A Fervent Appeal from the Sri Lankan Muslims To His Excellency The President of Sri Lanka

Muslims appealed to President Mahinda Rajapkse Wednesday (06/11) to give leadership towards consolidating the unity and friendship amongst the religious communities in the country and to put an end to religious tensions being orchestrated by groups possibly on foreign pay roll.

A delegation from the Sri Lanka Muslim Assembly (SLMA) met Lalith Weeratunga, Secretary to the President at the Presidential SecretariatWednesday morning and apprised him of the growing concerns within the Muslim community following vituperative attacks on the Muslim religious practices, which commenced in December last year. They urged him to convey to President Rajapakse that immense damage and harm may be caused by these groups to the image of the country internationally as well as to the mutual respect, friendship and dignity that the different communities in Sri Lanka enjoy. They also briefed the Secretary that sections of the media were giving extensive and damaging coverage to attacks on one minority community and that they hoped to take this up the heads of media, very soon.

The SLMA delegation comprised Tariq Mahmud, President of the SLMA, former Member of Parliament M M Zuhair, former Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Javid Yusoof, Chief Imam of the Colombo Grand Mosque Moulavi M S M Thasleem, Director Assembly of Muslim Youth Moulavi M S M Thassim, President All Ceylon Union of Muslim Leaque Youth Fronts Rasheed M Imthiyas, President All Ceylon YMMA Conference Khawaja M Deen, Secretary General of SLMA Ismail Azeez and A L Hakeem Mohamed, Coordinator.

The delegation handed over to Secretary Weeratunga dockets containing the signatures of nearly 196,000 Muslims throughout the island appealing to the President to ensure that attacks on Islamic religious practices are brought to a halt and urging him to foster unity amongst the people. The delegation told the Secretary that signatures were collected in about 600 prominent Mosques, soon after Eid festival prayers.

Weeratunga assured the delegation that the concerns of the Muslim community as represented by the SLMA will be conveyed to the President. He also expressed the need to follow up this meeting with a conference of all religious leaders, presided by the President, after the CHOGM.

Full text of the appeal to President Mahinda Rajapakse is enclosed.

6/11/2013

His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa,

President of the Republic of Sri Lanka,

Temple Trees,

Colombo

 

A Fervent Appeal from the Sri Lankan Muslims

To His Excellency The President of Sri Lanka

Having successfully ended three decades of war thereby safeguarding  the independence of our country and restoring the much valued and long awaited peace, Your Excellency is presently engaged in the progress and development of the country. All those seeking justice, peace and tranquility in this island nation of ours, have recognized your above mentioned achievements.

However, during the last few years, to the deep regret of all the patriotic and peace loving people, certain extremist groups have been engaging in activities that create communal disaffection and divisions thereby posing a threat to this hard earned peace and harmony.  It is widely believed, that certain foreign groups seeking to destabilize this country once again, may be behind these moves.

Furthermore, these extremist groups, both internal and external, are aggravating ethnic tensions in the country by demonizing the Muslim community in particular, spreading false misconceptions about Islam and the Muslims as well as desecrating Mosques and sacred places of worship.

These moves, if allowed unabated, would certainly lead to conflicts targeting the Muslims. The actions recently initiated by these extremist groups have already begun to bring disrepute to Sri Lanka, the country headed by Your Excellency and also to Buddhism.

We believe that immense damage and harm may be caused by these groups to the image of the country internationally as well as to the mutual respect, friendship and dignity that the different communities in Sri Lanka enjoy. We also believe that these unhealthy developments will bring discredit to your Government which is committed to the progress of the country and the harmonious co-existence of its people.

We kindly appeal to Your Excellency to take necessary action to ensure that these attacks on Islamic religious practices as well as the Muslim community are brought to a halt. We urge you take all necessary steps to foster and consolidate the friendship and unity amongst all the communities.

We forward herewith this Appeal signed by members of the Muslim community upon completion of the religious duty of fasting in the month of Ramadhan as well as performing the Eid-ul-Fitr prayers. We also invoke the blessings of the Almighty for peace and progress of our country.

No: 47, Lukmanjee Square, Colombo – 14, Sri Lanka

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