SLMC to offer conditional support to minority UPFA government

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 May 2004, 10:09 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) politburo has decided to extend its support to the ruling minority United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government on two conditions-one is to accommodate a Muslim delegation as a separate entity at the upcoming peace talks with the Liberation Tigers and the other is not to abolish the executive presidency as proposed, SLMC general sectary Mr.M.T.Hassan Ali said.

The decision would be conveyed to the President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge Wednesday in writing, said Mr.M.T.Hassan Ali.

The SLMC is prepared to co-operate with the UPFA government if it accepted our two condictions, said Mr.Hassan Ali. "We are prepared to conduct talks with the government on these conditions," said Mr.Ali.

A decision to this effect was taken at the conclusion of its five-hour politburo meeting, which commenced on Monday night around 9 p.m. at the residence of SLMC leader and a former minister Mr.Rauff Hakim and concluded Tuesday early morning. The meeting focused its attention on the current political situation and the political strategy to be adopted by the SLMC, sources said.

Mr.Hassan Ali further said that the present Sri Lanka government is creating dissension among opposition parties. It earlier unsuccessfully tried to divide the main opposition UNF. Now the government has been trying this strategy with minority community parties. The UPFA earlier attempted to cause split in the SLMC. As it failed now the government is adopting a policy of marginalizing the Muslim parties from the main political stream.