Sri Lankan peace process and Muslims

Open letter to Eric Solheim

| by Dr. Ruvaiz Haniffa

( May 12, 2012, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) While appreciating your personal interest in the welfare of the Sri Lankan nation, I wish to bring to your notice the following with regard to Sri Lankan Muslims and the peace process.

1. Currently, only the views of the North East Muslims (NE Muslims) are been actively sought by local and international "facilitator/mediators". This would be acceptable if these views are not extrapolated to be the views of the Muslims of Sri Lanka. It should be emphasised at all times that NE Muslim public opinion is certainly not synonymous with Sri Lankan Muslim public opinion. This point needs stressing in the strongest of terms, as to date various organisations (local and international) have misrepresented NE Muslim public opinion as Sri Lankan Muslim public opinion. This has lead to confusion, which is resulting in polarisation of the Sri Lankan Muslim community in to non- north eastern and north eastern segments, sewing the seeds for a "intra" community problem.

2. There are two fundamental demographic facts which should be borne in mind at all times in addressing Muslim issues in the Sri Lankan context;

* The majority of Muslims in Sri Lanka (66 –67%) live out side the North East (NE) provinces.

* The section of the Sri Lankan Muslim population which is most affected by the current ethnic/terrorist problem live exclusively in the NE provinces.

3. As "facilitators" of the peace process I wish to inquire from you and through your government on what basis was the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) chosen by you as the "sole" representatives of the Muslims of Sri Lanka. If you had taken the liberty to check the records of past elections of Sri Lanka you would have not made this grave error. The SLMC cannot even claim to be representing the north eastern Muslims though you encourage them to be the "sole" representatives of all Sri Lankan Muslims. By choosing the SLMC as the "sole" representatives of the even the north eastern Muslims you have irreparably tarnished your image as facilitators in the eyes of the majority of Muslims in Sri Lanka. Thus in this context I humbly urge you to look for mechanism to incorporate the majority Muslim public opinion in to the peace process.

4. If you could rectify this error on a priority basis and take steps to include the genuine views of all Muslims of Sri Lanka (North eastern and Non-North eastern) in to the fabric of the peace process you could at least begin to undo your tarnished image in the eyes of the Muslims of Sri Lanka.

Let me state that I am aware that the probability of gaining your attention and probable action with regard to this correspondence is extremely remote. But as a Sri Lankan first and Non eastern Muslim second I feel that I need to bring this matter to your notice as none of our leaders (Muslim or otherwise) seem to have the courage to express these views. All I can do through this effort is hope for the best.