If Muslim's grievances are met SLMC will support common candidate
BY Ruwan Laknath Jayakody
If a common candidate is prepared to address the grievances of the Muslim people the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) will undoubtedly support such a person at the forthcoming Presidential Election, General Secretary of the SLMC, Hasan Ali said.
The SLMC did not have to support the government candidate as the government had not delivered its promises made to the people who represent the SLMC. If the SLMC went with the government, longer, the Muslim people would not vote for the SLMC, Hasan Ali added.
"The common candidacy is a subject of concern for the majority community. No minority person can become the President even though there is provision for it in the Constitution. We will talk to the candidates about their election manifesto and what they will do for us after being voted in. The Executive Presidency should either be completely abolished or modified to strengthen democracy. The Tamil National Alliance as a minority too, will vote in this manner. We have to help somebody who will help us," Ali said.
In the Ampara District where 70% of the people speak Tamil, not a single Tamil speaking Government Agent had been appointed, Ali said.
The SLMC had signed a memoranda of understanding with the government as government had agreed to allow a separate Administrative District in Ampara during the Eastern Provincial Council election, Ali said.
"We are not asking for a separate province, only an Administrative District like the other 24. Before 1961, Ampara was a part of the Batticaloa District. The electorates of Sammanthurai, Kalmune and Pothuvil which form the Southern part of the Batticaloa District were earlier called the Kalmune region along with Ampara. Ampara was created as a new District after annexing 1,400 square kilometres from Moneragala. Thus, it was changed from Kalmune to Ampara," he added.
The government, the Opposition and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna opposes this, Ali said.
"This was promised to us by former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and also by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. It is our duty to ask for this and we are not putting undue pressure on the government. Certain factions of the government are however, portraying us as Shylocks asking for a pound of flesh," Ali said.
BY Ruwan Laknath Jayakody
If a common candidate is prepared to address the grievances of the Muslim people the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) will undoubtedly support such a person at the forthcoming Presidential Election, General Secretary of the SLMC, Hasan Ali said.
The SLMC did not have to support the government candidate as the government had not delivered its promises made to the people who represent the SLMC. If the SLMC went with the government, longer, the Muslim people would not vote for the SLMC, Hasan Ali added.
"The common candidacy is a subject of concern for the majority community. No minority person can become the President even though there is provision for it in the Constitution. We will talk to the candidates about their election manifesto and what they will do for us after being voted in. The Executive Presidency should either be completely abolished or modified to strengthen democracy. The Tamil National Alliance as a minority too, will vote in this manner. We have to help somebody who will help us," Ali said.
In the Ampara District where 70% of the people speak Tamil, not a single Tamil speaking Government Agent had been appointed, Ali said.
The SLMC had signed a memoranda of understanding with the government as government had agreed to allow a separate Administrative District in Ampara during the Eastern Provincial Council election, Ali said.
"We are not asking for a separate province, only an Administrative District like the other 24. Before 1961, Ampara was a part of the Batticaloa District. The electorates of Sammanthurai, Kalmune and Pothuvil which form the Southern part of the Batticaloa District were earlier called the Kalmune region along with Ampara. Ampara was created as a new District after annexing 1,400 square kilometres from Moneragala. Thus, it was changed from Kalmune to Ampara," he added.
The government, the Opposition and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna opposes this, Ali said.
"This was promised to us by former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and also by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. It is our duty to ask for this and we are not putting undue pressure on the government. Certain factions of the government are however, portraying us as Shylocks asking for a pound of flesh," Ali said.
