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Extracts from the report of the fact - finding mission of the Council of Muslims of Sri Lanka in the Eastern Province.

1.1 The Council of Muslims of Sri Lanka an umbrella and non-political organization founded by respected leaders of the Muslim community, Sir Razik Fareed, the founder President, A. Aziz, the Founder Secretary General, Dr. Badiudin Mahmud, Dr. M. C. M. Kaleel, Sir A. W. M. Ameer, the founder Treasurer and several others was started in 1983 with the objectives of promoting socio-economic, cultural, educational and political advancement in the Muslim community and co-ordinate the activities of Muslim organizations in Sri Lanka and consolidate and channel the resources to foster peace and harmony among peoples and national unity.

Displaced Muslims - growing insecurity

1.2 A delegation of the Council of Muslims of Sri Lanka including National Council of Y.M.M.A., All Ceylon Moors Association and National Muslim Movement visited recently the Eastern Province on a fact-finding mission and had extensive discussions with the civil society at grass roots level of all three districts in the Province and has collected valuable statistics from various areas.

1.3 The Council in its visit has conducted a survey by way of distributing a questionnaire and has collected opinion of the people of the said areas.

1.4 The Council in its visit has had extensive discussions with groups of civil society including the students and lecturers of the University of Oluvil in the Eastern Province.

2.0 LTTE domination in the cleared areas as well.

We note that the LTTE domination after the signing of the MoU, is extended to cleared areas as well. The Government agencies act after consulting the area leader of the LTTE.

For example Muslims of Trincomalee town wanted security against LTTE attacks. The security in the form of check points was provided after the approval granted by the area leader of LTTE.

This arrangement was broadcast over the BBC and other media that the leader of the LTTE of the area has provided security to Muslims. Muslims say that they never asked for security from the LTTE and the Government has failed to act in this situation.

It was said that the Interim Administration of LTTE has already come to stay in both cleared and uncleared areas before the implementation of ISGA.

3.0 Levy of Taxes

Muslims of the East are subject to dual taxation. Muslims are levied taxes by the LTTE in the cleared areas as well. For example a cart load of fire-wood, a Muslim has to pay 500/= to 800/= to the LTTE. Muslims are levied excessive and arbitrary taxes in various matters including cultivation of their own land.

4.0 Security

4.1 The problems of Muslims in the Eastern Province have increased significantly after the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding, (MoU) between the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE.

4.2 Lack of Security to the Muslims in this region is the foremost concern of the people. Muslims live in fear as there are sporadic attacks on them and the number of casualties and loss of lives are day by day increasing. There is damage to the properties of Muslims and no compensation paid to them.

The security situation has worsened specially after the signing of the MoU as the law enforcement agencies have become inactive. The Police and the armed forces have failed to provide security to the Muslims in this region.

In the name of peace, Muslims are subject to intimidation, loss of lives and damage to property. For want of security Muslims may resort to methods of self-defence and Muslims invite the immediate attention of the Hon. Prime Minister the signatory to the Peace Accord and Her Excellency The President who is in charge of Defence in the Country.

4.3 There is an attempt by the LTTE to eject the Muslims by threat and violence from the highly concentrated area of Muslims in Kinniya. Earlier attempt of the LTTE to drive the Muslims out of Mutur is still spoken of by Muslims in these areas.

5.0 Mutur

5.1 Majlis-us-Shoora of Mutur has declared that the Tamil mobs backed by LTTE have frequently attacked the Muslims on a pre-panned effort since June 2002 and several houses were looted and set on fire.

The 58th and 59th colony known as Azath Nagar and Jinnah Nagar were completely looted and gutted. Five Muslims were killed and several injured. On 31st March 2003 two Muslim youths were abducted by the LTTE and one of the youth's mother committed suicide.

5.2. In the process of instilling fear psychosis on April 21st, 2003 a Muslim was shot dead and his head was cut off from the body and taken away by the LTTE. Fishing boats, nets and other belongings of the Muslim fishing community were seized, destroyed and set on fire.

Electricity supply was cut off. Majlis-us-Shoora further states that 8000 Muslims were displaced and sheltered in schools and mosques after this incident. They further state that the abducted youths in Muttur are still not released by the LTTE.

6.0 Kinniya

6.1. The LTTE has named the Kurangupanchan, which was called Majeedpuram as Manirasankulam and set up armed camp in the heart of Muslims lands of Kinniya.

The Muslims of the area say that there is a serious security threat to Muslims in the region and violation of the Ceasefire Agreement the LTTE had with the Hon. Prime Minister and the Government.

6.2. This armed camp is situated in the Government controlled area in the Kinniya Divisional Secretary Division.

The total population in this area is 62,819 of which 95% (59,469) are Muslims and 5% (3350) Tamils and no Sinhalese. There are 31 Grama Niladhari Divisions and the three Parliamentarians elected for the Trincomalee district are Muslims from Kinniya.

6.3. Over 255 Muslim families lived in Kurangupanchan upto 1990. Muslims were forcibly displaced due to ethnic violence in 1990.

After Ceasefire Agreement between the LTTE and the Government some of the displaced Muslims went back to Kurangupanchan. Over 200 Muslim displaced families have to be resettled with mosques, schools, roads and tanks renovated.

6.4. Muslims demand that the LTTE armed camp should be removed and the displaced Muslims be resettled with renovations to their houses, schools, mosques, tanks, roads etc.

7.0. Health sector in Kinniya

We had a discussion with senior officials attached to the Kinniya district hospital and learnt the precarious situation and the discrimination caused to Muslim of this area in the health sector, 500-600 patients take treatment a day at this hospital which is catering to a population of over one hundred thousand.

There are only six doctors and five nurses. No single surgeon and no surgical theatre. Even for minor surgery patients have to travel to Trincomalee town. Building in this hospital was constructed in 1956. This hospital should be elevated to a base hospital with all the facilities.

8.0 Recruit Muslims to police

A suggestion was made to implement the proposal to the Hon. Prime Minister and the Government to recruit 550 Muslims to the police to provide security to Muslims in these areas which was opposed by the Tamil National Alliance.

In Akkaraipattu we were told that 1750 Muslims made applications to join the police on a call made by the Government. Out of these applications only 72 were called for the interview but no appointments was made.

It is prudent for the Hon. Prime Minister to implement the idea of recruiting Muslims to the police. Muslims of this area request the Hon. Prime Minister and Her Excellency the President to recruit 2000 Muslims to the police on an urgent and priority basis in order to provide security to Muslims of these areas.

9.0 Lands of Muslims

9.1. Despite the call by the LTTE for Muslims to return to their paddy fields Muslims are harassed and intimidated when they returned to their fields. In Akkaraipattu after discussion with the LTTE leaders Muslims have gone back to their paddy fields but they were chased away by the LTTE.

In fact some Muslims who were given possession of their paddy fields were assaulted and chased away when they began to work in their fields.

9.2. Muslims are compelled to sell their lands to Tamils for a nominal sum of money. They say that LTTE fixes the amount for the lands. A Muslim diplomat was forced to sell his several acres of land to the Tamils by the LTTE and he was given compensation, a meagre sum of money against his wishes.

9.3. Muslim population in the Eastern province is 40.1% but not even 15% of the land is distributed among Muslims. It is noteworthy that lands are not distributed according to the population of Muslims in every district in the Eastern province.

9.4. In the Trincomalee district, the Muslim population is over 40% but they hold only 12% of the lands and in the Batticaloa district over 36% Muslims hold only 2% of lands.

9.5. Muslims say successive governments or the representation of the Muslims in Parliament have failed to resolve the land problem of Muslims for a long time.

10.0 Muslims have lost confidence in the LTTE

For, the aforesaid reasons Muslims have lost confidence in the LTTE and want an administration under the Central Government until such time a power sharing arrangement is decided.

Some even suggested a separate Muslim unit of administration even consisting of non-contiguous areas in the Eastern Province, as they do not like to live under LTTE administration. However, Muslims like to live with the Tamils.

11.0 Muslims demand De-Merger of the North-East

The demand of Muslims in the power sharing is for a de-merger. Their demand is justified for the following reasons.

11.1 Muslims are in majority in Amparai 41.58% and Trincomalee 40.19% Districts and in the Batticaloa District 36.13%. Their overall strength in the Eastern Province is 40.1% and in the merged North-East reduced to 17%.

12.0 Divisional Secretaries

12.1 Muslims are discriminated in the appointment of Divisional Secretaries. Small Tamil villages from Muslim areas are carved out with population of less than 6000 to form new Divisional Secretariats. But Muslim villages with considerable population are deprived of Divisional Secretariat status and appointment of Muslims as Divisional Secretaries.

In Ampara District and Trincomalee District no single Muslim appointed as District Secretaries or Asst District Secretaries.

12.2 Muslim majority areas are four in the Trincomalee District. They are Muttur, Kuchaweli, Kinniya and Tampalakamam and only two areas Kinniya and Tampalakamam are Muslim Divisional Secretaries, whereas in the other two Muslim majority areas the Divisional Secretaries are Tamils.

Similarly in the Batticaloa District there are four Muslim-majority areas, Katankudy, Ottamawadi, Eravur and Korala-Central. Except for Katankudy the other Divisional Secretariats are Divisional Secretaries who are Tamils.

(To be continued)

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