Hisbullah resigns from Aviation Board in protest of P-TOMS

[TamilNet, Sunday, 26 June 2005, 10:48 GMT]
Mr M S M Hisbullah, Senior Deputy Leader of the National Unity Alliance (NUA), led by Ms Ferial Ashraff and a close ally of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) Government resigned Sunday from the post of Chairman of the Civil Aviation Services Board. Mr Hisbullah did not specify the reason in his resignation letter. However, at a press briefing held in his hometown Kattankudi in the Batticaloa district, Mr.Hisbullah stated that the Muslims have not been provided due place in the post-tsunami administrative structure in P-TOMS signed by the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).



Muslim people cannot fully accept the P-TOMS. NUA leadership should review its position in continuing to be part of UPFA under these circumstances. If not, "I will relinquish NUA's Deputy Leadership post," Mr.Hisbullah said.

An NUA activist in Colombo, on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Mr Rauff Hakeem leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) has approached NUA officials seeking to use the P-TOMS as a cause to leave the NUA and join SLMC to strengthen Hakeem's position among the Muslims.

Ms Ferial Ashraff, UPFA Minister, who has come under pressure, is the leader of the NUA founded by her late husband Mr.A.H.M.Ashraff.

Mr.Hisbullah, who lost in the 2004 April general election in the Batticaloa electoral district, was earlier a Deputy Minister in the previous Peoples Alliance (PA) government.

Later, in the UPFA Government, Mr Hisbullah was appointed Chairman of the Civil Aviation Board, which comes under the Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation Mr.Mangala Samaraweera.

Mr. Segu Issadeen, NUA General Secretary, according to a report in Sunday Times, said they were disappointed that the interests of their community had not been taken into account when finalizing the agreement, the Sunday Times reported.