P-TOMS: President reassures Muslim Ministers
Positive response to Muslims demands
President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga has reassured the Muslim
community that the Government would take steps to ensure that their
concerns and aspirations are addressed in the implementation of the
Post-Tsunami Operational Management Structure (P-TOMS).
During an extensive discussion with Muslim Ministers and Deputy
Ministers, President Kumaratunga responded positively to the Ministers'
suggestions and undertook to give them every consideration and explore
how their proposals could be implemented.
The President held a fresh round of discussions on the Post-Tsunami
Operational Management Structure (P-TOMS) or Tsunami Relief Council (TRC)
with Muslim Ministers and Deputy Ministers.
At Monday's discussions at the President's House, the Muslim
legislators expressed their concerns regarding certain aspects of the
P-TOMS, a Presidential Media Unit release said. "Their concerns were
discussed in depth with the President. They proposed some options with
the objective of resolving the issues causing their community
apprehension," it said.
UPFA General Secretary Minister Susil Premajayantha was associated
with the President at the discussions.
Following the discussion, the National Unity Alliance has withdrawn
an ultimatum to the Government that the P-TOMS be withdrawn by Tuesday.
The party has since decided to stick with the Government.
"Following talks with the President, the NUA will not rock the boat,"
a party official told reporters.
NUA spokesman and Condominium Management Authority (CMA) Chairman
Abul Kalam said their party will continue to remain in the UPFA alliance
since they strongly believed in President Chandrika Bandaranaike
Kumaratunga's commitment of justice and fairplay by the minorities and
were confident of the resolution of Muslims' concerns with regard to the
P-TOMS. The President held several rounds of talks with Muslim
theologians and legislators over the last few weeks prior to the signing
of the P-TOMS last Friday. In a recent discussion with Muslim
theologians in the East, the President assured them that the rights and
security of the Muslim community would be safeguarded and respected and
that they will be given their rightful share in the proposed P-TOMS.
President Kumaratunga met with Minister Ferial Ashraff and a
delegation of her party on June 21. The President assured Minister
Ashraff that she was fully conscious of the fears, anxieties and
concerns of the Muslim people in the context of the suffering the Muslim
community has endured during for more than two decades of armed violence
and the recent tsunami natural disaster.
On that occasion, she assured Minister Ashraff that the Tsunami
Relief Council takes into consideration and accommodates many of the
interests of the Muslim community and has clauses for addressing their
concerns.
During the long negotiations between the GoSL and the LTTE on the
Tsunami Relief Council, the GoSL negotiated hard to accommodate Muslim
concerns, persuading the LTTE to agree to some significant practical
measures. Specifically the Muslim parties have equal representation at
the national level, sufficient representation to prevent decisions that
may adversely affect them at the regional level, and dominant
representation in the areas where they live.
She assured Minister Ashraff and other Muslim leaders that her
government would in the future as in the past take all necessary
measures to ensure the safety and security of the Muslim people living
in the East and the North.
Further, the President strongly recommended that Muslim leaders
consider the proposed Tsunami Relief Council in its totality and the
gains that may be made by the Muslim community as a whole, through full
participation in it. The President also met MP Rauff Hakeem to discuss
Muslim concerns regarding the P-TOMS. |