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Opposite Editorial

The East; aggravation of a complex issue

Above: Almost deserted streets in the East when a hartal was in progress. Right: Grieving family members of a youth, allegedly killed by the LTTErecently.
Pix by Lakshman Gunathilake

The Eastern Province has been often plagued with abductions and killings mainly of members of the Muslim community, leading to tension between the Muslims and Tamils in the areas and ending up with the need to strengthen security, declare curfew and disturbing normalcy.

Tamil guerrillas at times have been blamed for the spate of incidents, but the existence of other political undercurrents cannot be ruled out, as revealed during the course of investigations by a special Police team detailed by the CID.

Chief Inspector A.H.M. Haseem, under the direction of Special Security Co-ordnidator, SSP M.U.A. Sheriffideen who led the team to investigate the reasons for the recent disturbances in the Ampara district, were also looking into the case of the 'abduction' of two Muslims from the Saindamarudu area.

The two youth, identifed as Ibrahim Illiyas and Thambilebbe Mahroof, had gone missing on August 19, reportedly when they had left home, with cash amounting to Rs. 150,000 to purchase a three-wheeler.

Random security checks being carried out by the police in the Eastern Province

The following day, as they had failed to return, the family members had called over at the Kalmunai police station and complained that the LTTE were responsible for the 'abductions'.

The incident had come three days after two Muslim youth were shot dead in the Samanthurai area while on their way to a paddy filed, which had added to the high tension in the area promoting the army to move in additional troops and also declare police curfew in the area to keep the tension down.

Over the week the tension had died down, but the special team had been able to unearth some important evidence to ascertain the group, or persons, responsible for the 'abductions'.

The team had first obtained the cellular phone number of one of the missing persons and obtained the support of the mobile phone company in Colombo to identify the calls taken to the particular number and the calls taken from the phone to other numbers.

Accordingly, the police had traced the last call taken by a resident from Ottamavadi area, who had been working as a Samurdhi officer, who had obtained his appointment after being recommended by a Muslim politician of a breakaway faction of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC). The man had used his mobile phone to call one of the persons who had been declared 'missing'. The Samurdhi officer had been identified as Mohmaed Alliyar Fowzie and his uncle Mohideen Bawa Hussain.

The special team had tracked down the man and arrested him and on information given by him have been able to apprehend a cattle seller from the same area. The man is said to be maintaining close links with a former para-military group.

Both of them are reported to have been involved in arms deals for the past two years. They have been earning money by acting as middlemen to organise arms deals for a Muslim group.

The two men who had been arrested last Saturday are reported to have arranged the sale of a T-56 weapon for a sum of Rs. 45,000 for the two persons who claimed to have been abducted or gone missing. They have also been previously involved in arms deals and in one particular case, they had sold a weapon for Rs. 25,000.

There are also seven pending court cases against Mohideen Bawa Hussain. The two men had been arrested and produced before the Kalmunai Magistrate, M. Mohideen. They have been remanded until September 8. The Special team has been trying to ascertain the whereabouts of the two persons who were first reported missing and also the background to the incident.

Police have not been able to establish the whereabouts so far, but their links with a group who were trying to deal with arms has been clearly revealed. The tension in the Eastern Province has sparked off other reactions in Colombo where the SLMC has been demanding the recruitment of more Muslim policemen to the province. With the LTTE known to be involved in certain incidents, the government would have to ascertain the actual groups behind the wave of incidents, as other groups could capitalise on the situation.

Police are now looking for a key player who had been involved in arms deals involving paramilitary groups. In October last year, Police uncovered an attempt by a person who had attempted to stage an abduction drama on the instigation of a Muslim politician who had problems with the party leadership.

The revelations that sale of weapons was taking place was another clear indication that under-hand arms deals were taking place in the east and that some of the incidents were being made use of to give a twist to the events in the area.

More evidence has been emerging about the presence of Muslim armed groups in the area, which could eventually lead to further aggravation of the already complex ethnic issue.

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