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Peace cannot be achieved overnight - Minister

by M.A. Phakurdeen, Addalachenai group correspondent

Peace is harder than war which cannot be achieved overnight. The public should be cautious and act wisely when dealing with the peace process, said Mass Communication Minister Imthiaz Bakeer Markar.

Speaking at the 23rd Anniversary of the Ampara District Federation of the All Ceylon Muslim League Youth Front at a ceremony to felicitate 23 social workers who rendered yeoman service in various fields, he called on the Muslims to forget differences and join hands with the government to achieve permanent peace.

Markar was the chief-guest at the ceremony at the Akkaraipattu Cultural Hall on Sunday. He was accompanied by Minister of Parliamentary Affairs A.H.M. Azwer and Former MP for Pottuvil M.I. Uthumalebe.

M.I. Uthumalebbe presided over the meeting.

The Minister said it is the duty of all to strengthen the Prime Minister's hands. "Muslims should realise that this was not the time to expose our own family problems and instead we should show our unity and strength," he said.

Markar said the 20-year-old war has now come to an end.

Peace talks are in progress. We Muslims at this juncture should act wisely thinking twice of our future. We must always be farsighted in our thinking and not instant reactors or emotionally tempted personnel, if we are to lead a meaningful life with a sense of mutual understanding with other communities. We must understand that however much one tries, arms and ammunitions or weapons cannot bring peace, instead they would bring only disasters and losses to humans and their properties, the Minister said.

The Government and the LTTE have clearly understood this including religious leaders. That is why the Government and the LTTE came to the Peace negotiating table. A sincere and genuine peace talks are now going on to bring in peace. We, Muslims at this juncture should act wisely using our brain and sense in all our activities we deal in. We must always think of our future generations. We must pave the way for our children to live happily and should see that the agony and sufferings experienced by us during the past 20 years should not be repeated again.

Stressing on communal amity Minister Imthiaz said that we all must respect the Sinhala and Tamil Communities as our brothers and sisters. He also mentioned here that communal amity is very important for peace and harmony of the country, he said.

Touching on the development programs he said he was fully aware of the prevailing conditions of the Post Offices of Akkaraiapattu and other areas in the region and the need for their developments. He also mentioned here that when this Government took office, the Treasury was almost zero and Sri Lanka Rupavahini and Lake House were at a great loss. Now all they have been updated and are going on profitably. Minister A.H.M. Azwer in his address said UNF Government headed by Ranil Wickremesinghe understands the problems of the common man and their feelings more than us.

This Government is for peace and not for war and also we are there for development and not for destruction. Therefore, no one can worry over our activities. Commending the activities of the Federation of Ampara District ACMLYF, Minister Azwer appreciated the services of the Front and said this Front has set an example to other branches in Sri Lanka.

This trend should be continued, he said. Stressing on the point of peace he said, Muslims have not to worry over this as their interests and well being are carefully dealt and favourably looked into. We must trust each other to achieve certain things, he said.

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