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| Sunday, 14 September 2003 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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Concerns of Muslims in North East by M. I. M. Mohideen Muslims were very much concerned about the reference to Muslims as "a group of people not directly party to the conflict" in the ceasefire agreement signed by the Government and the LTTE, on the 22nd of February 2002. However, the Muslims gave overwhelming support and provided a mandate for the government to pursue the objective of peace. As a sequel to this historic ceasefire agreement the leader of the Muslim Congress, Mr. Rauf Hakeem undertook a discussion with the LTTE leader, Mr. Velupillai Prabakaran. In that discussion series of agreements were reached so that a new chapter would be opened between the Tamils and the Muslims in the North-East. Although the GOSL-LTTE and SLMC-LTTE MoU laid emphasis on the protection of civilians; killing, abductions, torture and extortion by LTTE cadres which are clear violations of the ceasefire agreement, go on unabated in the North-East region despite warning and pleading from both national and international organizations. The victimized Muslims are now demanding weapons to defend themselves. They are losing trust in state protection. A politico military strategy of the LTTE has been to weaken the economic strength of the Muslim community. In order to realize this object, the LTTE, as is the case of other Tamil militants, have targeted economic ventures and business places of the Muslims. Robbing of business goods and abduction of businessmen for ransoms remain the common spectre in the North-East. Even after the ceasefire agreement, the Muslims have been denied access to mosques during mass agitation promoted by the LTTE. Further, the incidents at Muttur and Valachenai during June 2002 where the LTTE and other Tamil militants have destroyed properties worth more than 150 Millions and abducted 13 Muslims. On Sunday the 30th June 2002, two bodies were found by the police in Kalmadu Village in Valichenai. They were the two Muslim cooks were went to the house of a Tamil in Valichchnai, on Wednesday the 26th June, to prepare the wedding meals. The LTTE cadres have abducted the two Muslims killed and buried them in a shallow pit in the paddy field. The father and few members of their family went to identify the bodies. After the post-mortem, the police loaded the dead in a tractor trailer to be taken for the burial according to Muslim rites. But the LTTE cadres with arms objected to the removal of the bodies and insisted on burning them in situ. The Army Major Hettiarachchi contacted the Head Quarters and he was given the orders to leave the bodies and avoid any confrontation with the LTTE. Then the LTTE cadres put the bodies on a heap of tyres and burned them in front of the Army and Police and destroyed all evidence of the horrendous human rights violation of the LTTE during ceasefire in an area under the control of the Sri Lanka Government. When the SLMC leader Hakeem visited the area, the Muslims stopped his vehicle on the way and shouted "give us the guns we'll defend ourselves. The Government Army and Police are helpless" A fact finding mission led by Minister Milinda Moragoda and Army Commander Lionel Balagalla visited Valaichchenai in the East and the analyst maintain that the continuation of the violence for such a long period is not possible without local LTTE support. SLMC leader Hakeem questioned how it was possible for the Tamils to get the mortar launches to attack the Muslims without the support of the local LTTE. LTTE being the sole representative of the Tamils in the North East, it is shame for its leadership that was unable to control his men attacking the Muslims in the East. Ground situation today in Jaffna is quite different. The few Muslims who have returned mostly do pavement hawking, tailoring, run meat stalls or engage in scrap iron business. But the LTTE middlemen have now taken control of the trade and it is extremely difficult for the Muslims to survive in Jaffna. Also the Muslim returnees have found that their houses are being occupied by the Tamils authorized by the Government agent. LTTE has been trying varies methods, first it was the Special Task Force and later the Sub-committee on Important Humanitarian and Rehabilitation Needs (SIHRN) Now the Provisional Administrative Structure in the North-East. The primary object of all these arrangements is to transfer the powers vested with the Center to North East or rather to LTTE with international recognition. By this process the LTTE is trying to get legitimacy and international support for its role as the sole representative of the North-East - the area of historical habitation of the Tamil-speaking peoples - Tamils and Muslims. The present position in the North-East is that there are two armies and two navies within their respective territories. The Memorandum of Understanding - MOU on which the current ceasefire operates recognises and defines the respective areas of control of the two sides. From the present behaviour of the LTTE, the Muslims suspect whether the "Tamil Eelam" had already been established in the North-East. The opening of the LTTE office for political and administrative purposes, the system of taxation, extortion and the operation of separate banks, the independent Tamil police force and its own judiciary and permit-(visa) office in the North-East gives rise to many questions: 1. Who is responsible for the safety and security of the Muslims in the North-East. 2. North-East was merged temporarily subject to a referendum at the end of one year. This referendum had not taken place for the last 15 years. If by any chance the referendum postponed for the 16th November 2003 is not held or postponed again, should the Muslims accept the North-East merger without the referendum for the establishment of the interim administration which is going to be dominated by the LTTE which is continuously murdering the Muslims and destroying our economy with ulterior motives to chase us out of the East? 3. Elections to the dissolved the North-East Provincial Council was not held for more than 12 years. Does the Sri Lanka Constitution-13th Amendment have any effect in the North-East now? If the Presidential and Parliamentary elections could be held regularly why are the elections to the North-East Provincial Council and the Local Bodies not held at the due dates? 4. How is the interim Administration going to be established and for how long? Is it going to be within the 13th Amendment or will it go beyond the 13th Amendment and Provincial Council Act No. 42 of 1987 merging the North-East which would require the two-third majority in parliament which the present government does not have? 5. Can the "Doctrine of necessity" be utilised to change the basic structure of an independent sovereign state? 6. LTTE is establishing its own police force. This means that there is a likelihood of different police forces operating independently of each other in the North-East. Should the Muslims then have our own police force to ensure our safety and security? 7. LTTE had announced that it will be reforming the current judicial system and operate their own legal system in the North-East. How does this new legal system apply to the Muslims? 8. The North-East region extends from Point Pedro to Kumana and covers approximately one third of the land area and two-third of the sea coast of Sri Lanka. The LTTE is saying that the land and sea in the North-East belong to the Tamils and the harvest is only for the Muslims. They also say that in the residential areas, the land is theirs and the houses and the businesses put up by the Muslims are ours but we have to pay tax to the LTTE. What is the position of Muslim traditional homeland in the North-East? Several rounds of discussions were held with the Prime Minister and SLMC Leader with the view to address the concerns of the Muslims in the event of a Provisional Administration Structure in the North-East. The views and advice of Hon. G. L. Peris and Mr. Faiz Mustaffa P.C. were also sought. In the final details released on the 11th of July 2003, it was stated that to move forward in the Peace Process, a Muslim Delegation will participate in the Peace Talks. However, this proposal with regard to Muslim Delegation to participate in the Peace Talks was deleted in the Government's latest proposal sent to the LTTE as exclusively reported in the local newspapers. Changing the final draft agreed upon without any intimation or consultation is a violation of confidence and trust between the Prime Minister and SLMC Leader Minister Rauf Hakeem. Muslims in the North-East are very much concerned about these vital issues and cannot remain as mere spectators while the government continues to ignore the North-East Muslim Question. |
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