Jaffna Mosque Committee against SLMC meeting

[TamilNet, Friday, 08 October 2004, 00:10 GMT]
"We publicly appeal to the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress leadership not to use the resettled Muslim internally displaced families as pawns for its political purposes. If SLMC attempts to hold their general meeting in Jaffna we will launch a protest campaign on the same day," said Jaffna Masjid Mohamedia Jumma Mosque Committee in a press statement released Thursday.

The statement further said, "Sharp differences and contradictions prevail between the policies of the SLMC leadership and resettled Muslims in Jaffna. However, as a democratic political party the SLMC has the right to hold public meeting and express their opinions."

The Mosque adminstrators released this press statement in response to a handbill Thursday outlining the true position of resettled IDP Muslim families in Jaffna regarding the question of SLMC holding a public meeting in Jaffna on 10th October.

"The SLMC has not taken any steps to render any assistance to Muslim IDP families. We issue this statement to clear any doubts created between the SLMC leaders and Jaffna resettled Muslim families following a statement issued Thursday on behalf of resettled IDP Muslims which opposed the SLMC holding a public meeting in Jaffna on October 10th, the statement added.

Meanwhile SLMC sources said about three hundred members of the SLMC will visit Jaffna on October 10th under the leadership of Mr Rauff Hakim to strengthen the cordial relationship between Muslims and Tamils in Jaffna.

Jaffna Municipal Council (JMC) has given permission for a friendly football match between two teams representing Tamils and Muslims, which is to be held in Jaffna Dhuraiappah Stadium on Sunday to mark the visit of SLMC leadership, JMC sources said.