Muslims suffered a lot at hands of LTTE - ACJU president
Athapattu BANDARA
“No international or national organization has so far come forward to
redress the grievances of Muslim IDPs who were driven away by the LTTE
and suffered for more than 22 years in temporary housing with minimum
basic facilities, All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU) president Ash-Shaikh
MIM Rizwe said.
He was speaking at yesterday’s press conference attended by diplomats
and government ministers to raise the issue of Muslim IDPs at national
and international level. A website was also launched on the occasion to
draw the attention of the Muslim world and concerned parties.
“ Around 34.000 Muslim IDPs are in the country and only 22.000
families have been registered to return to their homelands in the
North where they were forcibly chased away by the LTTE within 24
hours under their ethnic cleansing programme, “he said.
“Muslim IDPs are isolated and frustrated as no organization has yet
considered their resettlement process as an urgent matter. Though
normalcy has returned to Sri Lanka after the war, Muslim IDPs still have
many problems, he complained.
“We will open an account and anybody interested in helping the Muslim
IDPs can contribute and help the Muslim brotherhood who are in great
difficulty,” he added.
“Muslims are a peace-loving people who respect other religions and
ethnicities. We condemn any foreign interference in Sri Lanka’s internal
affairs. The country should be allowed to solve its own problems,” Rizwe
said.
“We request all countries, international organizations and India in
particular to help sort out this issue within a cooperative and peaceful
frame work, “he urged.
“The Indian government has promised to provide us around 10.000
houses for the Muslim community under their 50,000 housing projects,” he
further stated.
“But it is not yet confirmed. It is just a verbal promise, “he
said.We, the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama is the apex body of Muslim
theologians. We guide and advice Muslims to respect other religions and
give due place to them to follow their religions.
“In the same way, the Muslim community has lived in peaceful
coexistence with the Sinhala and Tamil communities for many years. But
this peaceful situation was obstructed by a few armed LTTE terrorists.
As there is no war now, the Muslim community wishes to resettle in their
original lands and live with other communities with peace and respect,”
he said.
Senior Minister A.H.M. Fowzie, Ministers Rishard Badurdeen, M.L.A.M.
Hisbuullah, and MP M Annas were also present. |