New Prabakaran of SLMC; Rauff Hakeem

Demand for separate Unit for Eastern Muslims:

The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) demand for a Muslim-majority administrative unit in the Eastern Province was very much similar to the LTTE’s demand for a separate state in the Northern and Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka, Parliament was told yesterday.

The SLMC is a constituent of the SLFP-led UPFA though it contested the last parliamentary polls on the UNP ticket.

“This is a dangerous trend in politics. All of us must oppose the SLMC’s move. The government has the wherewithal to act against such projects,” UNP Colombo District MP Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said.

The MP opening the debate on the expenditure heads of the Ministry of Defence Urban Development during the committee stage of Budget 2015, said the majority of Sinhala politicians represented the interest of all Sri Lankans, whereas some smaller political parties pursued agendas inimical to the national interest.

MP Rajapakshe pointed out that SLMC’s call for a separate administrative unit was equal to the separatist demands by Tamil leaders like Amirthalingam and Chelvanayagam. “Their actions paved the way for Tamil youth taking up arms against the government of the day. Referring to turmoil caused by the LTTE and other terrorist groups, the UNPer alleged that the SLMC was trying to do the same. The MP regretted Muslim leaders making an attempt to instigate their youth to campaign for a separate administrative unit for the Eastern Province.

“What would have happened if the Sinhalese, too, demand separate administrative districts for them on the basis the Muslims want Ampara to be declared exclusively their own? The separatist project launched by the SLMC should be strongly opposed by other political parties, he said.

Responding to concerns voiced by MP Rajapakshe, Prime Minister D. M. Jayaratne said he endorsed the views expressed by the Opposition MP. The PM thanked the UNPer for highlighting the issue. The government, too, would not approve of moves to divide the country on ethnic lines, he said.

846 Viewers