|
|
|
| Sunday, 11 September 2005 |
 |
|
 |
Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
Fifth death anniversary of M.H.M. Ashraff
Outstanding leader of Muslims by Ashraff A. Samad
M.H.M. Ashraff 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 College, Kalmunai and had to leave his home region 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 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 him self acquainted with the law to become an eminent lawyer. He practised in Kalmunai. He completed the Master's Degree in Law prior to becoming a Senior Minister. He was honoured with the title President's Counsel. Ashraff saw as nobody did before him the political potential of the Eastern Province with its predominant Muslim habitation. before his advent Muslim politicians aligned themselves to the two major political parties, the UNP and the SLFP. He was no doubt influenced by the waves of radicalism then sweeping across the Islamic world and growing power of the Arab states. The declaration on November 1986 naming the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) launched on a national political career, as well as changed the history of Sri Lankan Muslim politics. The symbol of his party was the tree. The tree was planted and nurtured in the Eastern and Northern Muslim areas in Sri Lanka in 1989 he contested parliamentary elections and entered parliament with 7 MPs from the East. Two SLMC MPs were appointed Deputy Ministers. Ashraff was made a Minister. The SLMC played a constructive role to instal, President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga's government in a hung parliament. Ashraff became Minister of Ports, Shipping, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction. Ashraff, fulfilled his responsibilities as a Minister with the utmost dedication and efficiency. The Colombo Port made vast strides under his leadership, towards achieving the government's vision of becoming one of Asia's leading ports. His dedicated efforts have transformed his home district of Ampara from a backward rural district into a fairy developed area, moving rapidly towards modernism. His single-handed dedication to establish the South Eastern University will be recorded in letters of gold. His constant struggle to obtain the rights of the Muslim people had much success during the last six years. He had a vast following among the Muslim people who appreciated his vision, the immense sacrifices he made for their cause and his sincerity of purpose. More than all these the Late Ashraff was a man with a very big heart. In friendship he was warm, sincere and forgiving, his kindness was limitless. As a Minister, he was not only a policy formulator, a policy implementer, a keen monitor but also a hard task master, in implementing the decisions of the Government he had a total vision. In the problems of the affected/displaced persons and port employees, he acted as catalyst without causing any embarrassment to the government. The Ministry official enjoyed working with him. His qualities of leadership and respect for bureaucracy developed loyalty and team spirit. Mr. Ashraff was a very kind hearted sensitive and highly emotional personality always with a ready smile and kind word never failing to greet his staff at least with a smile and a nod but at the same time he was a leader who wanted things done correctly and was a stickler for correct details. 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. Late Leader 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. The Eastern Province saw development through the leadership of M.H.M. Ashraff in a short period of six years. Ashraff was a deeply religious man and would commence nothing without remembering the Almighty and seeking his guidance and blessings. He was an excellent writer of Tamil prose as well as in English. His genius was in full blooming his poetic compositions. His anthology of poems has been hailed as a piece of outstanding literary merit by none other than the former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, who himself is a respected Tamil scholar. M. Karunanidhi was so enthralled by the title of the anthology of his poems that he commented on it thus, 'this title by itself is a matter for contemplated enlightenment and ultimate enjoyment.' Of all these qualities and talents Ashraff wished, his literacy talents to outlive him because he valued them above all other achievements and expressed his settlements than. Ashraff the man with golden hearts and end yet another day with a much lighter frame of mind. Ashraff's name is still remembered through his wife Ferial Ashraff. He was a tough politician with much vigour and strength to many. But warmth in abundance with an aura of affection and bountiful of generosity was and still is he to us. "If someone would ask me how I would like to be remembered by posterity My answer would be Not as a leader of the SLMC Not as a founder of NUA Not even as President's Counsel But as a humble writer For I firmly believe That everything will die Except my writings It is my desire that I should continue to communicate Through my writings Even after my death." He succeeded in installing his long standing dream of a roof to shelter the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, which he named 'Dharusalam' the house of peace and dedicated it to Sri Lanka as a whole. He worked hard for peace "May Allah grant his soul 'Jennath Firdouse.' |
|
| News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
| Produced by Lake House |
Mohamed Hussain Mohamed Ashraff would have been 57 years on 23rd October
2005. Late M.H.M. Ashraff, one time Cabinet Minister, Member of Parliament
and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress and National Unity Alliance founder Leader,
died on 16th September 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. 
