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| Tuesday, 6 April 2004 |
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Politics | |
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| CWC, SLMC in talks with UPFA by Pradeep Kumara Dharmaratne Discussions between CWC strongman Arumugam Thondaman, top leaders of the SLMC together with the leader of the Up-Country People's Front, P. Chandrasekeran and Freedom Alliance leaders are in progress with speculation rife of the two minority parties extending their co-operation to the new Freedom Alliance Government, sources said yesterday. Sources said the two minority parties which have earlier been in the fold of the People's Alliance Government of 1994 would be offered substantial positions in the new Government if the moves that are in progress prove successful in the next few days. The Muslim community in the East is reported to have urged their leader Rauff Hakeem to join hands with the President in the new Government. They have claimed that the President had ensured their safety as Defence Minister and were confident that the President could resolve their problems. The SLMC led by Hakeem secured five parliamentary seats. Hakeem led the contest from the East for the first time. Meanwhile, Thondaman who leads the CWC contesting on the UNP ticket, commands six parliamentary seats at the 2004 general election. The Memorandum of Understanding between the UNP and the CWC provides the latter to take decisions in the interest of the minority party. It is learnt that the estate Tamil population have urged Thondaman to commence direct talks with the President to use the opportunity to solve grievances of the estate Tamil population. Meanwhile, the SLMC in a statement has called upon all political party leaders and the people to respect the will of the people and work towards finding a solution to the ethnic problem without delay. The statement signed by SLMC General Secretary M. T. Hassan Ali expressed gratitude to all its supporters for reposing faith in the party by overwhelmingly reaffirming its position as the principle party representing the Muslims of Sri Lanka. The SLMC also shared the grief and pain of mind of victims of violence targeted at its supporters. |
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