POLITICS

SLMC and the Muslim factor By Dilrukshi Handunetti THE arrest of 11 armed persons with underworld links by Chilaw Police on January 11 has given a new twist to the tale of militancy in Sri Lanka with fears being expressed that the Muslim community too is donning militancy in order to be politically heard.

It has also served as an eye opener to a lax nation lulled by the temporary feeling of a possible peace that all is not well and that simmering discontent is seeking avenues of expression.

The armed persons were apprehended after police gave chase to their Toyota Dolphin 56-8585 van in Chilaw. The vehicle, which travelled at high speed on the Iranawila main road and skidded near the Iranawila Voice of America Station, had two men escaping from the van in a hurry and boarding a Chilaw bound bus

It has been revealed that the two men were carrying a black coloured bag that caused some suspicion.

Successful mission

The Chilaw OIC who followed the van that had suddenly turned on to a by-road, upon inspection recovered ammunition including pistols, hand grenades, laser bullets and other weaponry. He completed his mission successfully, dispatching two constables to apprehend the two suspects who boarded the Chilaw bound bus.

The two men, both Tamils, had in their possession arms and police investigations had revealed more startling information. That they had indeed received armed training by a Tamil political party operating in the northern peninsula, the EPDP. Investigations also revealed that the target of the attack was the national organiser of the SLMC, K. Baiz, a Hakeem loyalist.

Police has identified two out of the seven Muslim suspects as underworld leaders who have been linked to several murders committed in the not so distant past. Interestingly enough, the second, Husniraj Mohomed Hussain from Kochchikade has turned out to be a former People's Alliance member of the Negombo Urban Council.

Out of the four Tamil suspects, two are from Jaffna and known to be suppliers of vegetables to the Puttalam vegetable market.

The issue of armed Muslims is only the tip of the iceberg in a backdrop of growing Muslim discontent as they feel marginalised by the ongoing peace process, and also as an alleged plot to assassinate the SLMC's beleaguered Leader, Rauf Hakeem, managing to raise a hornet's nest.

As the battle for supremacy in the SLMC continues to rage, the theories and counter theories are being finally seen as an attempt to devalue and derail the ongoing peace process, with the power battle keeping the main Muslim political party divided and unable to articulate a coherent voice at the negotiating table or elsewhere.

For generations, the Muslim community had given expression to their political aspirations through the two main political forces of the country, the United National Party and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party. Despite the smaller groups such as the Sri Lanka Muslim League's presence in the county's political firmament, the Muslim community became a force to be reckoned with as one with a distinct political identity only with the founding of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC).

It was the ambition of the late founder of the SLMC, M.H.M. Ashraff to make the Muslim community politically strong and to drive home the point, in a backdrop of an ethnic war that the Muslims had distinct political ambitions, particularly the eastern Muslims.

Eastern Muslim factor

It is this eastern Muslim factor that has begun to plague the SLMC as a political party and on the larger canvass, paint a bleak picture with the Muslims cast in the role of spoilers of a carefully nurtured peace process that needs Muslim support to see fruition.

With the battle for supremacy still continuing with both the Hakeem and Athaulla factions maintaining their stances which have created a deadlock situation, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is having to play a precarious act of balancing both interests in order to keep the coalition going.

In this background, it has begun to dawn on a tired nation, awaiting a resolution to the ethnic conflict that the Muslims are fast emerging not as the peaceful community it once was but as the sour thumb in the entire episode, hell bent on bickering and jeopardising the entire peace process, all due to the infighting within the SLMC.

Reality

The original claim of the Athaulla faction was that eastern Muslims had distinct grievances that were not being addressed in the peace process and hence the inclusion of 'Muslim' representation.

The reality is that this claim for Muslim representation was a convenient and popular cry to settle an old score with Hakeem over internal party politics. Athaulla for some time now has been pushing for a cabinet portfolio for the Muslims from the Ampara District, the choice being himself.

But Hakeem, obviously not wanting a Muslim leadership emerging from the east resisted the move, earning for him the ire of Athaulla. It is this dispute that led to the Muslim representation at the peace talks being converted into an issue by the Athaulla faction after Hakeem was included in the government delegation.

Athaulla showed his political acumen by later reducing the criteria  to 'eastern Muslim representation' at the talks, which dealt a huge political blow to SLMC Leader Hakeem.

Hakeem, an urban Muslim who does not possess the strong political persona of M.H.M. Ashraff or his formidable eastern base, is fast learning that he has a long way to go before he is recognised as the undisputed leader of the SLMC itself, and the fact that it has to be done before he proves to the nation that he could represent the entire Muslim community at the negotiating table. That much the Athaulla group has succeeded in doing through the internal power struggle.

The fourth round of peace talks at the Rose Garden Resort in Thailand was decisive for the young SLMC Leader. The Liberation Tigers told Hakeem in no uncertain terms that he needed to first put his house in order before attempting to project himself as the representative of a community. For the LTTE, which was resisting making the peace talks a tripartite affair, the divisions within the SLMC was a godsend and used it as leverage to block Muslim representation at this point of time.

Bad political wicket

The negotiators' tussle that received wide coverage proved that Hakeem indeed is on a bad political wicket due to the internal divisions. LTTE theoretician Anton Balasingham had questioned Hakeem as to how he could be recognised as the representative of the Muslim community when his own party cadres were refusing to recognise him as their leader. Hakeem on that occasion did not cave in, challenging the LTTE to face local elections in the east where Hakeem said he would prove his undisputed leadership status. But the fact is Balasingham made a point of the deep-seated divisions within the Muslims.

For, even if Hakeem was to be replaced as SLMC leader, Balasingham's argument would hold good for the leaders of the other factions too unless they unite for the overall good of the Muslims. But the battle for personal glory is preventing that from happening in the name of protecting Muslim interests.

Hakeem's trouble does not end there. He needs to consolidate himself in many ways. This led to the four-page letter by Hakeem to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe listing out the agonies of a community long denied and ignored, just two days before the fourth round of peace talks commenced.

Where Hakeem went wrong is by falling into the agenda set by the Athaulla faction, which used the concerns of the Muslims to up the stakes to obtain their personal gains. Rather than showing up the group for what it is, Hakeem tried to do one better by striking an even more militant chord, thereby alienating himself from being a positive influence on the peace process.

In addition, he has the twin concerns of establishing himself as the undisputed SLMC leader and build a formidable base in the Eastern Province, the SLMC home.

Unfavorable conditions

The SLMC's eastern block, according to Highways Minister and dissident leader, A.L.M. Athaulla has only begun to flex muscles. "We have been ignored long enough. In any of the proposed solutions to the ethnic question, both the state and the LTTE have disregarded our interests. We would be wiped out completely if we do not stake a proper claim this time," says he.

And in doing so, they are emerging as the spoilers of a peace process and a group bargaining unfairly claims SLMC Leader Rauf Hakeem, who says that this dispute has gone too far and created unfavorable conditions for the Muslims.

"There is no united voice and as a result, our bargaining power is being eroded," said Hakeem. The emerging truth is that the SLMC needs to come up with its own power sharing formula before the party is split and eventually the community interests are compromised.

A supreme council of seven members was mooted in this backdrop to settle the dispute, which would effectively reduce the powers of the SLMC leader followed by a list of demands, which finally painted the so called heroic battle on behalf of Muslims a desire for personal gain. What that has to do with protecting the interests of the Muslims at the negotiating table is a baffling question.

As backstage manoeuvers continued, a demand to elevate Athaulla to cabinet rank and one of his key supporters and a controversial figure Nazir Ahamed a national list entry to parliament has created a deadlock with Hakeem loyalists condemning the move.

A.J.M. Muzammil, another controversial personality who has shifted loyalties to support the emerging eastern leader Athaulla, is one of the few who claims that the dispute cannot be settled by the distribution of portfolios to satisfy a few individuals. His contention is that the whole question stemmed from a deep-rooted need to have the eastern grievances to be addressed.

Thus, this play for position by the Athaulla group has now led to divisions within his own faction with the likes of Muzammil, who is the national organiser of the rebels, opposing a national list seat for Nazir Ahamed.

Muzammil loyalists are of the view he should be appointed on the national list as the former Colombo District organiser.

On Thursday, the Muslim United Liberation Font, a little-known entity has alleged that Hakeem has compromised the entire Muslim community before the Liberation Tigers at the discussion table by failing to present the case of the Muslims.

Balancing act

Plagued by domestic political problems, the SLMC leader certainly has not been able to perform in the expected manner. The government, despite Hakeem's expectations did not recognise him as the Muslim representative at the peace talks.

It is a difficult balancing act that the government has to perform, dependent as it is on the numbers and the vital support of the two Muslim factions within the government.

In the final analysis, there seems to be a growing demand urging Hakeem to attend peace talks only in the capacity of a government negotiator, a position recently supported by the Coalition of Muslim Legislators for Peace, which demonstrates that neither the UNF nor the PA is likely to tolerate him except as a government negotiator.

The Muslim community is most certainly having a fair amount of concerns and admittedly, has not been heard enough in any kind of political negotiations to settle the conflict.

In that sense, Athaulla's statement about not being politically heard is true. They have only been entertained as coalition parties to juggle the numbers to set up administration for which they have been rewarded with portfolios and other perks.

But the eastern issue is more complex than a few portfolios as most Muslims are beginning to realise. It is a question of being able to remind players in a system that might well weed out any other political expression.

The spoilers

It is then that the SLMC's constant clamouring for a separate administrative unit in the east becomes important as they fear reprisals and not being tolerated in a LTTE governed interim council or any subsequent body. But this factor is now used only as a bargaining tool for political advancement.

As the battle continues, a community that has so far blended well into the country's socio-political backdrop is being cast as the spoilers of a difficult political process to end the country's ethnic violence.

With attention being diverted to the political antics of the likes of Hakeem, Athaulla and a host of others, what is being compromised is the true Muslim interest. A community that has patiently waited for their leaders to salvage the community's reputation and deliver the goods is already feeling the ripples.

The need of the hour is to ensure pluralism in a final solution that would serve equally the interests of all communities of this multi ethnic nation. It demands commitment of the leaders not to miss the trees for the wood, which seems to be the case at present.

It would not surprise this tired community to have the Muslim community arming themselves in order to articulate their political viewpoints, albeit the so called Muslim political leaders who seem to be part of the problem and certainly not the solution.

thelma 

Illiterate and anything but colour-blind 

Dear Darren Lehmann, 

Despite your ability to resemble a desperate warthog in heat, Thellie will not deny your all round capabilities on the cricket field, viz., your ability to get yourself run out at the drop of a hat-trick. But none of these hidden talents of yours surpasses the one that emerged last Wednesday. I refer old bird to the string of gems that fell from your parched lips no sooner the going got tough. Me dear old soul, what a one you are for hiding you talent under a bushel. Articulate as you are, no doubt the management of the press club will be falling over their webbed feet trying to land a speaking engagement with you.

Thelma, having close and fond relations with you and yours, assures you she understands darling. The problem with these black chappies as we all know is that they deliver a nasty punch when you least expect it. It is natural for a droopy blot of your calibre in such trying circs to refer to matters of race and creed, me thinks.

As for me darling, rather than being shocked and surprised at the behaviour of the Aussie crowds regarding dear ole Murali, and your own outbursts in the dressing rooms, Thellie accepts its inevitability. Surely, one cannot go to home in Billingsgate or Bottleton East and expect caviar. Neither will one enter the home of a gentleman and expect to have an empty arrack bottle thrown at one’s  head. I blame the Paradisians dear. They expect too much from the chappies Down Under. Thellie is more reticent in such matters. In fact, I expect as much as I will expect from the infusoria swimming at the bottom of the village well.

Nonetheless, in keeping with your bald and polished northern regions, the average Paradisian Johny might have expected you to be a shining example of a gentlemanly cricketer. One is now slapped with the knowledge that the only part of you that is polished is your bald head.

However, these are the emotions of some bally black riff raff and you, I and the kangaroo cricket fans can dismiss this with myriad flicks of our ruffled wrists. We, as the world ought to know by now, are of aristocratic descent. These dark elements one finds in an enlightened world such as yours must be exorcised with ‘Speed.’           

Though the ICC has frowned upon your pea-brained verbal outburst, wanting Speedy justice like a match ban or life suspension, in true Paradisian style, the black thingamajigs have not pushed for punishment. It is obvious the Aussies and Paradisians play different games and move around in different circles. However, the chants of chucker keep getting louder and bawdier whenever Murali is on the field. Despite the verbal abuse and mental harassment meted out to the dark complexioned chappie, he continues to be the No. 1 bowler in the world and bagged four of your wickets. A dangerous man. You are rightly fearful of him. Keep calling him a chucker is my advice. Or expect to be chucked out yourself.

Though I must say that an Aussie crowd that cannot quite read and understand numerous published reports clearing Murali of suspect action, even by their own experts, is a crowd more to be pitied than censured. Plonking Darrel Hair on the field during Paradisian matches as a psywar strategy is one thing. Calling a dark complexioned chap a blackie is another thing. But being illiterate is entirely a different thing. Tch. Tch. Is all I can possibly say.

Thellie’s advice dear, is to forget about all this suspension and reprimands meted out to you. For my part, I congratulate you with both hands on your keen eyesight. At least one thing is clear. You, my dear blot on the cricketing escutcheon are anything but colour blind. Next time I need an interior decorator I will call you. The last thing I want is for some limp wristed Queen to waddle into my home and suggest a white wall in my lounge and then paint it black. With you and your keen eyesight I can be rest assured such an event will never occur.

In conclusion darling, a little thing niggles at the side of my brain. Okay, so you were angry at being run out, and stormed into the Australian dressing room at the Gabba yelling “black c***,” a comment clearly heard in the nearby Sri Lankan sheds. My point is this. How the bally blazes do you know? Hmm. Naughty, naughty.

You have got away with a severe reprimand because the Paradisians in a show of  true sportsmanship have not pushed for punishment. I know you have also taken pen in hand and written a dripping letter of apology in a show of sufficient contriteness. Recall Clinton dear. Forgiveness to him did not come easily because he was not ‘contrite enough.’ Nor did he have magnanimous protagonists like the  Paradisians to deal with.

In fact m’dear joker, I don’t know why the ICC is working itself into a flap over this. Now if you had said “White c***” THAT would have been a bally insult.