Vote for Government, Muslims told

Southern Muslim Front, an umbrella organisation of Muslim professionals, businessmen and others have urged the Muslims to vote for the government in today's Western Province elections. In a statement issued by the general secretary of the Front Mohomed Liyawdeen the following appeal was made to Muslims:

"For thirty long years our country and its citizens suffered untold hardship, mayhem and destruction due to the ongoing conflict in the North and East of Sri Lanka.

Our motherland is on the verge of embarking on a period of peace, reconciliation and nation building under the able and dynamic leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Thanks to the Rajapaksa administration, the Muslims in the North and East who underwent misery and loss of property and lives are in a position to express a sigh of relief. They are in the process of leading peaceful lives and exist without fear or trepidiation.

We Muslims are obligated to be grateful to those who came to our rescue and saved our unfortunate brethren from misery and hardship.

"To the party the President belongs are stalwarts of the likes of late Badiudin Mahmud who fought valiantly to ensure that Muslims in the country lived in honour and dignity. Further the Bandaranaike regimes of the past and now that of President Rajapaksa have had a pride of place amongst the muslim world. President Rajapaksa's friendship towards Muslims is evidenced by the unflinching support he extended to the Palestinians who are subject to untold misery and hardship due to the terror unleashed by the State of Israel.

Therefore should we not be grateful to him and the party to which he belongs. At this momentous juncture when people of all walks of life are enthusiastically rallying round him with a sense of gratitude, should we Muslims isolate ourselves from this national surge. We Muslims should be pragmatic.

It is time we shed old affiliations with political parties who took us for granted and offered us step-motherly treatment. Such parties are now in the wilderness and as things stand may not be in a position to resurrect themselves in the near future.

O Muslims, let us therefore join the majority and be a vital part of the movement that is gathering momentum and strength, with a view to embark on a new vision and mission for a prosperous Sri Lanka."

Mansoor Marikar is the president and M. H. Mohamed is the treasurer of the Front.