UPFA, SLFP improved the lot of Muslims

by P.Krishnaswamy

Many of the primary aspirations of the Muslim community were realised under President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s UPFA administration and the former SLFP-led governments and not under UNP administration,said M. M. Abul Kalam, Deputy leader of Nationally Unity Alliance (NUA) and Chairman of the Condominium Management Authority. He told the “Sunday Observer” that these included the Northeastern University and the Oluvil Harbour project which were long-felt needs of the community.

The SLFP governments of Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike, with Badiudin Mahmud as Minister of Health and Minister of Education, did much for the social and educational uplift of the community. The first phase of the 32 ml euro Oluvil Harbour has been completed under the present UPFA administration and the second phase of the project has begun, Kalam said, adding that once completed the harbour will become a commercial hub for the people of the eastern province contributing to their economic prosperity.

The liberation of the eastern province from the clutches of the LTTE is another significant solace to the Muslim community who have hitherto been suffering untold hardships and problems, with large extents of their agricultural/paddy lands having been forcibly snatched away by the LTTE, Muslim traders and farmers harassed, kidnapped and killed. The government forces are now on the verge of liberating the entire northern province and once that is achieved the thousands of Muslim families that were expelled from the province in 1990 and languishing in refugee camps/welfare centres in several parts of the south could return to their former homes, Kalam said.

Their party leader Minister Ferial Ashraff, he and senior party members have already addressed over several election meetings in the Central and Northwestern provinces in the run up to the February 14 PC polls explaining the genuine commitment of President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s UPFA administration to address and solve political, social and economic problems of the Muslim community, he said.