Muslim MPs write to President on threats to community
By Breaking News-Friday, 02 May 2014
Signatories to the Letter
Muslim parliamentarians from all political parties have met and resolved to work together in facing the numerous challenges confronting the Muslim and other minority communities. Sixteen out of 18 Muslim parliamentarians who represent the different political parties have got together for the purpose and written to President Mahinda Rajapaksa stressing the “numerous challenges on Muslims and other minority communities from the Buddhist extremist groups.”
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Signatories to the LetterMuslim parliamentarians from all political parties have met and resolved to work together in facing the numerous challenges confronting the Muslim and other minority communities. Sixteen out of 18 Muslim parliamentarians who represent the different political parties have got together for the purpose and written to President Mahinda Rajapaksa stressing the “numerous challenges on Muslims and other minority communities from the Buddhist extremist groups.”
The signatories to the letter was a mix of ministers, deputy ministers and parliamentarians from the ruling United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) as well as other Opposition and allied parties to the ruling party. They were AHM Fowzie, Rauf Hakeem, ALM Athullah, Rishad Bathiudeen, Basheer Segu Dawood, Kabir Hasim, Faizer Mustapha, MS Thowfeek, Faisal Cassim, Hassan Ali, MSM Aslam, MHM Haleem, MLAM Hisbullah, Unais Farook, Mustapha Bawa Farook.
However, UPFA MPs AHM Azwar and Abdul Cader had not joined in the collective effort by the Muslim politicians.
They also refused the allegations that some families assisted by a Muslim minister had encroached into the Wilpaththi National Park for settlement. They asks for the “President’s immediate intervention to stop the harassment of Muslim lDPs who have lived in different parts of the country as refugees and as a ‘Forgotten’ people over the last 23 years.”
Following is the full text of the letter:
“We, the Muslim parliamentarians wish to bring to your Excellency's kind attention the continued hate campaign, intimidation and threats to Muslims, carried out by some Buddhist extremist elements of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), Sihala Ravaya and Ravana Balakaya organizations. These groups have been targeting Muslim places of worship, Halal food, the Muslim attire and now the resettlement of the Muslim lOPs who were expelled by the LTIE in 1990 in the worst act of ethnic cleansing in the history of our nation.
Your Excellency, these Muslim lOPs were labeled as "old lOPs" and did not even benefit from the resettlement scheme implemented by the Government and International Agencies including the cash grants provided by the UNHCR. In the absence of any substantial support for their resettlement, the Muslim religious, political and civil society leadership has been soliciting support for their resettlement from benevolent donors of Muslim countries and individuals. There has been some positive response from some of these donors and a number of houses have been constructed with their support.
These houses have been constructed following all due procedures of land distribution through the Divisional Secretariat and the Presidential Task Force for resettlement. The Bodu Bala Sena and some sections of the media are highlighting this resettlement now as illegal, stating that they have encroached the Wilpattu National Park. We the undersigned kindly request Your Excellency’s immediate intervention to stop the harassment of these lDPs who have lived in different parts of the country as refugees and as a ‘Forgotten’ people over the last 23 years. We thank Your Excellency for your kind intervention.”
