LTTE sympathisers and Catholic priests oppose Muslim Resettlement in Northern Sri Lanka
Posted on July 31st, 2012
ByƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Muhammad Siddique
I am writing this to draw the attention of all Sri Lankans to the continued injustice committed against the Muslims of Mannar by the remnants of the LTTE and their sympathisers, including the Catholic clergy. It is very unfortunate that the Muslim political leadership is so divided on this issue that there is a deafening silence from them and the religious leadership is also silent. Though we remain unconcerned, anti- Muslim elements are active in their efforts to perpetuate the injustices against the Muslims. However, The Island newspaper has editorially commented on the latest issue and has identified the injustice done to the Muslims by Tamil extremists.
Most of us might have read the sporadic news coming from Mannar which is mainly in the context of alleged “high handed acts” by Minister Rishad Badiuddeen. These news reports mask the real issues. The latest is the islandwide boycott of the courts by judges and lawyers in protest of the attack on the Mannar courts and an alleged “threat” by the Minister against the Mannar district court judge. While I do not condone these acts by the attackers on the courts premises, I also think the Minister should have handled this issue within a legal framework taking the matter to the higher courts.
The real issues here are that the Muslim fishermen who were driven away by the LTTE from Vidattaltivu long ago and have now returned to their homes are having to encounter intimidation and threat by the Tamil fishermen in their fishing activities and mooring their boats. The Muslim fishermen quite rightly sought redress from the Mannar Courts. As can be expected the judge who did not hide his partiality towards his own Tamil community had issued a judgement against the Muslims.
Previously, when the returning Muslims were given lands by MinisterƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Badiuddeen, the well known Catholic Bishop of Mannar, Rayappu Joseph, made such a hue and cry that Muslims were deprived of new lands for their agricultural efforts.
I do hope that the Muslim leadership will unite forgetting their petty differences and demand justice to the returning refugee Muslims
July 31st, 2012 at 4:22 pm
First Muslims should allow Sinhalas in Trincomalee to do fishing, resettlement, doing business and other things.
Otherwise Sinhalas will NOT come to Muslims’ rescue.
First do that and lets see how we can teach the NANTHIKADAL LESSON to these RACIST Catholic alcoholic priests led by Kasippu Joseph.
Govt should stop this madness and protect Muslims and Sinhalas from Tamil aggression.
If Tamils can live in Colombo Muslims and Sinhalas MUST live in Mannar, Jaffna, etc. Otherwise Tamils should leave Colombo.
August 6th, 2012 at 9:14 am
Why is the Catholic Bishop of Mannar, Rayappu Joseph, objecting to the resettlement of Muslims in their original lands or given some other land in Mannar, as the original lands are now occupied by Mahvir families of the Tigers? Some say this priest is a migrant from South India and has very racist views and loyal to SriLanka. If this is the case, then the Government of SriLanka should ignore this racist priest and do justice to the people who were evicted from their homes in Mannar. If possible, send back the Mavir families now occupying forcibly aquired proprties of the Muslims and Sinhalese, to where they came from.