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"It is not the intension of the Muslim Community to de-merge the North and East to function as two separate provinces. This would bring disparity between the Muslim and Tamil Communities. Muslim community should not be Party to undermine the Tamil community's struggle for their rights.

A DUA press release states, Secretary-General of the Democratic Unity Alliance (DUA) Hafiz Nazeer Ahamed made these observations when he addressed a distinguished gathering of Muslim theologians and representatives at Eravur Dar-ul -Uloom Arabic College in the Batticaloa District recently.

In his address, he spoke of the SLMC's present leadership and his inefficiency to have an effective solution to the ethnic crisis of the Muslims.

He noted that the vision of the LTTE was aimed at a Tamil Eeelam for which they were struggling for over two decades, bringing their community united.

He underlined the fact that a home-land for Muslims in the North and East has not been guaranteed.

The SLMC has not so far made it clear that the Northern Muslims who were driven out were not even given refugee status. Hafiz Nazeer posed a question that SLMC was proudly saying that they have decisive plans to solve the ethnic crisis.

"Where is it? Why not it be exposed for the public to comment or to understand? They are just cheating the community", he emphasized.

Hafiz Nazeer reminded that the SLMC sent a team of four lawyers to some selected countries including Australia, Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Germany to study the systems prevailing in those countries with regard to minorities and their constitutions in order to bring about a suitable proposal for the Muslim community.

This, he pointed out was a real farce and was almost a betrayal of the Muslim community because there was not a single document produced on this foreign tour.

Those who toured only enjoyed their trips rather than preparing a document to solve the on-going Sri Lanka's ethnic conflict.

Hafiz Nazeer Ahamed also underlined the importance of a suitable proposal for the Muslim community and said SLMC has neither established a proposal to this effect or making any effort to prepare such a document upto date. "How can they insist for a separate entity for the Muslim community now? asked DUA's Secretary-General.

"During the six-round of talks of the last UNP regime, Rauf Hakeem was not able to represent at least one round as a Muslim representative. He only represented as a Government nominee of the then government.

Now, he is shedding crocodile tears by insisting for a separate Muslim delegation. This is only to win the confidence of the Muslim masses. They (Muslims) are no fools and it is impossible to fool them all the time. They know who Rauf Hakeem is and his false leadership?", noted Hafiz Nazeer Ahamed.

He disclosed that DUA's Council of Leaders are now in the process of negotiating with the respective authorities with regard to a separate Muslim entity at the forthcoming peace negotiations.

If they fail in their effort, they will not hesitate to agitate openly unlike the SLMC leadership who had been silent. We will stage an open harthal to win our goal," said Hafiz Nazeer Ahamed.

"When the majority community deprived the legitimate rights of the Tamil community in education, colonization and economy, they openly staged campaigns to win their rights and finally were able to internationalize their grievances.

They never kept their mouths shut. They were able to achieve this goal due to their strong political leadership and their unity" reminded Hafiz Nazeer Ahamed.

"It is the duty of the Muslim community to submit its proposals with regard to their aspirations and rights logically and with evidence. It is impossible to achieve our objectives through media reports or public addresses.

This is the only method adopted by the SLMC to win the hearts of the Muslim community. This means the SLMC has done nothing for the Muslim community under the present leadership rather than lip-service to the community", concluded Hafiz Nazeer Ahamed.

The DUA's Chairman and former parliamentarian M.I. Uthumalebe, in his address stressed the importance of commencing peace negotiations as early as possible to bring about a lasting peace to the country's development once again.

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