Muslim Clerics meet SL President, voice concerns on aid deal

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 22 June 2005, 11:52 GMT]
Senior Muslim clergymen from Batticaloa, Amparai and Trincomalee districts met with Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge Tuesday and insisted that "the Muslim community be allowed to participate in the reconstruction of tsunami-affected areas through their representatives," according to a media release issued by the Office of the President Tuesday.

Full text of the media release follows:

"Eastern Muslim Theologians express their concerns on P-TOMS to President

President Chandrika Kumaratunga met with representatives of the Eastern Muslim Council yesterday (Tuesday 21,) and discussed in detail the proposed P-TOMS to be signed by the Government and the LTTE. There were eleven senior Muslim clergymen from the districts of Ampara, Batticaloa and Trincomalee at the two hour discussions at President's House.

They expressed their concerns and the difficulties faced by their community in tsunami affected areas in the East. The Moulavis advocated that the Muslim Community should also be signatories to the proposed P-TOMS or the Tsunami Relief Council. They insisted that the Muslim community be allowed to participate in the reconstruction of tsunami-affected areas through their representatives.

The President assured them that the rights and security of the Muslim community would be safeguarded and respected and that they will be given their rightful share in the proposed P-TOMS. She said the Norwegian Deputy FM Vidar Helgesen has already been requested to convey the concerns and aspirations of the Muslim Community to the LTTE when he meets them Wednesday 22nd June.

President added that the signing and implementation of the P-TOMS would be a positive confidence building measure between the LTTE and the GOSL and would lead the LTTE to democratic mainstream politics. President agreed that the Muslim community has a distinct political identity and its own aspirations, and she recalled the late Mr. M H M Ashroff's contribution to the welfare of the Muslim Community in the East.

Secretary General of the Peace Secretariat, Jayantha Dhanapala and the Head of the Muslim Peace Secretariat, Javid Yoosuf were associated with the President."