SLMC Displeased With Blake
Muslim political leaders ignored
US Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake’s failure to meet with any Muslim political leaders during his recent visit to Sri Lanka is being criticized by the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC).
The SLMC High Command is to decide whether to officially raise objections with the US Embassy in Colombo on Blake’s failure to include a meeting with Muslim political leaders during his visit where attention was paid to finding a political solution to the ethnic issue.
Robert Blake and Basheer Segudawood
According to SLMC sources, the party is considering commencing a campaign demanding that due recognition be given to the Muslim community when addressing the ethnic issue.
SLMC Leader Rauf Hakeem who was overseas returned to the country last Friday and the senior SLMC members were due to discuss the issue with him.
A majority of the SLMC maintains that the Muslim community cannot be ignored when finding a solution to the ethnic issue. SLMC Chairman and Deputy Minister Basheer Segudawood said the Muslim community has also been affected by the war and has the right to be part of the process of finding a political solution. He said even the international community needed to pay attention to the Muslim community on this matter. According to Segudawood, the party is to officially request the government to include Muslim representation in the discussions to solve the ethnic issue. The SLMC has also decided to participate in the proposed parliamentary select committee (PSC) to find a political settlement to the ethnic issue. Nevertheless, the SLMC is to agitate for the inclusion of the Muslim community in the process to find a political solution.
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Now Mervyn Bans Beef In Gampaha District
Public Relations and Public Affairs Minister Mervyn Silva, who was in the center of a controversy last week by preventing animal sacrifices at the Munneswaran Kovil in Chilaw, has once again intervened to stop the slaughter of cows, this time in the Gampaha District.
Silva has banned the sale of beef in the meat stalls in the Gampaha District.
He has said that it was a sin to slaughter an animal that provided a great service to the country’s agriculture sector. Silva’s directive to stop the sale of meat in the district has affected meat stall owners who have expressed fear in violating the order, given the thuggery used by the Minister.
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MP Mutuhettigama To Star With Anarkali
UPFA Galle District parliamentarian Nishantha Mutuhettigama has also made his film debut by acting in a movie next to actress turned politician, UPFA Southern Provincial Councilor Anarkali Akarsha.
Mutuhettigama is to appear in the movie, “Ethuma Saha Methuma” that is being produced by Nilwala Labels.
The parliamentarian had got the chance of acting in a movie when he had stopped his vehicle and walked up to a crowd on the road in the Hokandara area. Mutuhettigama had gone up to the crowd thinking it was a brawl.
However, it was when he walked up to them that he had realised they were shooting a scene from a film.
The film producers had then asked Mutuhettigama to act in a scene that was being filmed at the time. The movie is to be released in November.
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Talks After Indian And US Pressure
Continuous pressure from India and the US has resulted in the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) expressing its willingness to re-commence discussions with the government on finding a political solution to the ethnic issue and other problems faced by the Tamil community.
The TNA on Thursday (15) said that negotiations with the government were likely to re-commence and both parties returned to the discussion table on Friday (16). The Tamil media reported that the resumption of the discussion between the TNA and the government was following a meeting between TNA Leader R. Sampanthan and President Rajapaksa earlier in the month. The Indian government after encouraging the TNA to engage in a dialogue with the Sri Lankan government on the ethnic issue continued to ask the alliance to return to the discussion table after talks stalled a few months back.
Discussions between the government and the TNA came to a standstill following a dispute over the government’s failure to hand over its proposals to the ethnic issue in writing. The US has also requested the TNA to resume discussions with the government. US Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake, who was recently in Sri Lanka, was the first to announce the resumption of the dialogue between the government and the TNA. TNA sources said the party was requested by the US and India to resume talks with the government.
Whay are we not surprised?
This pin-up boy of South Asian politics (of conspiratorial intervention) is seen by all rent seekers in poor parts of the world as a possible financiaer of future ‘dissent’ and ‘rebellion’.
It is good strategic move for any ethnic minority, Muslim, Hindu or of any other kind, to maintain relations with the snake using his uninvited ‘glides’ to our part of the world.
Apparently he ánnounced’the megotiations between the TNA and the government! Really?
Anjula
It is ironic that almost 50% of Tamils and Muslims live, work, study, worship, play, acquire property and run businesses in harmony in majority Sinhala populated areas whilst the main cause for ethnic unrest has been settling Sinhalese in majority Tamil / Muslim areas. The 30 year military struggle that took a huge toll on the military resulted in Tamils been alienated from the Military and Police thus the proponents of divisionism being able to sell a very plausible story of the “Sinhala Army” going after the minority Tamils.
A century of mistrust that dragged the country through a 30 year war will take long to pull together as one country; this is however severely hampered by the Tamil Diaspora who has a strong lobby in the west and the Tamil Nadu politicians who jostle for power in Southern India.
Having gained control of the land and sea and finally brought the country’s land and sea under one flag the GOSL is not going to let loose of its grip until there is genuine move by the Tamils / Muslims to shed their allegiances with these two groups and first see themselves as Sri Lankans and secondly as Tamils / Muslims. So as much as they keep talking about a solution there destiny is in their own hands
Very Good explanation. This is the truth which some of the minority political parties do not agree with.
Mr Gunasekera – God bless srilanka I am with you 100%. Unfortunately we have to strive more than what we say verbally and by writing? I am a muslim
Can i enroll my children in ananda college or nalanda vidyalaya even if i live next to these great institutions? eventhough these schools are public schools or can i do business or buy a shop in kiribathgoda ? The answer will be NO.
That doesnt mean for me to support a low life,unprincipled muslim congress comprises with oppourtunistic politicians with no ideology.
I am a srilankan, and i love being srilankan.Let unite for a change.
Religon shouldnt divide us.We are all srilankans.
The talks are like the merry go round .Nothing will come out of it.It is all tom foolery with the govt.trying to fool the international community and the Tamils
The Tamil leaders are talking with the Sinhala leaders since independence and no one has really put forward a viable plan that is acceptable to the whole country.
Singapore’s Lee Kwan Yee has said that he made correct decisions and watching Sri lankan leaders mockery decisions that destroyed Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka was in better position in early 1950s than Singapore but failed miserably due to chauvinistic policies.
The issue is between the Tamil and the Sinhalese as Tamils were discreminated by the state, failed to apply rule of law and unlesh state terrorism and sinhala hooliganism against the Tamils.
Muslims mother tonge is Tamil and not Sinhala. Further this dialogue, struggle or crisis is not about religion. Do the Muslims have issues with the Sinhala government? have the Muslims opposed openly or start a struggle?
No minority in the country & SLMC under MR leadership. Why need extra meeting.
ya, muslims r not a minority in sri lanka. only tamils r
Muslims are treated like slaves by the Buddhist majority
Hey,
Mr.Gunasekara / Dawood & co.
What a load of RUBBISH! Complex minds, complex analysis. Peace of mind is simple.