Decades-Old Gunjur–Berending Land Conflict Nears Breaking Point

The festering land dispute between Gunjur Jammeh Kunda, Darboe Kunda, and Berending has reached a frightening crescendo following a coordinated protest staged by residents of Berending and Kartong against the government’s ongoing land demarcation exercise.

The government Taskforce at the Gunjur-Berending border got demarcation.

The demarcation, carried out by a government task force tasked with resolving the decades-old dispute, has been vehemently rejected by protesters. Speaking to Kerr Fatou during the protest, one demonstrator claimed that the land currently occupied by Berending and Madina Salaam rightfully belongs to Kartong, not Gunjur Jammeh Kunda or Darboe Kunda.

“Kartong is over 100 years older than Gunjur. As such, Gunjur cannot own land over Kartong because Kartong existed first,” the protester argued.

One of the protesters (pictured) has claimed that Kartong existed over 100 years before Gunjur therefore Beeending and Madina Salam areas belong to Kartong

The Alkalo of Berending (pictured) has appealed for government intervention to avoid conflict as they are now at the end of their tether!

A concrete post erected by the government Taskforce for the border demarcations.

Despite local and High Court rulings over the land boundaries, both sides remain steadfast in their claims, fueling further uncertainty.

The simmering tensions remain a major source of concern, particularly given the violent history of the dispute. In 2019, the conflict claimed the life of Buba Jammeh of Gunjur, underscoring the risk of further escalation if a lasting solution is not urgently found.

Land border demarcation team on site

Observers are now calling on the government to take decisive action to avert renewed violence and to mediate a resolution acceptable to all parties.

Background to the Gunjur–Berending Land Dispute

The Gunjur–Berending land conflict is one of the longest-running communal disputes in Kombo South. It primarily involves three key communities: Gunjur (Jammeh Kunda and Darboe Kunda), Berending, and Kartong.

Historical Roots

• According to the protesters, oral accounts from Kartong elders assert that Kartong is the oldest settlement in the area, established long before Gunjur and Berending. Based on this historical claim, the protesters maintain that much of the disputed land - including areas currently settled by Berending and Madina Salaam originally belonged to them.

• Gunjur families (notably Jammeh Kunda and Darboe Kunda) insist they have ancestral ownership rights dating back generations, with their claims recognised through traditional inheritance systems.

• Berending residents, meanwhile, argue they have long occupied and developed the land, thereby establishing rights through settlement and use.

Legal Proceedings

• Over the years, the dispute has been brought before both local tribunals and the High Court of The Gambia.

• Multiple judgments have attempted to establish a clear boundary between Gunjur and Berending, but interpretations and enforcement remain contested.

• Each ruling has been met with resistance from one side or the other, deepening mistrust in state-led arbitration.

Violence and Casualties

• The conflict has not just been purely legal; it has also turned violent on multiple occasions.

• In 2019, clashes over farmland led to the death of Buba Jammeh of Gunjur, which heightened community tensions and brought national attention to the dispute.

• Sporadic confrontations since then have raised fears of further escalation unless a sustainable settlement is reached.

Current Situation

• In an attempt to end the dispute once and for all, the government set up a Taskforce to look into the dispute and recently dispatched a land demarcation task force to map and enforce boundaries.

• However, this move has triggered new protests, particularly from Kartong and Berending residents, who argue that the demarcation disregards their historical claims.

• With both sides rejecting compromise, the situation is now at a dangerous impasse, requiring urgent intervention to prevent renewed violence.