Sunday, May 12, 2013

2013-05-12

Minister of Justice and Leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), Rauff Hakeem, has been given an ultimatum of one month by his party hierarchy to deal with the government over the alleged harassment and intimidation of the Muslims in the country and to arrive at a solution to the problem, sources said.

SLMC Supreme Command member Mohamad Naseer, meanwhile said the party had requested an urgent meeting with the president to discuss issues that are of critical importance to the Muslims.

Meanwhile, inside SLMC sources said the SLMC High Command decided to give the ultimatum of one month to the SLMC Leader to negotiate Muslim grievance s with the government.

The decision was taken after a heated argument at the meeting where the leader came under severe criticism by the party members for failing to take a firm stance against the recent incidents against Muslims in the country.

Minister Hakeem accepted his party's decision, and had pledged to seek an audience with the President to discuss the issues pertaining to Muslims.

43 killed in two car bombs in Turkey

SUNDAY, 12 MAY 2013

Two car bombs exploded in Turkey near the border with Syria yesterday (11th) killing 43 and wounding 140 others in one of the deadliest attacks in Turkey in recent years.

The blasts were 15 minutes apart and hit the town of Reyhanli's busiest street. Initial reports said four blasts occurred near the municipality building and post offices in Reyhanli in the southern Turkish province of Hatay.

Turkish officials blamed the attack on a group linked to Syria, and a deputy prime minister called the neighbouring country's intelligence service and military "the usual suspects."

Turkey already hosts Syria's political opposition and rebel commanders, has given shelter to hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees and in the past retaliated against Syrian shells that landed in Turkey.

The attack raised fears that Turkey could increasingly be drawn into Syria's brutal civil war.