MCSL over LTTE's ultimatum to vacate Muttur

COLOMBO: The Muslim Council of Sri Lanka (MCSL) in a letter to President Mahinda Rajapaksa says they are concerned over the tension and trauma, the Muslims of Muttur are undergoing in light of the LTTE ultimatum and has requests to take all measures to ensure their security.

The letter:

"As you are aware, the LTTE under the proxy of Tamil Eelam Motherland Liberation Army has distributed a notice yesterday demanding Muslims of Muttur to vacate the area within 72 hours from the issue of the said notice which is Thursday, June 1, 2006.

This is yet another attempt of ethnic cleansing by the LTTE as carried out in Jaffna in 1990. The Government of the day in 1990 too, assured the Muslims of Jaffna the fullest security but in fact could not provide adequate security to the Muslims and were only spectators and to-date all those who left Jaffna are languishing in refugee camps forgotten by the world.

Although, the LTTE representatives has denied it has anything to do with the said notice, Your Excellency and the world is too well aware of the modus operandi of the LTTE which actions taken to avoid responsibility and world reaction against it.

As your Excellency is also aware, many Muslims in Jinnah Nagar, Alim Nagar and Kappalthurai, have already left their villages due to the LTTE's threat and harassment and are today being accommodated and taken care of Muslims in other parts of the Eastern Province. Thus, this notice to the Muslims of Muttur to vacate the land and homes they have lived in for centuries is an attempt of ethnic cleansing to fit in their map of Tamil Eelam.

We appreciate the steps, the Government has already taken to provide enhanced security to the areas, the letter says.