Trinco TNA Muslim candidate appeals for unity

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 March 2004, 15:32 GMT]
Mr.Abdul Hassan Sahul Hameed, sole Muslim candidate contesting in the Trincomalee district on the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) ticket Thursday appealed to Muslim voters to exercise their franchise to promote unity and harmony between the two communities in the district, political sources in Trincomalee said.

Mr.Sahul Hammed is a retired teacher and has been a longstanding member of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF). He has been a strong supporter and an active participant in several activities of the TULF in the Trincomalee district.

"I have come forward to contest on the TNA ticket on four principles:

• Muslims belong to distinct nationality,
• North East is the homeland of Muslims and Tamils,
• Muslims and Tamils are united with language,
• Muslims and Tamils live in the northeast for generations as brothers and sisters.

"The culture, political rights and economy of Muslims would be safeguarded, in any political solution found for the Tamil national question," said Mr.Sahul Hameed in a statement issued Thursday.

Mr.Sahul Hameed recalled in his statement that several Muslim politicians entered parliament from 1956 to 1988 on the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchchi (ITAK) ticket and Eelam Revolutionary Organization of Students (EROS) ticket.

Messrs M.S.Kariappar, M.M. Mustapha, Mr.Abdul Majeed, M.C.Ahamed, M.E.H.Mohamed Ali entered parliament as ITAK parliamentarians. Messrs Basheer Amir and Basheer Segu Dawood entered parliament as EROS parliamentarians.

He appealed to Muslim voters in Trincomalee to vote for the symbol "HOUSE" to strengthen the unity between Tamils and Muslims in the district.