Muslims don’t need separate politics - Hisbullah

by P. Krishnaswamy

Minister of Social Service, Health, Ports and IT Education of the Eastern Provincial Council and National Organiser of the All Ceylon Muslim Congress, M. L. A. M. Hisbullah said that Muslims did not need a separate political party but instead should remain part of the mainstream political parties, to achieve their political aspirations and legitimate rights.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa is a righteous national leader who is committed to fulfilling the aspirations of the Muslims in keeping with the Mahinda Chintana policies for a united Sri Lanka. This is the most appropriate political stance for the community at present. During the formulation of the Indo-Lanka Peace Agreement of 1987, the then President J. R. Jayewardene and the Indian leaders ignored the Muslim community and totally rejected their representation in all consultative discussions.

This prompted Muslim leader M. H. M. Ashraff to found the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress to establish the independent representative status and self-identity of the community. But a separate political party which promotes divisive politics is no longer necessary for the Muslim community, Hisbullah said.

Hisbullah also denied recent reports about the presence of a Jihad militant movement in the eastern province. To his knowledge there was no such organised militant movement amongst the Muslims in the province but there were Muslim youth who had taken up arms to protect local communities during the peak of ethnic strife and oppression.

Muslim leaders have persuaded them to surrender to the security forces and the police following the amnesty offered by the Government and the majority of them have already surrendered, he said.