Prisoners celebrate Ramazan

MAHARA: One hundred Muslim inmates of the Mahara Prison celebrated the Eid-Ul-Fitr, Ramazan festival. Muslim Registrar of Marriages, Katheeb Jezuli Salahudeen conducted the prayers inside the Muslim ward of the prisons.

Presidential Advisor on Media A.H.M. Azwer addressing the inmates said President Mahinda Rajapaksa is a leader with a vision and mission.

Our duty is to support the Mahinda Chintanaya which has many expectations as peace loving citizens, he said. "The Muslims are a patriotic community, according to Portuguese historical sources, 5,000 Muslims laid down their lives in the Sitawaka battle under the armies of Mayadunne", he said.

Azwer said the SLFP-UNP MoU has dawned a new era in the history of Sri Lanka politics. The Alliance will bring many fruitful results.

He said, the political leadership of Muslim leaders led by Dr. Tuan Burhanudeen Jayah supported the independence. This accelerated the pace of independence," he said.

Muslims have inherited a shared legacy of trust, cordiality and goodwill for thousands of years both the major communities, Sinhalese and Tamils, he said.

All Ceylon Muslim League President A.L.M. Hashim PC said the inmates should be determined to live as true Muslims with an exemplary life after leaving the prisons.

Superintendent of the Mahara Prison Kenneth Fernando thanked the Muslim League for organising the Ramazan festival activities for the past sixty years without any interruption, he said. The Prisons authorities had given priority for religious observances.

ACML Joint Secretaries Fauzul Khaled, Ismath Ghouse, National Organiser of the Sri Lanka Muslim Media Forum F.M. Fairoos, National Organiser of the Chief Jailor Namal Bandara, Welfare Officers H. Samarawickrema, Chandana Hulangama, Tuan Mahmoor also participated.