Rebuilding and rehabilitation of the East
President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s UPFA government, which has elaborate plans to rebuild and rehabilitate the East, has not, so far, included the civil society and elected representatives in the development process.
Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) Leader and Minister Rauff Hakeem has deplored the government’s decision to have development projects in the East managed by the security forces and the police.
Controversy over the New Flag
Soon after the demerger of the East by the Supreme Court and following the take-over of the province by the armed forces, Sri Lanka government has designed a new flag for the Eastern Province. This new flag has caused much misunderstanding and confusion as the flag has failed to represent all the communities living in the East in a just and fair manners.
The Muslim community, which is the largest ethnic group in the East now has raised serious concern over the failure of the government to recognize the identity of the Muslim community by not printing any symbols in the flag to represent the Muslims.
Para Military Forces – harassing civilians
Law enforcement authorities in many parts of the Eastern province are allegedly turning a ‘blind eye’ to the continuous complaints made against the para military groups. Despite several political parties in the Eastern Province taking up this issue with the law enforcement officers, it remains to be properly addressed.
Most victims have now stopped complaining to the police and security forces as the identities of the complaints are leaked out. As a result, these families that are intimidated and harassed are suffering in silence.
Muslims discriminated against
Serious issues have been raised by Muslims of Batticaloa on the ongoing activities of the several international organizations assisted by the Government and the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) in re-locating displaced Tamils on lands owned by Muslims.
After 1985, the LTTE forcibly occupied Muslim residential, agricultural and cattle farming lands – more than 35,000 acres in areas under their control. The GOSL did nothing to restore these properties owned by the Muslims on title deeds, government permits and paddy cultivation register. The displaced Muslims have suffered untold hardships during the last 22 years. After the GOSL cleared these areas from the LTTE, the TMVP with the help of the government security forces and INGO assistance, began putting up permanent houses, churches, temples and schools in the Muslim lands forcibly occupied by the Tamils, without any consideration for the rights of the Muslims who are the lawful owners of these lands.
Koralaipaththu Central
The Batticaloa District consists of 14 Pradesiya Sabhas and encompasses an extent of 2,633 sq. km. There are four predominant Muslim DS divisions and the land area – Kattankudi 3.4 sq. km. Eravur Town 3.89 sq. km., Koralaipaththu West (Ottamavadi) 6.84 sq. km. Koralaipaththu Central 6.50 sq. km. The total extent of Muslim land area is approximately 20.0 sq., km., which is less than 1.0% of the total area of Batticaloa District, where the Muslim population is nearly 30% today.
Although the Local Government Commission declared Koralaipaththu Central – the area of historical habitation of the Muslims, covering more than 240 sq. km., consisting of 11 Grama Sevaka Niladhari divisions, the boundaries have not yet been demarcated.
Eravur
Most of the agricultural and cattle farm lands owned by the Muslims lie along the Chenkaladi – Badulla (A5) Road. Today, the entire area along this road has come under the control of GOSL. Eravur Muslims owned more than 12,000 acres. Arrangements are being made now to bring back the Tamils who have been unlawfully occupying Muslim lands and settle them permanently by the TMVP and the Government armed forces, without any concern for the displaced Muslims.
During the ethnic conflict 1983, 1985, 1990 etc., more than 12,700 Muslim families were chased out by the LTTE and the Tamils forcibly occupied all the Muslim lands that came under LTTE control. The GOSL did nothing to provide any relief or pay compensation for the loss of livelihood of these displaced Muslims.
Resettlement of displaced Tamils on Muslim land in, Iyankerni, Meerakerni, Mitchanagar, Hidayathanagar, Thakvanagar and Eravurpathu Pradeshiya Sabha would adversely impact on the peaceful co-existence between the Muslims and the Tamils in Eravur.
Further, the Eastern University is making arrangements to acquire nearly 30 acres of land in the Meerakerni Muslim area, which is about 7 km. away from the university.
Kattankudi Muslim Border Villages
Ollikulam, Sikaram, Karbela, Palamunai, Kankayan Odai, Keechampallam are the Muslim border villages of Kattankudi in the Arayanipathi Pradeshiya Sabha. Displaced Tamils after tsunami and GOSL military operations to flush the LTTE terrorists in the Paduvankarai Tamil villages have been temporarily settled in private lands owned by the Muslims and the Mosques. Now the TMVP with the assistance of Government Armed Forces and help from INGO’s are making arrangements to provide accommodation to settle the displaced Tamils who have come from Tamil areas, on land belonging to the Muslims and the Mosques, depriving the Muslims of the lands belonging to them.
Kuchchaveli
Kuchchaveli in Trincomalee District is a predominant Muslim area. Total population is 29,967 or 8,058 families. Of them 65% are Muslim (19,443) and 31 % Tamils (9,282) and 01 % Sinhalese (337). Of the Kuchchaveli Pradeshiya Sabha members numbering 9, six are Muslims and three Tamils.
The Divisional Secretary is a Tamil for the predominant Muslim division. In the appointment of Grama Niladharies. 65% Muslims are given only 7 slots but the balance 17 GS are given to the Tamils and others who are only 35%. The average population of a Tamil GS division is 250 people whereas the population in Muslims GS is around 1,350.
Iqbal Nagar is a predominant Muslim area. Due to the ethnic conflict, the Muslims were displaced during 1984, 1990 and 1994. In 2002, the Muslim refugees came back to Iqbal Nagar and are living under abject poverty. In the East of Iqbal Nagar almost 250 acres were forcibly taken over by the Eastern University. 50 acres from Thamraikulam and Muthuraimalai are allocated to and INGO by the Kuchchaveli Divisional Secretary for a tsunami Housing Project. 185 Muslims were promised 15 perches each but all all the plots were distributed to the Tamils and Tamil Government officers and nothing was given to the displaced Muslims.
Of the 265 Muslim families identified as refugees, only 45 were selected for the NERHP projects. But all the Tamil refugees were settled in the new housing projects in Konespuri, Kopalapuram., Kumpirupity, Iranaikerni and Thriyai.
Harassment of Pottuvil Muslims
How the security of Muslims had been compromised for a political agenda became evident in the massacre of ten Muslims in Pottuvil in September 2006. The perpetrators of this massacre were well exposed by the public.
The area of Radella in Pottuvil has been the bone of contention between the Sinhala and the Muslim communities, both groups accusing each other of encroaching on state land. Radella was abandoned during the conflict and was reclaimed by Muslims farmers. The STF was vehemently opposed to Muslims cultivating the state lands in the Radella area.
Muslim tsunami victims
It is widely criticized that the government has not treated the Muslim tsunami victims fairly. Ampara, the country’s worst affected district is a glaring example of how ineffective institutions, political rivalries and misinformation can make a mockery of disaster management.
Mutur, Kinniya, Kuchchaveli, Pulmoddai and Trincomalee town come under the Divisional Secretariat Division in the Trincomalee District, where thousands of Muslims have been affected by tsunami. Political confusion has greatly contributed to the mismanagement of relief. The LTTE held areas in the district have come under INGO relief and resettlement work. But Muslim areas have been neglected.
The situation in the South is different. In Hambantota, the need is only 1,057 houses for the tsunami victims. But the donors have built 4,852 houses!
Abduction of Muslim Businessman
The issue of abduction and extortion of Muslim Businessmen was raised recently in Parliament. The Muslim politicians in the UNP took up the issue and demanded the resignation of Muslim Ministers. The Muslim ministers chose to trade allegations with the UNP saying that when the Northern Muslims were ethnically cleansed in 1990 during the UNP government, the then Muslim ministers did not resign.
Wrong Signal
Muslim Political leaders who joined the government to look after the interests of Muslims have miserably failed and neglected the issues confronting the Muslim community. They have tackled only Muslim issues that conform to their party politics and ignored others.
The Muslim community is beginning to feel that they are discriminated against and the government is not interested in utilising its resources, when it comes to safe-guarding the interests of the Muslims. It is the Muslims who have been at the receiving end of atrocities by the LTTE for not extending support for the creation of a separate state in the North East. If the government and the security forces, too, cause harm, harass and their lives miserable, one wonders whom the Muslims can turn to for protection.
Muslims can’t figure out the signals the government is sending. Is it that the government wants the Muslims to think on the lines of protecting themselves?
Are the Muslims to believe that if they remained unarmed there would not be any respect or protection for them? What would be the consequences if the Muslims, too, pinned hopes on arms? The Muslims can no longer be at the receiving end losing more and more lives and property for no fault of theirs. It is time for everyone to realize the gravity of the situation. The government and the Muslim ministers must now indicate clearly without any hesitation that they are prepared to stand by the peaceful and unarmed Muslim community to redress their legitimate grievances before it is too late.
Published: Oct 30, 2007 10:51:15 GMT
source:
http://www.tamilcanadian.com/page.php?cat=133&id=5237
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