By Mass L. Usuf –

Mass Usuf

“The lamp that giveth light should not extinguish itself” ~ Mass Usuf

In the morning of 14 November 2024, when I opened the gate of my house, I saw old Fathima Aunty, in her early eighties, walking past our house with difficulty. I asked her, “Aunty, where are you going early morning?” She showed her voting slip to me and said, “I am going to vote”. Continuing to walk she turned back, paused and said, “vote for Maalima, okay”.

Congratulations to the National People’s Power (NPP) for their huge success. A special word of appreciation to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake for his skilful captaining in navigating past the iceberg of institutionalised misgovernance which had metastasised into all aspects of civilised society.

Managing an entire nation is not an easy task but that is what NPP asked for willingly. Like the cart that follows the bull, success comes with its baggage of problems behind it, both the unseen and the unforeseen. The first major reversal in governance that has sprung a surprise is the absence of a Muslim Member of Parliament in the Cabinet of Ministers.

Attention

This column is not asking for a Muslim Cabinet Minister to be appointed but attempts to briefly analyse the ramifications of not having one through the lenses of national and international relationships.

From the local perspective, it is apparent that among the Muslim community there are those who are mad like a wet hen, others like hit by a thunderbolt and yet others extremely disappointed. The Muslim community is still licking the wounds of Aluthgama, Digana and the Easter Sunday attacks which are still fresh in their minds. The spectre of communal tension is continuing to hang like the sword of Damocles. Fresh in their minds are the instances of being marginalised, erosion of trust between the people, the lack of inclusivity within society and the widening cleavage in social cohesion.

NPP Hope For Others

What could be the diplomatic fall out in the international platform especially, with the Middle eastern countries and the Muslim nations?  It is obvious that they will be watching the turn of events in Sri Lanka, in general.  Three recent events which made Sri Lanka conspicuous in the world politics sadly, all for the wrong reasons, comes to mind. The Easter Sunday attack, the successive corrupt governments plunging the country to a bankrupt nation and, finally, Gotabaya’s mercurial rise to power through explicit racism and his unceremonious ouster resulting in him ‘country hopping’ for refuge. Firstly, the Mahinda regime and then the Gotabaya rule clearly demonstrated to the world how racism, discrimination and inequality was endemic in this island – socially, religiously and politically.

The NPP, thankfully, has put Sri Lanka back in the map of world politics. This time, all for good reasons.  It vehemently disowned racism in all its form and content. It refused to abuse the religious sentiments of the people for political gains. For the oppressed and discriminated, the NPP was a glimmer of hope and salvation.  Little wonder both the Tamil and Muslim communities overwhelmingly stood by NPP. Not only that the NPP became a beacon of hope for the millions of people living in other countries where the politics of corruption and discriminatory governance had subjugated and oppressed them. Let it be known that today the NPP unwittingly has become a role model in world politics. The NPP has rekindled the hopes of millions across South East Asian nations and elsewhere. So, this seismic change has brought about and continuing to bring about unprecedented system change waves internationally.

Diplomatic Strain

Not appointing at least one Cabinet Minister may be looked upon as humiliating the Muslim community. The Arab and Muslim countries may view this as the old wine of discrimination and marginalisation in a new bottle. The exclusion of Muslim representation in the Cabinet would mean discrimination staring on the face of the Muslims, locally and internationally.

The country needs international trade, bilateral relationships, foreign investments, foreign remittances and such other economic ties with Arab and Muslim nations. These prospects should not be negatived or even the slightest doubt to be cast on the goodwill of the NPP government.  Moreover, Sri Lanka cannot live in isolation in a globalised world. Our country at some time or the other, in the future, will need the support and co-operation of friendly Arab and Muslim countries in matters of international concern and in international forums. These diplomatic co-operations cannot be compromised under any cost.

Internationally, the NPP government cannot damage the good image it has created by portraying itself as not upholding the principles of inclusivity and minority rights. This undesirable perception internationally can be very damaging to the government.

Are We Going Back To Older Times?

With no representation in the cabinet several other implications can rise. The majority community will perceive the Muslims to be second class. Respect and integrity of the Muslims as equal citizens of this country will be harmed. Communal tensions can easily be fuelled because of this perception. When a significant population of the country is excluded from the government decision making process, the Muslim will feel alienated in their own country. How will the concerns, needs, grievances and aspirations of the Muslim community be represented at the policy making table? These in turn will tear apart the brittle canvass of social cohesion.  When there is discontent, potential for conflict and social tension, the question to be asked is, “Are we going back to older times?”

*Mass L. Usuf, LL. B (Hons) U.K., Attorney at Law, (Ex-Advisor to former Presidential Private Department of UAE). Can be reached via email at: ctcolumn@yahoo.com