Ranil let down Colombo Muslims -A.H.M. Azwer

"The Muslim voters in Colombo are forced to accept the ignominious defeat as they failed to heed our request not to vote for UNP at the general election and they now, for the first time in election history, stand empty-handed without getting a single UNP Muslim candidate elected to Parliament from Colombo. The trust the Muslims of Colombo had reposed in Muslim representation, beginning from Dr. T.B. Jayah in 1947 onwards stand shattered today as the Muslims voted largely for Ranil Wickremesinghe's candidates .

Better late then never, I appeal to all Muslims in Colombo to join hands with the saviour and builder of modern Sri Lanka, President Mahinda Rajapaksa, and work for their own future welfare, said former Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs Minister A.H.M. Azwer at a meeting held at Colpetty St. Anthony's and Carmel place to celebrate the historic victory of the United People Freedom Front at the polls.

He said that the present leadership of the UNP displayed an antagonistic attitude towards the Muslims both on matters, national and international.

This was very much evident when one closely judges the UNP leaders attitude towards the Palestinian cause, the Iraq issue and every other Arab-Muslim affair. On the contrary President Rajapaksa had been a consistent friend of the Muslims and the Arab world. It is due to this fact that Muslims leaders like M.H. Mohamed, Omar Kamil, Hilmy Mohamed, Azath Sally, as much as other prominent Muslims elsewhere in the country, had abandoned the infantile leadership of Ranil Wickremesinghe and had vigorously campaigned for President Rajapaksa, to enable him to record a historic victory in Sri Lanka elections.

It's for sure that given the opportunity Wickremesinghe will never even appoint a Muslim to Colombo district. Muslims should therefore be wise to rally round President Mahinda Rajapaksa who is now determined to build up an economically strong nation, said Azwer.

Messrs. O.Z. Kamil, M.N. Hussain, Mubarak Kiyas, M.M.A. Uwise and several others also spoke.