08-30-2003, 09:06 PM
LTTE may refuse to negotiate with Muslim leader Hakeem
PK Balachanddran
Colombo, August 30
The LTTE has said that the accredited Muslim representative at the peace talks, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) leader Rauff Hakeem, does not qualify to be a representative of the Muslims of the North and East, which is the problem area, and has hinted that it will not talk to him.
The LTTE' s political wing leader, SP Tamilchelvam, has been quoted in the Sudar Oli daily as saying in Paris that the Muslims of the North-East desire to have one of their own kind as their representative at the peace talks. Hakeem, Tamilchelvam said, did not fit the bill because he did not belong to the North-East. He has been elected from the Central province and is a resident of Colombo.
The LTTE leader then went on to blame Hakeem for the on-going Muslim-Tamil violent conflict in the Eastern districts. He said that having been rejected by the Muslims of the North-East, Hakeem might be creating these incidents only to re-establish his leadership.
The LTTE is exploiting the existing opposition from a section of the Muslims to Hakeem and the SLMC being the sole representative of the Muslims in the peace talks and other discussions with the LTTE. Muslims belonging to other political parties have asked why they should be excluded. There is the National Unity Alliance, led by Mrs Ferial Ashraff, whose husband MHM Ashraff had founded the SLMC. A substantial section of Muslims in the East owe allegiance to the United National Party (UNP), which is the leader of the ruling coalition.
However, if one looks at Tamilchelvam's Paris statement from a broader angle, it does suggest that the LTTE is moving towards accommodation of the Muslims. "It is the duty of the LTTE to protect the Muslims even as it is the duty of the Muslims to weed out those among them who are turning to violence (against the Tamils or the LTTE)," he said.
He further said that the LTTE would take up with the Sri Lankan government the cause of the Muslims." But before talking to the government, we will hold discussions with the Muslim leaders. We are firm on this matter," Tamilchelvam assured.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_356...93,00050002.htm
PK Balachanddran
Colombo, August 30
The LTTE has said that the accredited Muslim representative at the peace talks, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) leader Rauff Hakeem, does not qualify to be a representative of the Muslims of the North and East, which is the problem area, and has hinted that it will not talk to him.
The LTTE' s political wing leader, SP Tamilchelvam, has been quoted in the Sudar Oli daily as saying in Paris that the Muslims of the North-East desire to have one of their own kind as their representative at the peace talks. Hakeem, Tamilchelvam said, did not fit the bill because he did not belong to the North-East. He has been elected from the Central province and is a resident of Colombo.
The LTTE leader then went on to blame Hakeem for the on-going Muslim-Tamil violent conflict in the Eastern districts. He said that having been rejected by the Muslims of the North-East, Hakeem might be creating these incidents only to re-establish his leadership.
The LTTE is exploiting the existing opposition from a section of the Muslims to Hakeem and the SLMC being the sole representative of the Muslims in the peace talks and other discussions with the LTTE. Muslims belonging to other political parties have asked why they should be excluded. There is the National Unity Alliance, led by Mrs Ferial Ashraff, whose husband MHM Ashraff had founded the SLMC. A substantial section of Muslims in the East owe allegiance to the United National Party (UNP), which is the leader of the ruling coalition.
However, if one looks at Tamilchelvam's Paris statement from a broader angle, it does suggest that the LTTE is moving towards accommodation of the Muslims. "It is the duty of the LTTE to protect the Muslims even as it is the duty of the Muslims to weed out those among them who are turning to violence (against the Tamils or the LTTE)," he said.
He further said that the LTTE would take up with the Sri Lankan government the cause of the Muslims." But before talking to the government, we will hold discussions with the Muslim leaders. We are firm on this matter," Tamilchelvam assured.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_356...93,00050002.htm
Truth 'll prevail