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| Sunday, 1 September 2002 |
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Ferial: 'No merger' : Joint SLMC-NUA plank for Thailand talks by P. Krishnaswamy The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) led by Minister Rauff Hakeem and the National Unity Alliance (NUA) led by parliamentarian Ms Ferial Ashraff have decided to sink their political differences and work together in the larger interests of the Muslim community of the North and East as a prelude to the Thailand peace talks scheduled to begin on September 16. NUA leader Ferial Ashraff, however, told the "Sunday Observer" that while they would work closely with the SLMC on the peace issue, there was no intention for a political merger. Minister Hakeem who is expected to represent the SLMC at the Bangkok talks is leaving for London next week for preliminary talks with LTTE theoretician Anton Balasingham. According to political sources these preliminary talks will focus on the issues that will be discussed at the Bangkok talks. Top SLMC sources told the "Sunday Observer" that at the Bangkok talks the SLMC wanted to represent the Muslims as an independent third party and not as a Government representative. The LTTE had intimated such a move through the Norwegian Ambassador in Colombo, the sources said. This matter and some aspects of the April 13 MoU between the LTTE and the SLMC would also be discussed at the London meeting, the sources added. The SLMC welcomed the decision of the NUA to work in unison with them and this will be further discussed, they said. Asked about their decision to work together with the SLMC, NUA leader said, "there is no question of re-joining the SLMC. As the situation in the East is very precarious, we want to work in unison with them forgetting political differences. It is my desire that all Muslim parliamentarians of the East should unite for the sake of the Eastern Muslims." NUA frontliner and former Deputy Minister, M.L.A.M. Hisbullah, said that the NUA wanted to work as one group with the SLMC under a common agenda on account of the forthcoming Bangkok talks. "We will not join the SLMC for the time being but will work under the leadership of Mr. Hakeem", he said. NUA parliamentarian, Segu Issadeen, said that he fully agreed with the position of NUA leader Ms Ashraff. "It is now time for the Muslims of the East to work under a common programme and a common agenda. We must be strengthened. We admit Rauff Hakeem as the leader of the SLMC but not as the leader of the NUA", he said. |
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