SLMC divided - Azath Salley

Deputy Mayor of Colombo Azath Salley has said that the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress stands divided.

In a statement issued yesterday, Salley states: "The Post-Tsunami Operations Management Structure, commonly known the as P-TOMS has been finalised and has only to be signed between the Government and the LTTE and cannot be amended to accommodate Muslim aspirations. This had been conveyed by Deputy Norwegian Foreign Minister, Vidar Helgesen to Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) leader, Rauf Hakeem.

Today, it is no secret the world over that those most affected by the tsunami is the Muslim Community in Sri Lanka. It is also no exaggeration to say that the highest number of deaths due to tsunami had occurred in the Ampara district.

During the past number of months, we have seen on TV and read in the newspapers, about Rauf Hakeem and the Norwegian delegates meeting each other for deliberations.

The President, too, had suggested that the signatories to the proposed Joint Mechanism should also include a representative from the Muslim community.

It is then alarming to note that in an article appearing in a local newspaper on Tuesday, June 21, 2005, the Deputy Foreign Minister of Norway telling the leader of the Muslim Congress, Rauf Hakeem that the P-TOMS agreement has been finalized between the Government and the LTTE and cannot be amended to accommodate Muslim aspirations.

All the Muslim Parliamentarians, who crossed over to the ranks of the Government had conveyed to the suffering Muslim masses in the Eastern Province that they joined the Government to protect and win the rights of the Muslim community.

But, it is very disheartening to realize that all the Muslim MPs and the Ministers of the Government who represent the interests of the Muslim Community being dumb-founded at a time when their obligations t the Muslim Community is the need of the hour. The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) stands divided, while the Joint Mechanism is going to be signed in Kilinochchi as confirmed by the Deputy Foreign Minister of Norway, Vidar Helgesen.

As the President had always stood to the fact that the Joint Mechanism issue is not of that paramount importance, it's not going to divide the country, it's not going to extend any extra power or privileges to any social or ethnic group in Sri Lanka, why then is a Muslim signatory not been included in its process?

I request the President and her Government to include a Muslim signatory to the Post-Tsunami Operations Management Structure even at this eleventh hour.