Feb 7 (IL) Innocent Eastern Muslims who face unlimited harassment by the LTTE have demanded all Muslim parliamentarians to leave behind their petty political affiliations and unite towards a stronger Muslim representation, and have also urged their representative to try and find solutions to safeguard them from the Tiger atrocities.
The Council of Muslims of Sri Lanka who recently went on a fact-finding mission to the East, has pointed out that the general notion in the minds of these Muslims is that "Most of the Muslim Parliamentarians stand divided and fail to extend their help to Muslims at times of crises," the council in its report stated.
The Muslim civilians have also stressed that most of these MPs who are originally from the Eastern province now live in Colombo after being elected to parliament and have failed to visit their respective electorates.
"Muslims in such areas are helpless and have become 'orphans'," the Council charged. Three Muslim Parliamentarians from the Trincomalee district have failed to visit their constituents for a long time. Following the failure by these 'people's representatives' desperate and angry Muslims have even stoned the Trincomalee houses of these MPs.
These Parliamentarians have even failed to visit their people, who elected them to power last year during the tensed period in Kinniya, Thoppur and Mutur areas, when LTTE killed several Muslims reportedly over taxation issues.
"There is a demand for Muslim Parliamentarians to unite, there is violence amongst their supporters as a result of division among them (MPs). The general consensus is that the time has come for Muslim leaders to unite together for a common objective, the council's President A.H.G. Ameen said.
Five Muslims were killed in April last year allegedly by the LTTE in Mutur, while another seven Muslims were killed in Kinniya in late November last year.
