Muslims
get second class treatment in regional structure: Feriel
By Chandani Kirinde
National Unity Alliance Leader and Housing and Construction Minister
Feriel Ashraff – one of the main Muslim representatives in
the UPFA government – spoke to The Sunday Times a day before
the signing of the controversial Post Tsunami Operational Management
Structure. In her interview she said that even though she would
have liked to see the Muslim community enjoy equal status in the
composition of the Structure. Mrs. Ashraff said she believed in
staying with the government and exerting pressure from within and
said Muslim leaders in the government and opposition should work
harder for the desired results.
Here
are excerpts of the interview:
What is the position of the Joint Mechanism or P-TOMS?
The JM is not something the people in the East especially the Muslims
whom I represent or the Sinhalese are asking for. But since it is
necessary to get the LTTE involved in the rebuilding process and
as we are also interested in the peace process, we believe the LTTE
should get involved in relief activities with the government to
make it easier to arrive at some kind of a common understanding.
At the same time we also have to insist that Muslims aspirations
are catered to as well.
To what extent have those aspirations of the Muslims been accommodated
in the JM?
Not having seen this document, I am unable to comment on its details
but from the little that has been told us we are happy to note that
the President has managed to bring the Muslim factor onto the apex
body. When we look back to the time the CFA agreement was signed,
there was no mention of the Muslim community or the aspirations
of the Muslims except for the fact that we existed in those areas
as another group. When you compare that with the JM, I think it’s
a big step forward. We have been brought in as a community onto
the apex body. But we would definitely have wanted to enjoy the
same status throughout the P-TOMS. We were disappointed to find
that in the regional structure we have been reduced to a minority
and though we don’t know the details of the responsibilities
or its operations, we would have preferred to be an equal stakeholder
in the regional body as well because it has been given to us in
the apex body.
Have you had the chance to raise these concerns with the President?
Yes, very much so during several rounds of talks. The Ministers,
the Deputy Ministers and I have stood together and have spoken in
one voice and we have made it very clear to Her Excellency about
these concerns of ours. The unfortunate part is that those who have
listened to our concerns, have admitted these to be very justifiable,
but as the old adage goes “operation successful, patient dies”.
It is regrettable to be in a situation where even though we convince
those to whom we address our concerns the results have been much
less than ideal or perfect.
As
the main party representing the Muslim community in Government,
what sort of pressure have you exerted on the government and are
you satisfied with the results you have achieved?
I have to admit that whenever I had talks with the President I was
never discouraged because in her I found somebody who clearly understood
the concerns and aspirations of the Muslims. Since my husband (Late
leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress A.H.M. Ashraff) had been
working pretty closely with her and she had been made aware of these
concerns. But in the present situation we are not the only party
in talks with the government. There is also another party involved.
Of course I strongly believe that the pressure we have been able
to exert on the government has not been good enough and this just
goes to show that Muslim leaders have to work much harder still
to get the desired results.
Have the different Muslim parties come forward with a common proposal
on how to deal with the situation and have you discussed the JM
with SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem?
The concerns of the SLMC, we find, are very similar to
ours but it is very sad to note that in the present political culture
of ours, we still tend to put politics before everything else. While
on the one hand I am very happy to note that all the Muslim Ministers
and Deputies belonging to various factions came together to speak
in one voice, it is very sad we did not get the desired support
we expected from Mr. Hakeem. I would like to remind the readers
about the CFA agreement and the beginning of the peace talks at
which point of time we came down pretty hard on the government about
leaving out the concerns of the Muslims even though Mr.Hakeem at
the time was an important partner of the government and supported
the CFA document without looking far ahead. Even then and having
been critical of Mr. Hakeem in parliament and outside, we continued
to work as the Eastern Province Muslim Parliamentarians Forum. But
I think once again the SLMC is giving greater importance to its
political strategies and has let down the people.
Is
it all right with you if the document is signed without your having
seen it?
I don’t think it is right at all to go ahead and sign a document
without even having the possibility of going though it. But unfortunately
Sri Lanka has set a precedence so I only hope and pray that the
government in which I am also a party will not repeat something
of that kind because we do place a lot of confidence in the President
with regard to minorities.
What are the problems faced in the East by Muslims in particular
in relation to the post-tsunami era?
Muslims have not suddenly woken up and started talking about post-tsunami
re construction. We have been airing our views and fears on the
way things have been conducted from the beginning of the ethnic
strife. I presume God gave us the right to be equal partners by
making us as the people most affected by the tsunami and when we
are let down like this we tend to fear for the future of Muslims
living in the north and east.
Can you elaborate those fears you entertain?
We just don’t want to be treated as a group of second-class
citizens in any administrative structure. Although we keep talking
of peace and we want the LTTE to accept a new thinking, we cannot
deny the fact that we entertain fears when we talk of the LTTE.
When I say fears I mean in all possible forms. So when we have to
go into a working arrangement with the LTTE, we would always like
to be equal partners even if that may not solve the problems, at
least we may have some kind of confidence when walking into some
such arrangement.
The
JVP has taken a bold step and left the government. Are you anticipating
in this kind of threatening action as well?
I sincerely believe I don’t have the strength to threaten
governments and so on and anyway I didn’t think I would want
Sri Lanka to continue with this kind of politics. Maybe there would
have been a time when these kinds of threats would have helped people
but now we have found that in the long run, it has not helped Sri
Lanka as a whole. So I would try my level best to refrain from that
kind of politics.
If
the JM is signed without your seeing it, are you planning any action
in return?
We are definitely interested in going through with the
whole thing. Then of course our strategies may have to change with
the implementation aspect and see how we could get the best for
our people. We will continue to work on this and get the support
of all concerned.
Will it all be from within the government?
I don’t believe in leaving the ship at this point
of time. One runs away from the whole issue and then what. The usual
thing is we get tired of a government and for the past four years
or so we have been trying out a government every year but has it
solved any of our problems. It has not been a pleasant exercise
because I am also responsible to those who voted me.
We should remain wherever we are and be able to exert pressure.
Maybe in time to come we would be able to get better support from
the Sri Lankan people as a whole for the Muslim cause instead of
Muslims fighting for the Muslim cause.
Is there any possibility for a future alliance between NUA and the
SLMC?
I sincerely believe that all factions should put personal
differences aside and start working together. We have not been issuing
invitations to everyone to come and join us or come under our wing.
We can have our differences but the beauty of it should be our ability
to rise above these when the need arises. Let this be a good beginning
for the Muslims of Sri Lanka.
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