CLASSIFIED | POLITICS | TERRORISM | OPINION | VIEWS

Hon. Hassanali understands the pulse of the Muslim politicians and their selfishness in the East.

Noor Nizam. Sri Lanka Peace Activist Canada .

The Muslim voters represented by the Muslim ministers are indeed SLMC votes polled because of the Presidents promise of a Muslim CM. Therefore the Muslims deserve the CM post. Yet the geo-political reasons have made the President to appoint TMVP Pilliyan as the Chief Minister. This is political strategy – meaning that Pilliyan’s appointment creates confidence in the Tamil community of the Sinhala government, gives leverage internationally that the Mahinda Chinthanaya in fact recognizes the Tamil issues and political wish to govern themselves within the Constitution of Sri Lanka, allows for development and socio-economic progress in the East as planned and create a climate for assured development aid and assistance from the West and strength the Presidents “military action” for PEACE in the North.

What it means to the Sri Lankan Muslims and specially the Muslims of the North, North east and East is the creation of an environment and culture of NONVIOLENCE, HARMONY and PEACEFUL LIVING WITHOUT CALAMITY IN THEIR VILLAGES. But what it does NOT mean is whether there will be fairness meted to the Muslims of the East as assured by the President. Yet the Muslims have always refrained from taking to arms and have depended on the democratic process and institutions.

At the same time, the President has to face the reality that, it is the Muslims of the EAST that has given him the bulk votes and enough members to claim the majority, be privy to the 2 bonus seats and be the winning alliance in the PC elections.

The ministers of the East who had demanded for Mr. Hisbullah to be made the CM were just “podiyans” in the SLMC during the tenure of the late Hon. M.H..M.Ashroff. But he was proactive and gave opportunities to the young and vibrant youth who merged forward to take up the challenge of the SLMC under his commandments. The late Hon. Ashroff harnessed the vigour of these aspirants by making sure that they did not take to violence or any form of arms struggle, though the East was entrenched in a culture of violence and arms environment as a result of the ideology of the LTTE being embraced by the Tamil youth. There seems to be no change because of the claim made by the TMVP that they have now entered the path of democracy. Pilliyan and his TMVP have said they will still carry arms.

The credit of keeping the Muslim youth of the North, North Eastern and East away from taking to arms should go to the credit of the later Hon. Ashroff and few of his close associates who can be seen as the present hierarchy of the SLMC. One special SLMCer is Hon. Hassanali.

The SLMC is the representative political entity of the Muslims in the Eastern Province .
It was in this backdrop that the late Hon. M.H.M.Ashroff was able to focus the issues of the Muslim Community in the East as the primary political instrument, (though the SLMC later on embraced the Muslim issues nationally), which fetched the support of the Eastern Muslims in making the SLMC what it is today. This political dimension of the Muslims came to reality in the Provincial Elections in 1988 and later on it took a strong appearance in the local and parliamentary elections that followed – the Muslim political “Representative and Brokerage Strength” that the SLFP,UNP and the FP then, later the TULF followed by the TNA and now the TMVP (Pilliyan) cannot deny to accept. The SLMC and it's voters/supporters (poraaligal– soldiers of democracy) became the voice of the Muslims of the East as the SLMC evolved into a National political entity with the late Hon. Ashroff , the charismatic leader he was, at the helm. There was no question about his leadership and he was the SLMC to all the aspirants of the "Muslim Factor" and voters in the East.

HE. Mahinda Rajapaksa and the government should realize the fact, that the SLMC is the representative political entity of the Muslims in the Eastern Province . Talking to Mr. Hisbullah means nothing, but only to cut down his political pretense. Therefore Hon. Hassanali is quite correct in challenging the Muslim ministers to quit if they had any self-dignity. These Ministers who were bred, born and nourished by the popularity of the SLMC, though they have "somersaulted" now for personal gains, will never resign their ministerships - they do not have "self-dignity".

The reality is that Hon. Rauf Hakeem and Hon. Hassanali are different. They have proven to accomplish what they say.

As someone hailing from the East and Trincomalee, specially, though domiciled abroad, we have to be pragmatic in our approaches of resolution, be it political or otherwise. The question now is - How can we assist the great endeavour of the Muslims of the East and to contribute our part to help our Nation and the East to achieve the goals of upliftment and development, IRRESPECTIVE of party politics or communal feelings. The fact is that the PC Elections results may have indicated that the SLMC/UNP alliance has LOST. The elections were contested under the UNP symbol and UNP party.The TRUTH is that the SLMC did really win the PC elections. The Muslims voters voted 17 members to the Council. Though it was a divided vote of 8 muslim members to the UPFA and 9 muslim members to the UNP, all 18 muslim members are from the ground base votes of the SLMC, the national Brokerage Political Representation of the Muslims in the East. Therefore, the UNP has really lost the elections.

Hon. Hassanali understands the pulse of the Muslim politicians and selfishness in the East.

It is in this context that one has to view the elections in the present scenario. The so-called Muslim ministers who threatened to resign will never do so. Hon. Hassanali is quite correct in what he said. As a veteran politician of the East, he understands the pulse of the Muslim politicians and their selfishness in the East.

These political personalities have only made themselves as Muslim political clowns and staged a drama that has disgraced the National Muslim community in Sri Lanka and specially the Muslims of the East.

It is a disgrace that veteran Muslim politicians like Hon. M.H.M.Fowzie, Hon. M.H.Mohamed and Hon. Bhaila also played the role of “Muslim political clowns” to the Muslim world and to the Sinhalese and Tamils in Sri Lanka and abroad. It would have been better for these politicians to have set in motion a realistic alliance discussions between the UPFA and the SLMC in the beginning. If that was done, today, the SLMC would have been stronger and the Muslims respected as politically matured, while the “paamara makkal” would have been peaceful and built bridges with Tamil communities. Hon Hassanali’s statement that these ministers will never resign their ministerships - they do not have "self-dignity" is true. The Muslims in the East were stabbed in the back by these political Muslim stage players from the beginning.

HE the President told the same thing.

It is on record that HE. The President on a phone call from London has told Hon. Basil Rajapaksa the following when the president was informed about the threat of Muslim ministers resigning.

“They will make some noise and eventually accept what is given, the President was to say”.

And so be it, as said in the Englsh language. That is the fate of the Muslims in Sri Lanka .

A true Sri Lankan Muslim cannot allow this to be so – Insha Allah.

This is because all the votes that were polled by the 17 Muslim PC members are Muslims votes of the East. The Muslims cannot just side on a side and watch all the benefits of the state, development aid, humanitarian assistance, employment prosperity and socio-economic upliftment that has to be made available to the Muslims being robbed by the “political communalists” and the “biased bureaucrats” who will take control of the day to day administration and management of the East Provincial Council. It is here that the Professionals and Academics of the EAST will be only too willing to return to Sri Lanka to give their best. What we need is the assurance that our abilities, professional knowledge and the foreign experience we have gained will be duly respected and integrated to find the best local resolution of pragmatic and innovative approaches to the gigantic challenges that will lay ahead in a team spirit environment with the local administrators. The UPFA/TMVP and the UNP/SLMC have to arrive at a consensus building to make this happen. HE the President should immediately call for an interactive discussion of Eastern Sri Lankan expatriates in all fields of Technical Expertise, Administrative & Management backgrounds, Aid and Humanitarian Assistance Management and Financial/Investment Management to create a roster of commitment for those willing to be involved immediately.

TALKING TO Mr. HISBULLAH OR THE MINISTERS WHO THREATENED IS NOT GOING TO BE PRAGMATIC. IT IS ADVICEABLE FOR HE. MAHINDA RAJAPAKSA TO SET ASIDE HIS PRIDE AND POLITICAL STAND A BIT AND TALK TO Hon. RAUF HAKEEM AND THE SLMC. THE PC ELECTIONS ARE OVER, THE EAST HAS TO MOVE FORWARD FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL, INCLUDING THE MUSLIMS, Insha Allah.

Surely His Excellency will have a very positive reaction to such an invitation please.

Noor Nizam.
Sri Lanka Peace Activist Canada .

21st., May 2008.

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