directed the troops to remain patient and professional.

The CDS said he shared the community’s concerns about the situation but urged residents to exercise patience while the joint commission worked to resolve the matter. He stressed the importance of preventing a conflict between the two countries and allowing the commission to carry out its mandate.

Gomez has made similar calls during his recently concluded nationwide tour, urging military personnel to stay out of the border dispute unless officially assigned to deal with it.