May 14 (IL) Amidst reports that the Government will not accommodate a separate Muslim delegation at the peace talks, the National Unity Alliance (NUA) is scheduled to meet President Chandrika Kumaratunga within the next two days to clarify the ‘correct’ position about these reports, NUA Leader and Minister Ferial Ashraff said.
NUA General Secretary Cegu Isadean early this week said that just before his party signed the Memorandum of Understanding with the United Peoples Freedom Alliance, President Chandrika Kumaratunga and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) had repeatedly assured the participation of a separate Muslim delegation at peace talks.
According to Mr. Isadean the JVP had even gone to the extent of assuring that not only a Muslim delegation but also other communities affected by the North East conflict would be represented at peace talks.
Earlier Sri Lanka Muslim Congress Leader Rauff Hakeem reportedly said that if the Government decides to go ahead with peace talks without a Muslim delegation, talks will not be successful, as they have also been severely affected by the two decade long ethnic conflict. He added that the Government would be breaking a promise to the Muslim community, if it fails to accommodate a Muslim delegation at the talks.
