S.H. HasbullahƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  University of Peradeniya

I wish to add few additional points on this.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  The information that I am adding here come from my own observations on this and similar other issues that returnee Muslims are faced today in the north. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ I can substantiate what I say in the following section with necessary evidences ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ if situation warrants so.

• Politicians, state officials, clergies and legal system in the north including in Mannar have been trying their best to prevent the return of Muslims who waited for more than two decades to returnƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  their places of origin. Muslim displaced hoped that those forces would help and facilitate their rightful return to north with self-respect and dignity. ButƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ unfortunatelyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ it did not happened ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ as what returnee Muslims hoped for.
• In Mannar, Catholic Church and leading priests are in the background in planning and executing an agenda of non-return of Muslims with the help of other anti-MuslimƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ returnƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ forces.
• Legal establishment in the north and in Mannar was used by these forces to deny or grab lands belongƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  to MuslimsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  and otherƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ traditionalƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ rights enjoyed by Muslims for decades such ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ as landing rights of fishermen. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ A good ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ example ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to this is what happened to Mannar Uppukulam Muslim fishermen in recent days.
• Mannar Uppukulam incident was one among many such denials of rights of returnee Muslims.
• Many do not know as to how thousands of acres of land (the figure mentioned is not an exaggeration) legally belong to Muslims for many decades have been misappropriated by the joint action by the above mentioned forces which I hope soon it will to come to light. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ I cannot give the full details of these attempts because people affected will have to go through legal system to challenge this.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Also if I provide thoseƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ information now I may be accused of contempt of court because some of court ruling have yet to be challenged by these poor returnee Muslims.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  However, if necessary, I can substantiate this matter in a future correspondence without interfering the legal proceedings.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  But the question is whether these poor innocent people will have the capacity to challenge such a powerful force which is behind this unjust agenda or will this land issue also end up like the presently what happened ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to Uppukulam MuslimƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ fishermen. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ InƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ otherƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ words, those Muslims who lost ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ lands are also in need of legal and other helps from ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ concerned people ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ challenge the powerfulƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ opposingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ forceƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in Mannar.
• Mannar Uppukulam fisher folk were driven systematically by the above mentioned forces to come to street to ask for justice as the normal legal and administrative system has failed to rectify their genuine grievances for nearly a decade and very systematically in recent months and days as it is evident from the recent events.
• Those opposing forces are clear in their agenda by using the media and other information channels ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to discredit the plight of returnee Muslims. It is very unfortunate that it was done by a group said to be representingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ anotherƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ discriminated population (minority) of the country who too seek justice to what happened to them during the long years of ethnicƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ conflictƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and civil war.
• Those forces do not see that returnee Muslims who at present were only a small fraction (less than one per cent) of present northern ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ population and about 15 to 20 per cent of the total north Muslims displaced population. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In fact, other displaced Muslims who are yet to return to north or will decide not ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to return because of the ongoing agenda andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ propaganda of Tamil nationalistic ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ forces.
• At the same time, it must be mention that presently displaced Muslims are faced withƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ numerousƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ social, economic,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ politicalƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ environmental problems where they live now (in the places of displacement e.g.,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Puttalam and other places in the south). ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ They will ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ soon be removed from the ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ right to return to their places of origin by the state because state has already indicated that they will do so. Therefore, displacedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ population will be left with no alternative for living ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ other than the place where they live nowƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and also ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ will ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ loose to regain the rights ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ return thatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ include rights ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ assetsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ properties in the north not toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ mention their other traditional, cultural and religious rights in their places of origin. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  At that point, they will be real ‘place-less or forgotten’ people of the country.
• They (Tamil nationalist forces) are trying to show the returnee Muslims are an anti-social elements to theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ north. In some respect, they have been successful in doing this. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ They have been successful painting this picture in Jaffna fewƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ monthsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ before which is another issue that needs the attention of those who are concern about the plight of the north Muslims.
• Tamil media locally, nationally and internationally trying to show ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ that the Muslims are not fit to ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Tamil nationalƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ territoryƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and/or Tamil national aspirationsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢. Unfortunately national and international media also caught up in this systematical propaganda by ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Tamil nationalistƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  and anti-Muslim forces.
• Such agenda is almost equal or more than equal to what LTTE’s ethnic cleansing of Muslims from the north in 1990.
• It is so unfortunate thatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the those forces amongƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Tamils actƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  in this negative manner. At the same time, there are progressiveƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  forces and individuals among Tamils who acknowledge unjust doneƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  to northƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  MuslimsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  and want to do necessary positiveƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ measuresƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to rectify what happened to Muslim victims in the past and present. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Unfortunately, thoseƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  progressive forces are numerically and politically small and weak to make substantial ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ impacts on this right to return of north Muslims so far. ButƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ certainly it is necessary to recognize and get the help of thoseƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ positiveƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ forces among Tamil in order create a situation of a trueƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ reconciliation among different population ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ conflict affected north and east and in the country.
• It is the right of all peace loving citizen to be aware of these developments and not allow another historical mistake by the nationalistic forces by preventing return of displaced Muslims. With all these challenges, many displaced Muslims want to return home to live with dignity and self-respect because they are left with no other option in the ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ present political frame work ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ of the country. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Therefore, we cannot rule out ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the possibility ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ of using the goodwill andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ commitmentsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ of those progressive forces ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in all communitiesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ especially among TamilsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in the future for this.
• It is the duty of all to help the north Muslims to stand firmly to the challenges that they are now faced now. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In this ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ respect, we have to look at the issue of the denial of the right toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ returnƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ of north Muslims above political and other interests. Very frankly, political unity among Muslim politicians is a must at this juncture. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ I beg our political leaders to unit on this issue. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ I pray this request will be heard and fulfilled.

I amƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ sincerely hoping that those whoƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ understand and concern as to what is happening to north ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Muslim could do their best to help them to recover from the present dreadful situation that theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ rerunningƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Muslims are faced in the north and in the south now.

In this respect, IƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ endorse fully what Dr. Mareena Reffai said on this andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ encourage others also comeƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ forward on thisƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ matter.

Thank you and wassalam.

S.H. Hasbullah

University of Peradeniya