Archives

Police delay irks SLMC chief

by Ranga Jayasuriya 

Sri Lanka Muslim Congress leader and Port and Shipping Minister, Rauf Hakeem on Saturday at the SLMC Convention came out strongly against delays by the police in their investigations into the Palletalawinna election day massacre.

"Usually Police arrested parents and held them in custody till their sons surrendered for interrogations. We do not agree with this method, but now when evidence has been unearthed against a former Minister and his sons, the police are inactive," he said. The Minister added that the SLMC did not like to meddle with the police investigations. "But we want an impartial investigation to give justice to the young men who sacrificed their lives to their party to be in Parliament," he told a packed audience.

Commenting on the President's visit to the Kandy prison , where she met some PA supporters and security men accused of election violence, the Minister came out strongly again: "Shame on the last Government, and I would add shame on Her Excellency the President".

He said the history of races and the nations was traced according to the milestones of battles won or lost. Referring to a book by historian Lona Devaraj on the Sri Lankan Muslims, Hakeem said the writer had confessed that she found it was difficult to trace the history of Sri Lankan Muslims since there was no single battle they had fought against the other races.

Finally the writer concluded, Hakeem said, that the Muslims had arrived in Sri Lanka purely for trade and with no intention to conquer the country.

But if the contemporary history of the Muslims is to be written one day, future writers would find a number of battles the Muslims fought, not in the battlefield, but in the political landscape. The murder of the 12 youth at Palletalawinna is one such an example, he said.

The SLMC leader who delivered his speech in all three languages, said his party was committed to work with the UNF in the process of democratization and achieving a durable peace. UNP Deputy Leader and Power and Energy Minister Karu Jayasuriya who was the guest of honour gave the SLMC best wishes of the UNP and the Prime Minister.

"We thank the SLMC for being with us in our struggle for democracy.The UNP is committed to lead the nation into a new era of democracy. The coming days will be decisive. We are moving towards peace. And peace between the political parties is also important," he said.

Colombo Mayor Omar Kamil, and SLMC Colombo District leader A.J.M. Muzammil also spoke.

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries |

Produced by Lake House
Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager