Muslim MPs write to MR; Seek intervention over growing hate campaign
Saturday, 3 May 2014 00:00
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Say houses for Muslim IDPs have been constructed following all due procedures of land distribution through the Divisional Secretariat and the Presidential Task Force for resettlement
A group of Muslim Parliamentarians, including several Ministers, have written to President Mahinda Rajapaksa urging him to bring an end to the hate campaign carried out against Muslims by the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), Sinhala Ravaya and the Ravana Balaya.
At a meeting convened by the Muslim Council of Sri Lanka (MCSL) recently, Muslim parliamentarians of all political parties met and resolved to work together in facing the numerous challenges confronting the Muslims from the Buddhist extremist groups.
The Muslim Council of Sri Lanka said that accordingly a letter signed by 16 of the 18 Muslim parliamentarians was sent to the President urging him to act decisively on the hate campaign and issues of the Muslim IDPs.
Ministers Rauf Hakeem, Rishad Bathiyutheen, A.H.M. Fowzie, Deputy Minister Faizer Mustapha and UNP MP Kabir Hashim are among those who signed the letter.
The letter states that the Buddhist extremist groups have been targeting Muslim places of worship, halal food, Muslim attire and now the resettlement of the Muslim IDPs who were expelled by the LTTE in 1990 in the worst act of ethnic cleansing in the history of Sri Lanka.
The letter notes that the Muslim IDPs were labelled as “old IDPs” and did not even benefit from the resettlement scheme implemented by the Government and International Agencies including the cash grants provided by the UNHCR.
In the absence of any substantial support for their resettlement, the Muslim religious, political and civil society leadership has been soliciting support for their resettlement from benevolent donors of Muslim countries and individuals. There has been some positive response from some of these donors and a number of houses have been constructed with their support.
“These houses have been constructed following all due procedures of land distribution through the Divisional Secretariat and the Presidential Task Force for resettlement. The Bodu Bala Sena and some sections of the media are highlighting this resettlement now as illegal, stating that they have encroached the Wilpattu National Park,” the letter added.
The Muslim MPs have requested the President to immediate intervene and stop the harassment of the Muslim IDPs who have lived in different parts of the country as refugees and as a ‘Forgotten’ people over the last 23 years. (Colombo Gazette)
