Constitutional Changes - Muslim politicians indifference

By Latheef Farook : -December 18, 2015

Intense discussions have been underway ever since the

government announced its decision to bring about constitutional changes. Numerous
seminars, symposiums and open discussions were held by various interested groups
from all communities to ensure their rights in the proposed constitution.
Emphasizing the need to ensure the rights of all communities President Maithripala
Sirisena said, We must safeguard the rights of all communities, to prevent reemergence of terrorism.

He added that the public would be given the opportunity to decide whether they need
a new Constitution, Constitutional amendments with an Executive Prime Minister and
a nominal Head of State. The government has not taken a final decision on the
proposed Constitution. We do not know whether it would be a new Constitution or
amendments to the current Constitution. We also have to decide on the electoral
reforms and what to do with the much criticized Preferential Voting System.

However already a section of the Sinhalese community declared that they wanted a
unitary constitution with Buddhism as state religion, but failed to speak about the
rights of the minorities and status of other religions such as Hinduism, Islam and
Christianity.

Learning lessons from the recent history moderate elements in the majority
community suggest the need to respect minority rights.

Tamil National Alliance has forwarded its own suggestions to protect the interest of
Tamils.
In the case of Muslims, the National Shoora Council, umbrella body of around 18
Organizations, has called for suggestion from all sections in the community to be
discussed by legal experts to prepare their own proposals to be submitted to the
proposed new constitution.
However Muslim politicians so far seems to be indifferent and have failed to get
together leave alone discussing means to protect the interest of the community. They
remain divided though the forthcoming constitution will seal the fate of the
communities and the country for years to come.
However many point out that Muslim politicians indifference is not something new.
They were integral part of the Rajapaksa government till last minute when it unleashed
violence against Muslims. They were only keen on safeguarding their positions and
perks and not the interest or the dignity of the community.
They joined President Maithripalas camp at the eleventh hour when they found the
Rajapaksa days were numbered and the community has already made its decision to
vote for President Sirisena.
This gave the clear message to SLMC opportunists to switch over Maithris winning
camp.

If we are to believe rumors the SLMC joined the United National Party led coalition
under a deal which perhaps may have sealed their mouths, tied their hands and legs.
Thus their inevitable indifference and overall silence on almost every issue concerning
Muslims.

The SLMC leader Rauf Hakeem began discussing with the TNA, the outdated proposal
for the creation of a territorial non-contiguous Muslim majority council consisting of
the Muslim divisions in the North and East based on Indias Pondicherry model.
Many questions his wisdom of calling for such an enclave especially in the current
highly charged anti Muslim atmosphere with Sinhala racist elements appears to be
awaiting an opportunity to unleash violence on Muslims.
However the need of the hour is for proposals to ensure the rights of Muslims
throughout the island.
They point out that Minister Hakeem has no right to negotiate on behalf of the
Muslim community as his SLMC has only six seats and lost its position as the
communitys leader . In fact the Muslim leadership has virtually collapsed and the
community is passing through a period of leadership crisis and suffering a great.
There are other Muslim parties too in the parliament. For example Minister Rishard
Badurdeens Makkal Congress has five members and the United National Party has
four.
It is essential that the SLMC, along with others, discuss the subject, take their views
and jointly prepare a set of proposals highlighting the entre Muslim communitys
interest.
Thus Minister Hakeem has no right to negotiate on behalf of the Muslims without
consulting the other Muslims in other parties. This is a decision he should have taken
after consulting and getting the views of Muslim parliamentarians and intellectuals of
the community.

In this regard many Muslims point out that Tamils failed to win the hearts and minds
of Muslims especially in the north and east of the country and show that the two
communities could live together despite LTTE atrocities towards Muslims and bitter
past. The Tamils attitude towards Muslims in the aftermath of the defeat of the LTTE
in 2009 resembles the attitude of defeated President Mahinda Rajapaksa governments
failure to introduce measures to win the heart and minds of defeated and wounded
Tamils.
This is the reason why the Muslims fear TNAs call for the merger of North and East.
They justify their fear by saying that the North East merger is to their disadvantage as
it was proved ever since President J.R.Jayawardene was forced to sign on the dotted
lines the controversial 1987 Indo-Sri Lanka Peace Accord which was negotiated in
strict secrecy.
In signing the Indo-Lanka Accord and the temporary merger of North and East
provinces neither India nor Sri Lanka paid any attention to the interest of the Muslims,
though they constitute a large sizeable part of the population of the two provinces.
Muslims were kept in complete darkness about the Accord .They were not even
briefed about the merging of the two provinces, though this move involved their
destiny. India and Sri Lanka simply treated Muslims as if they were non-existent
though they constitute more than 33 percent of the total population in the Eastern
province and the merger of the Northern and Eastern reduced this to nearly 17
percent.
The Muslim communitys fear proved right subsequently as they had to face untold
miseries and hardships in the provincial council of the temporarily merged North-East
province which reduced them into a minority within a minority. But there was no way
they could express their views as there was no proper political platform or organisation
which could highlight their grievances. Muslims were a voiceless and disorganised
community then as they are now.
Yet the Muslims were keen to live in harmony with Tamils as they have done so in the
past for several centuries.
However they now ask if the Tamils cannot live in a Muslim majority divisional
secretariat how could the Muslims live in a Tamil majority divisional secretariat.If
Tamils cant live in a Muslim majority divisional secretariat the question is how the
Muslims could live with Tamils in the merged North-East province.
The Tamils have created separate divisional secretariat exclusively for them in several
areas where there were Muslim majority divisional secretariats such as Nintavur and
Karaitivu, Sammanthurai and Naavithanveli , Akkaraipatu and Aalaiadivembu and
many more. There is one divisional secretariat for Kalmunai, but the Tamils want a
separate divisional secretariat for them in Kalmunai.

They point out the Tamils also placed obstacles for Muslims in the north in resettling
in their own lands. They were also accused of blocking the town and country
development program in Kalmunai and its outskirts.
Living in harmony is in the interest of the two communities. However, under the
existing circumstance, Muslims ask, how could we live together? Ends
Posted by Thavam