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Embattled SLMC making counter-proposals for peace
By Frances Bulathsinghala
Last week saw the fifth episode of the split in Sri Lanka's premier Muslim party, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, a party that has been hit by turmoil and infighting since the death of his founder M. H. M. Ashraff.

Having suffered a series of complicated break-ups in 2001, after the rebellion by Ferial Ashraff, widow of Mr. Ashraff, and the party's then deputy leader, H. L. A. M. Hisbullah, the party suffered further blows later with the exit of National Organiser A. L. M. Athaula and General Secretary A. L. M. Hafrath.

The SLMC is now further pruned with the latest suspension of its Wanni district MP Abdul Rishard Badiudeen, Trincomalee district MP Najeem A. Majeed who had joined the Athaullah camp briefly in 2001, High Command member Maziudeen Inamullah and National List MP Hussain Baila who last Tuesday crossed over to the government side in parliament.

Making the situation more confused, National List parliamentarians A. L. M Quddus and W. A. Pushpakumara, the party's only Sinhala MP, also resigned. But SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem said their resignation was based on a pre-agreement.

"They had been informed that they must leave when they are asked to. They were never to be permanent MPs and we had been clearly specific that we would be replacing them," Mr. Hakeem said, adding that the party was yet to take a decision as to when the vacancies would be filled or with whom.

Speculation was rife on further crisis when Mr. Quddus, father- in- law of the embattled Mr. Hakeem, resigned. Mr. Hakeem, has been vociferous in calling for a separate Muslim delegation to be included in the Government-LTTE peace talks. But the SLMC rebels see it as a two-pronged political stunt aimed at derailing the peace process and gaining political mileage.

The rebels cite what they describe as Mr. Hakeem's dictatorial leadership as another reason for the crisis within the party. Mr. Hakeem dismissing these allegations as unfounded, blamed the UPFA government for precipitating the present crisis.

He says the government is trying to woo the SLMC while stabbing him on the back. "They want to talk to the SLMC. They want the SLMC on their side. But they do not want me," Mr. Hakeem said.

Mr. Hakeem's troubled relationship with President Kumaratunga goes back to the time he was made Ports and Shipping Minister in her government in 2001. Mr. Hakeem, who had then just assumed the mantle of the SLMC leadership amidst a brewing dispute with the mourning widow of Mr. Ashraff, was under pressure to demand more positions and posts for the SLMC. Annoyed by the demands of the SLMC, which also gave the President a hundred-day deadline to introduce independent police, election and public service commissions, Ms. Kumaratunga stripped him of his ministerial post overnight in a move that led to the downfall of the PA government.

"We have clearly found out that there was underhand dealings by certain members who were attracted by monetary gain and promises of political power," said N. M. Shaid, SLMC Deputy Leader and head of the party's investigative committee probing last week's anti-Hakeem blitz in the state media - the crisis that led to the suspension of four members, whom Hakeem loyalists see as "Too ambitious."

"It was was a pre- planned scheme launched by the government to split the SLMC members so that it could muster the necessary majority in parliament," Mr. Shaid said.

Mr. Hakeem claimed that the SLMC rebels were all set to meet President Kumaratunga on Monday (May 17) afternoon, a day prior to parliament met to elect a Deputy Speaker and Deputy Chairman of Committees.

"We are keeping our options open. We want to support the peace deal," Mr. Hakeem said revealing that he had expressed the SLMC position when he met Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse on Sunday morning.

The SLMC leader said the Prime Minister conveyed to him that the President was also keen to meet him, if he agreed to bring along all the SLMC MPs. "We were even given a tentative appointment with the President at noon the following day. But the President had insisted the participation of all SLMC members. So we convened a meeting of the high command on Sunday evening (before the controversial TV programme concerning the SLMC leader was aired) and decided that we must hold one more discussion with the Prime Minister to clear certain matters before a decision to meet the President was taken," Mr. Hakeem said.

He said he believed the government did not wish to talk to the SLMC on the peace talks. "As far as the peace talks are concerned, the government never asked us what our suggestions were. It just maintained a grand silence and we did not know which way to read the signals," Mr. Hakeem said.

Meanwhile, despite wars within the party the SLMC has not given up hope on its own peace proposals, which it describes as successful counter proposals to the LTTE's Interim Self Governing Authority (ISGA) proposals.

The party's constitutional experts met on Friday in Galle to finalise a set of proposals to be presented to Norwegian special envoy Erik Solheim when he arrives in Sri Lanka tomorrow.

SLMC General Secretary Hassan Ali said they would lobby the key foreign players in Sri Lanka's peace process to support the SLMC proposals. Japan's special envoy Yashushi Akashi has told Mr. Hakeem that he would take the matter up with the LTTE leadership.

President denies role in scandal
Allegations by the daughter of a former UNF Parliamentarian and mother of two children, that UPFA leaders asked her to implicate the SLMC leader in a sex scandal have caused a furore. The claims were made in a Sunday newspaper.

On the same day State television, Rupavahini and the ITN, ran a video footage of the woman who alleged she was seduced by SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem. The print version of the TV reports was carried in the State-run daily, 'The Daily News' .

The day after the Rupavahini/ITN show, Maharaja Television's Sirasa channel broadcast an interview with the woman concerned. The exposures in the private media have drawn a strong denial by the Presidential Secretariat.

The President's office categorically denied various references to the President with regard to the recent exposures made in the media about the unsavoury happenings in the private life of former minister Hakeem, a statement said.

It said the President wished to state that she had never had occasion to meet or talk with the lady concerned. The statement said it wished to clearly say that the President had no interest in the manner in which various individuals, famous or infamous, conduct their private lives. "Several other cabinet and deputy ministers of the government whose names have also been implicated in the same sordid affair have already denied these allegations and have made statements to the Police requesting a full inquiry into these allegations," the statement said.

It said the President had directed the Police to conduct a full and fair inquiry without delay. Legal action would be instituted against the individuals and the media institutions that had willfully and publicly attempted to tarnish the good names of the President and the ministers, the statement warned.

Bhaila denies 60-million rupee jump claim
W. A. Pushpakumara who made his exit from the SLMC in grand style with an emotional ode to his leader at the second session of Parliament claimed that Hussain Bhaila who crossed over to the government side on Tuesday had told him that the UPFA had offered a sixty million reward if he joined it.

"I wanted to prove to the SLMC leader that I was loyal to him," Mr. Pushpakumara said. He said that although it was understood that he would 'have to go at some point' the decision to leave was taken by him and him alone, 'without any pursuance by the SLMC high command or its leader'.

Meanwhile, Mr. Bhaila refutes allegations that he was offered inducements in cash or kind to join the UPFA. According to him, it was he who approached the UPFA and not the other way around.

He said the reason for his crossover was linked to his stance on the Muslim representation at peace talks. "The SLMC's aim was to block the peace process. Fulfilling the SLMC’s conditions was not feasible for the government immediately," he said. "The SLMC leader had taken part in six rounds of peace talks as part of the UNF government delegation and I did not see what the 'fuss' was about this time," Mr. Bhaila said adding that it was 'these differences' made him approach the President and his first meeting with her had compelled him to join the UPFA.

"No ministerial posts were offered to me. I had sent word that I would like to meet her and after explaining my stand I agreed to support her," he said. Meanwhile, Rishard Badiudeen, one of the alleged masterminds behind the scandal surrounding Mr. Hakeem, said he was only trying to protect Mr. Hakeem and keep the SLMC together.

Asked if there was any political reason for his dispute with Mr. Hakeem, Mr. Badiudeen insisted that it was all to do with 'character' that made him turn against his leader. Mr. Badiudeen did not respond when asked if this was not the personal life of his leader but insisted that it was all about being 'holy'.

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