The 8th Death Anniversary of Minister M. H. M. Ashraff:

A poet turned politician

Ashraff A. Samad

Today the 15th day of Holy Month of Ramadan (Hijri 1429) the Mohamed Hussain Mohamed Ashraff a great and worthy son of the Eastern Province was born in Sammanthurai. He was indeed not born with the proverbial silver spoon but at the time of his untimely death. He had established himself as a silver lining in the political establishment of this country.

Mohamed Hussain Mohamed Ashraff

Indeed within a very short spell of half a dozen years when he was a Cabinet Minister, Member of Parliament and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress and National Unity Alliance founder Leader died on September 16, 2000 while on his way to his native Ampara district in a Sri Lanka Air Force helicopter which crashed in a blaze of flames in Aranayake. It is almost eight years since he left us never to return.

On hearing the death of Minister Ashraff, September 16, 2000, business establishments shops and boutiques were closed as a mark of respect to the late leader and while flags were hoisted transport came to a standstill and not a single vehicle was seen on the road.

Labourers did not attend work, all hotels and even small boutiques remained closed white flags were flown on all vehicles. Almost all the houses flew white flags as a mark of respect to the late leader Ashraff. Muslim women in the district were very depressed and conducted special prayers and Dhuwwa for the Late Leader Ashraff.

All the Muslim majorities’ towns in villages in the Eastern Province mourned the sudden demise of Leader Ashraff.

Meanwhile Janaza prayer was conducted in all the mosques and special Dhuwwas too were recited for late Ashraff for his Jennathul Firdhouse. Minister Ashraff’s funeral took place at the Colombo Jawattha Muslim burial grounds with full State honours.

He was the only son of Mohamed Hussain a highly respected village headman and Matheena Ummah whom he loved dearly.

Being a son of the Eastern soil he had his primary education at Wesley High school Kalmunai and thus, in his formative years developed a very strong bond with the Tamils. He had to leave his home town to pursue further studies at the metropolis.

In 1970 he joined Law College where he excelled and manifested prowess in the field of constitutional law by writing the first book on constitutional law in Tamil with particular reference to 1972 Republican constitution of Sri Lanka.

At Ceylon Law College the natural nursery of many a political leader he was the President of the Law students, Muslim Majlis and of the Tamil Mantram and was an influential member of the student community, nearly missing the coveted position of President of the Law Students Union.

In 1974, he joined the Attorney General’s Department as a State Counsel and worked there to get himself acquainted with the Law to become an eminent lawyer. He practised in Kalmunai and Batticaloa.

He completed the Masters Degree in Law prior to becoming a senior Minister. He was honoured with title President’s Counsel.

People, particularly in the Eastern Province reaped the whirlwind Ashraff for he gave them what no other leader has given in such a short period of time.

Ashraff was first and foremost a very humane person, but, he had a strong will and a justice which spurred him to give his people their just and in the political, social and economic firmament.

Ashraff had almost the entire Muslim community behind him. They appreciated his vision, the immense sacrifices he made for their cause and his sincerity of purpose. He was a deeply religious man and would commence nothing without remembering the Almighty, seeking his guidance and blessings.

The late Minister Ashraff entered Parliament in 1989 through his newly formed Sri Lanka Muslim Congress. As the leader of the party he extended his cooperation to the then late President R. Premadasa, though he was in the opposition.

He maintained a cordial relationship with the President to win back the rights of Muslim Community. Ashraff never tolerated the injustices and discriminations mated out to minorities.

The late Minister was compelled to do something for the Eastern base as he was the leader of that region at first, as this scheme ended in smoke he appointed few thousands of unemployed youth at the Colombo Harbour.

But he included Sinhalese and the Tamils too in this drive. When the opportunist rival politicians criticised his massive recruitments he statistically proved that he did not go out of the Ethnic Ratio.

In return he asked the chauvinists to open wide their eyes to the plight of Muslims who have not even got at least three per cent cadres at other Government Departments, Authorities and Corporations.

Ashraff statically proved that he didn’t go out ethnic ratio and asked the chauvinists critics to see that in many Government Departments and Co-operations even three per cent of Muslims are not recruited.

If he had not taken this bold initiative thousands of youth of the East would have joined terrorist movements as the area is a hot bed of terrorism. His recruitment drive certainly has given relief to thousands of peasant and fishing families of the Eastern region.

This move, in fact has helped a great deal to control the youth frustration to a certain extent. The late Ashraff used his maximum energy to give a new life to Ampara.

Hundred of School in the district got buildings facilities, road, hospitals, vocational training centres, re-settlement housing villages and water supply. All these projects have helped to get the services to all communities.

Ashraff did yeoman services to elevate the Colombo port as one of the best in Asia. He rapidly started the reforms in the harbour once he assumed duties at the Ministry. The late Minister has established a Marine training Institute at Oluvil and planned to construct a harbour too.

His gift of a light house at Oluvil majestically stands giving the ray of hope to the unemployed youth of the region. No Muslim Leader will be cherished and remembered as Marhoom Ashraff as he single-handedly strived to get a University for the Muslims. The South Eastern University is the biggest achievement of SLMC for the Muslim community.

His qualities of leadership and respect for bureaucracy developed loyalty team spirit.

A good administrator should be a good human being. Despite all the knowledge and techniques of administration and management one cannot be a good administrator unless one has good qualities.

Ashraff possessed all these qualities coupled with attractive talents in ample measure. He did not cultivate these qualities but they were part of his nature. His experience in the political field enriched his administrative acumen and it became handy.

In parliament, as well as on the political platform he was one of the most eloquent speakers. While he mainly spoke in English and Tamil, there were many occasions on which he spoke in Sinhala at length.

He made memorable contribution to many parliamentary debates. His impassioned defense of the new constitution proved his sincere commitment to a peaceful, united Sri Lanka.

Immaculately attired and ever smiling, Ashraff was an energetic Minister who strove to discharge his duties to the best of his ability. Through embroiled in a number of controversies, he never bore a personal grudge towards his political adversaries. He was a shinning star in the local political firmament who shed light on the need for a united Sri Lanka where all communities could live peacefully together.

Minister M. H. M. Ashraff in his last interview with printed media on 10.09.2000 said, he was bidding “Good Bye” to the politics of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress which he started and launching the National Unity Alliance (NUA).

“He was bidding good bye to the politics of SLMC although he would be branded a communalist for our conviction the most of leaders of the majority communities and even our community are not capable of looking beyond their noses.”

Ferial Ashraff Leader of NUA and Minister of Housing and Common Amenities was always in the back ground when her husband roared in the arena of politics. Then suddenly with his tragic death she was pushed into that same arena. It was by choice that she entered the arena, come what may she is in that arena now making her presence felt. She is simple and very articulate.

They were blessed with only son Aman Ashraff. Ashraff was an excelled writer of Tamil prose as well as English.

His genius was in full bloom in his poetic compositions. His anthology of poems entitled “You then I” has been hailed as a piece of outstanding literary merit by none other than the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Mr. Karunaidhi who was so enthraled by the title of the anthology of his poems. Amidst his political pressure he said that MR. Ashraff has created wonderful poems and truly the Tamil language has enhanced his personality.

Ashraff is a dominant figure, a politician or the poet? One who sees the “the harmonious and soothing effect of the rays of the moon” “the kisses of the trees” and “the whispering of the stars” while the cabinet meeting is in progress can hardly be a politician.

So in his heart of hearts Ashraff is a poet. Sri Lanka made a poet a politician. Among the clatter of guns how can a poet hear the whispering of the stars?

He regards himself too as a poem.

“When he decided on this poem
He made my father the pen
And my bellowed mother his parchment”