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Reunification of dissident SLMC MPs underway

Deputy Minister for Vanni Rehabilitation, Noordeen Mashoor yesterday rejoined Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), to work under the leadership of Ports Minister Rauf Hakeem.

With the deputy minister's pledge to support the SLMC, the reunification process of the estranged Muslim MPs who walked out of the Congress a year ago commenced yesterday.

Dr.M.Hafrath who also left the Congress along with other senior MPs is also expected to reunite with the SLMC today at a ceremony to be held in Vavuniya. A mass rally would also be taking place today under the leadership of SLMC leader Rauf Hakeem in several areas in the Vavuniya district.

As soon as the peace talks with the LTTE commenced, five senior members of the SLMC left the party accusing Hakeem of not being able to take the party ahead with a proper vision. They were Dr. Hafrath, Noordeen Mashoor, Athaulla, Mohideen Abdul Cadar deputy minister of Fisheries and M.B.A.Aziz.

However last week the Muslim MPs decided to change their earlier plans to work separately. The Deputy minister's decision to rejoin Hakeem follows a high level meeting that took place in Colombo last Thursday. At this meeting all the parliamentarians from the north and east participated.

The MPs who were present placed before Hakeem who was also present two important issues.

They were to send a separate Muslim delegation for the future talks with the LTTE and to demand for a separate Muslim council in the east. According to sources Rauf Hakeem had agreed to these two issues.

Thereafter Mashoor had told the participants that in order to fight for the rights of the Muslim community in Sri Lanka, all Muslims must unite together. Having said this he had also announced his decision to join Hakeem as a first step towards the reunification process. He had further told the participants that he would ensure that all the Muslim MPs who left the SLMC are brought back into the fold, to work under Minister Rauf Hakeem. Mashoor officially pledged his support to Minister Hakeem in Colombo yesterday.

According to informed sources almost all Muslim MPs who left the Congress have now decided to re-join SLMC. The NUA led by Ferial Ashraff has also pledged its support to the SLMC. However, sources indicate that the NUA members too would join hands with the SLMC in the days to come.

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