Muslim admission to universities reduced - MNA

The numbers of Tamil speaking students in university admissions for studies in medicine had dropped dramatically over the past three years, Nazeer Ahmed leader of the Muslim National Alliance and of the Democratic Unity Alliance said. He was addressing a ceremony at Mahmood Ladies College, Kalmunai in Ampara on January 8 to sponsor the education of 106 tsunami affected children in his capacity as chairman of the Tsunami Children Education Trust (TCET) states a Muslim National Alliance press release.

Nazzer said in 2003, 24 students were admitted to Universities and in 2004 the figure had dropped to 22. The figure dropped spectacularly to 13 in 2005. 'This was the price we had to pay for our negligence' he said.

He said that his party would take up the issue with the authorities. 'Muslims must agitate for their political rights or else we would be treated with contempt' said Ahmed, 'We must take up the issue with those elected Muslim representatives. He stressed that they were not asking for any special favours but only asking them to fulfill that their obligations. 'They are answerable to the people'.