Mamau,

Sorry for forwarding this article to the L.  At the time - I thought that
since the above subject was in most of the tabloids back home, so why not
send this one to the L.

Once again I'm really sorry.


>From: Mamau Tage <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: BLOOD DIAMOND MONEY AND THE GREEDY MARAKAS (SARAHOLEHS)
>Date: Thu, 18 Jan 2001 10:41:57 -0000
>
>MIne your words,
>It is  very irresponsible to label the maraka's( saraholes) as greedy at
>this time around. They are comparatively better if one look at the more
>corrup Lebanes who shared most of the blame with the Westz for the tourbles
>in Senegal. The Lebanese are on record for hijacking the Government of
>Mommoh with their "brown evelopes" and corrupt practices.
>The Lebane contributed some 6 billion Dollars drained from bloody Sierral
>Leone Diamond to finace reconstruction of Lebanon.
>The Marakas are Africans who have been involved in Sierra Leone since the
>1960s and did not only sought diamonds but also integrated into the Siera
>Leonean society: the inermarried with many Sierra leoneans. The evidences
>can be seen in Gambia and else where to day.
>Furthermore, they accommodated many Sierra leoneans in distresse who came
>to
>The Gambia for refuge. The latest example involves Former Sierra Leone
>President Valentine Strasser, who after being played like a football by
>British and Gambian authorities, was rescued by Bassirou Jawara, a Prominet
>Maraka hotelier and Bussinessman, who made his money in Sierra Leone.
>So it is very unfair to label the Marakas as "greedy" without properly
>researching into their activities.
>Their philosophy for record purposes reads "respect for others, hospitality
>and Solidarity"
>Regards
>
>Messers Mamau Tage
>Bubacarr Sankanu
>
>
>>From: awa joeque <[log in to unmask]>
>>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
>><[log in to unmask]>
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: BLOOD DIAMOND MONEY AND THE GREEDY MARAKAS (SARAHOLEHS)
>>Date: Wed, 17 Jan 2001 17:33:25 -0000
>>
>>Concord Times (Freetown)
>>January 17, 2001
>>
>>By Joseph Dumbuya
>>Freetown
>>
>>The row over the discovery and purchase of a 28-carat diamond by a certain
>>Maraka led to the expulsion of some 42 of them from Kono by the rebels, a
>>civilian from Koidu speaking from a position of anonymity told Concord
>>Times.
>>
>>He revealed that when news of the diamond broke out, the rebels mounted an
>>investigation. Junior Sankoh, Blood Master and Col. Blood were ordered to
>>retrieve the diamond.
>>
>>Failure to achieve this saw the rebels directing their anger at the
>>Marakas
>>accusing them of complicity. They detained 42 Marakas mostly Malians in a
>>container at Motema to force them into disclosing the buyer of the
>>diamond.
>>
>>'When this failed they took the Marakas to Makali in the Tonkolili
>>District
>>and ordered them to leave their territory' the source said.
>>
>>'The rebels accused the Marakas of being agents of President Kabbah, who
>>has
>>sent them into their territory to spy on them'.
>>
>>Meanwhile, Kono is said to have a large population of foreigners
>>especially
>>Marakas from Mali, Senegal and Gambia. They are said to be
>>doing brisk business with rebels and their agents in Guinea and their home
>>country.
>>
>>_________________________________________________________________________
>>Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.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.
>>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>_________________________________________________________________________
>Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.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.
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------

_________________________________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.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.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------