MAMAU,

I SHARE YOUR SENTIMENTS. HOWEVER, I DON'T THINK YOUR COMMENTS WERE DIRECTED AT AWA JOEQUE BECAUSE AWA WAS ONLY FORWARDING A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE. I KNOW YOUR REACTION WAS TO JOSEPH DUMBUYA OF THE CONCORD TIMES.

ONE THING I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOWEVER IS WHY AFTER ALL THE NEWS AND MAIMING BEING CAUSED BY TRADING IN DIAMONDS IN SIERRALEONE, THE LEBANESE AND MARAKAS OR WHOEVER ELSE IS ENGAGED IN SUCH, DID NOT CEASE OPERATIONS AND MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO EITHER ENGAGE IN OTHER TRADE OR EVACUATE TO SHOW THEIR DISGUST AT THE CARNAGE THAT THE RUF HAS VISITED ON THE PEOPLE OF SIERRALEONE. IT IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH EXCUSE TO COMPARE MARAKAS AND LEBANESE SINCE YOU HAVE INDICATED THAT MARAKAS ARE AFRICAN. IT IS MORE AGRIEGIOUS TO HAVE YOUR OWN KIND CONTRIBUTING TO YOUR DEMISE. IT HAS BEEN WELL ESTABLISHED THAT LEBANESE AND INDIAN TRADERS(SAVE A FEW) IN AFRICA GENERALLY SHOW NO REGARD FOR CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR COMMERCE ON THE BLACK AFRICAN. IT IS A HISTORICAL LEGACY.

THEREFORE, IF YOU HAVE INTEREST IN DIAMOND TRADING AS YOUR OUTRAGE MAY SEEM TO SUGGEST, IT WOULD BE A GREAT SACRIFICE AND SHOW OF SOLIDARITY WITH THE SIERRALEONEANS IF YOU UNILATERALLY CEASE OR TEMPORARILY ABANDON YOUR CONTRIBUTION(HOWEVER MINOR) TOWARD THE CARNAGE.

IF YOU ARE NOT IN ANY WAY ASSOCIATED WITH THE CONDITION, I HOPE YOU WILL URGE THOSE WHO ARE, TO CEASE. SUCH COURAGE ON YOUR PART WILL BETTER REFLECT YOUR AFRICAN HERITAGE AND ORIGIN.

AGAIN, I JOIN YOU IN REJECTION OF THE ARTICLE PORTRAYING ALL MARAKAS AS CONTRIBUTORS THE FUEL OF SIERRALEONE'S SENSELESS MASSACRES.  

>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.
>>
>>_________________________________________________________________________
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