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SLMC preparing blueprint for separate unit in North-East

By Our Staff Reporter

Ramanathapuram Dec. 28. The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) has constituted a high-level committee to prepare a blueprint on behalf of Muslims for an agreement with the Sri Lanka Government as well as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam to establish a separate unit (administration) in the North-East, the Sri Lankan Minister for Housing and Estate Infrastructure, Segu Dawood, said today.

Speaking to presspersons here, he said that as the LTTE had failed to ensure the welfare of Muslims in the proposals it had submitted, it was decided to prepare a separate blueprint on setting up a regional administration in the North-East. Even as the SLMC had made an agreement with the LTTE on April 30, 2002 on ensuring the welfare of Muslims in the North-East, the LTTE had failed to give due importance and representation in the proposed interim self-governing authority. Hence, the SLMC has urged the Government to allow it to establish a unit exclusively by the minority Muslims with the view to maintaining their identity.

There are two communities in the North-East. One is the Tamil-speaking Hindus and Christians and the other, Muslims who speak Tamil with a Malayalam accent. They differ linguistically, politically and culturally from the Tamil-speaking Hindus and Christians.Mr. Dawood said the Muslims were being put to untold hardship in the LTTE-occupied areas. They were forced to give huge amount as tax. The LTTE also took away the lands of Muslims in the Eastern province. He said the power struggle between the Sri Lankan President, Chandrika Kumaratunga, and the Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, would ultimately affect the on-going peace process. They should come forward to settle their differences to ensure permanent peace in the country, he added.

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