SLMC key MPs resign from Parliament seats

(April 02, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Rauff Hakeem, Hassan Ali and Basheer Seghu Dawood have resigned from their parliamentary seats in order to contest the forthcoming Eastern PC elections.

The decision came after, the UNP and the SLMC yesterday decided to jointly contest the upcoming Eastern Provincial Council Election under the elephant symbol.

Both parties have reached this consensus at the UNP Nomination Board meeting which held the Cambridge Terrace yesterday.

Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake, UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake, Former UNP Chairman Malik Samarawickrama and SLMC Leader Rauff Hakeem participated in the discussion.

Meanwhile, SLMC Member from the east and Former Parliamentarian M.L.A.M. Hizbullah has crossed over to the government to contest the forthcoming Eastern Provincial Council election with the UPFA and the Pillayan Group.

It is in this backdrop that as nominations close tomorrow the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress will decide whether it contests the election alone or with the UNP.

The SLMC High Command has decided to go with the UNP provided certain conditions are met and the high command had authorized party leader Rauff Hakeem to take whatever decision he prefers if the UNP doesn’t agree to the SLMC conditions.

Last afternoon a SLMC delegation led by Hakeem was at the Cambridge Terrace office of Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe thrashing out the seat allocations. By 4.30pm yesterday the deal was virtually clinched with the two parties finalising the seat allocations and agreeing to contest under the Elephant symbol.

On the other hand TMVP spokesman Azad Moulana earlier said the party has made three demands of the UPFA (1) The chief minister’s post, (2) a specific number of seats for its candidates and (3) sufficient funds to develop the province.

The UPFA has already agreed to the demands including the CM post but had decided to keep the matter secret due to adverse reaction from its Muslim link parties and the majority Muslims in the East.

The government however knows that unlike in Batticaloa where the TMVP writ of terror holds sway, in the more Muslim and Sinhala populated areas of Trincomalee and Ampara districts the going will not be so easy. Already it has dispatched a top delegation to visit the Kaththankudi Mosque Federation to woo the support of Kaththankudi Muslims.
Meanwhile, a hartal is being observed yesterday in Kalmunai area against Pillayan Group and requesting the government to ensure the security of Muslims.

In an incident last night (31st of March) member of Pillayan group had come armed to Kalmunai Muslim coastal area and interfered in the affairs of the Muslims of the area which was not welcomed by the Muslim community. It is reported that the situation arose when those engaged in illegal fishing were asked to stop it and vacate the area by the other fishermen. As a result an argument had arisen and resulted in the assault of each other. According to the ground information huts of those engaged in illegal fishing were set on fire and the fisherman there assaulted. Few of them had lodged complaints with the police STF and also with Pillayan Group.

The STF, Police and Pillayan group had then rushed to the area. The Pillyan Group had warned the people gathered and threatened them saying that they will even demolish the mosque s of the area. The threats were made in front of police and the STF. The angered public asked the pillyan group to vacate the area pointing out that there is no business for pillyan armed group in the Muslim areas. In response the Pillayan group had opened fire before leaving the area.Later in the mid night another team of Pillyan group had arrived in a van and threatened the people of the area.

Agitating to this, the Kalmunai Muslim fisher community called for the Hartal last night through mosque and public announcement. Responding to this call the entire Kalmunai area is shut down and observing Hartal today.

The public are agitating amidst the request of the police to withdraw the Hartal
- Sri Lanka Guardian