28 March, 2024

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Political & Religious Leadership Crisis Of Sri Lankan Muslims

By Latheef Farook

Latheef Farook

Latheef Farook

Who represent the Muslim community in the government? The shocking answer is “NONE”.

One may ask “how could the Muslims complain as there are several Muslim ministers and deputy ministers in the government”. Yes there are many Muslim ministers, but they do not represent the community as most of them entered into deals and got into the government.

For example the presence of Sri Lanka Muslim Congresses, SLMC, in the government is deceptive as they contested in UNP tickets and entered the government.

It all started when the founder leader of SLMC late M. H. M. Ashraff exploited his position to make demands from the Sinhala political parties in return for support in forming governments. The Sinhala political leaderships, often blackmailed and let down by the SLMC leadership, exploited the leadership crisis after Mr Ashraff’s death by picking up one group to promote against the other.

Inevitably the never ending split bringing disrepute and disaster to the community besides creating communal disharmony. The SLMC’s miserable failure to take part in national issue isolated the community.

Muslims’ frustration with the SLMC was demonstrated during the Badulla Provincial Council election when, of the more than 50,000 Muslim votes, only around 5000 voted for joint SLMC. On the eve of the 8 January 2015 presidential elections, the SLMC and its splinter group led by Minister Rishard Bathiudeen joined President Maithripala Sirisena camp as they found that the entire Muslim community supported Mr Sirisena camp.

During the past few months the infighting within the SLMC has come to open. Judging from the endless infighting, disgusting allegations of corruption, fraud, despising sex scandals, greed for positions, power and perks and overall performance, the SLMC can no more claims to be Muslim as there is no Islam in their words and deeds.

As a result SLMC which came with the slogan of Islam and Unity around three decades ago has now ended up as Greek Tragedy for the community. More than half a dozen splinter groups speak for unity.

Today the Muslims are politically divided into regional groups placing the community in extremely vulnerable position as politicians are easily manipulated.

This confusion is exploited by manipulators, opportunists, social climbers and others to implement their own agendas under the guise of raising Muslim issues. They also started using All Ceylon Jamiathul Ulema, ACJU, to implement their designs.

ACJU willingly or unwillingly allows itself to be manipulated and used as a front for Muslim as well as non-Muslim politicians who seek to achieve their own ends through the ACJU.

For example a delegation of Muslims arranged at short notice, within 24 hours, and led by ACJU President Moulavi Rizvi, met President Maithripala Sirisena early this month to discuss community issues.

During the meeting the delegation has advocated many measures which have not been extensively discussed and decided upon by the Muslim community. For example the suggestion to do away with Muslim Schools is not a considered conclusion of the Muslim community but only the view of a few individuals.

ACJU President spoke about a report on education prepared by former education minister Susil Premajayantha though, many believe, he was not aware of its recommendation. The question is whether dealing with the issue of education is the job of ACJU? Others raised issues such as Muslim teachers’ vacancies, hate campaign and legal provision, education in southern province and the government inaction over the 500 houses built for Muslim tsunami victims.

The credibility of  the representations to the President are affected when the individual who made the submissions about the need to enforce the law against hate speech was and is a strong supporter of Gothabaya Rajapaksa to whom he never made such representations.

In the midst some individuals organised a special felicitation for a state minister, almost a year after the government was formed in August 2015. Many believe this as yet another ruse for political mileage by self-seekers. Here too they have put forward ACJU president as a speaker.

The ACJU leadership’s involvement in politics and hob knobbing with politicians known for corruption and crime, shady businessmen and wheeler dealers has been an issue of serious concern for sometimes among Muslim who are deeply concerned about the plight of the community.

They point out that the ACJU is a religious body and should confine itself to guide the community on religious matters. However the ACJU has overstepped its limits and entered into politics and other activities though many insist that ACJU should keep away from corrupt, commercialised, communalised and criminalised politics.

Citing its political involvement they pointed out the ACJU’s disastrous visit to Geneva to defend the Sri Lankan government on war crimes during the war against LTTE was uncalled for .This created lot of bitterness and hatred towards Muslims from the Tamil community. The talk is that this visit was undertaken on the request of defeated President Mahinda Rajapaksa for reasons better known to the ACJU leader.

On the other hand what do the ACJU team know about what had happened during the war, the UNHCR and war crimes. Is this the responsibility of ACJU?

They also cited the Halal issue as another blunder. It was a simple issue, but the ACJU failed to explain and paved the way for racist elements to harm the community. The list of allegations continues. Some of the views expressed by those concerned about the community were;

There is no priesthood in Islam. However ulemas passed out from often outdated madrasas got together around mid-1920s and formed the ACJU. They did serve a purpose at a time when the literacy rate was low in the community and Islam was not much known. This situation continued and over the years the ACJU has emerged as the religious body of the community which also accepted and respected them.

However things changed and the present generation is increasingly becoming aware of Islam. Thus the need for ACJU to gear itself to suit the need of the time. The ACJU need to improve the living standards and restore the respect and dignity of ulemas. Their monthly earning is around Rs 20,000 and overall living condition is appalling.

Their miserable plight was explained in detail in an article by Ash Shaikh T.M. Mubaaris Rashadi in the latest edition of Muslim fortnightly MELPARVAI. They need to be trained on political here and abroad to help guide the community. This is essential to face challenges posed by hostile local and global forces who have found their way into the island.

However the consensus is that these areas remain ignored by the ACJU.

Community is badly in need of fatwas on extremely sensitive topics such as black abaya and face cover which have become source of irritants to some elements in the majority community with whom we have to live in harmony. National Shoora Council, NSC, referred many issues to ACJU for its fatwa. Up to date there is no response.

The devastating social impact of ever increasing number of divorces and allegations of corruption in the quazi courts need serious attention.

Muslims in the island are facing numerous challenges striking their very survival as a community. Israelis who have turned Muslim Middle East into a virtually killing field are here as part of their global agenda against Islam and Muslims.

Under such circumstance the community cannot afford a political and religious leadership crisis as every effort need to be made to safeguard the community and ensure Muslims live in harmony with other communities. It is a welcome sign that the civil society started to assert itself.

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Latest comments

  • 13
    2

    please clarify mr>latheef ,

    When you say Muslims ,whom are you referring to? Muslim means one who is a Monotheist.

    Which includes Baha’i group, the Zoroastrians , The Unitarian Church , and many more?

    Or are you referring to your Schism cults ,condemned in your own holy book ?, like the Jews WHO defied The word of God and created and endorsed Schism in the good name of GOD ? AND WHICH you and your whole community have done in the good name of a humble prophet and his God? are you lot not very much different than the al-Yahuds? Daring ,defying and will-fulling hiding the word of God?

    Your Sunni Schism categorically reject all none Sunni as infidels , then within your own Sunni Schism Cults ,There are further sub Schism Cults calling each other infidels , you also refer the Sufi break away groups aka lovers of the Saints as grave worshipers, and some who have now claimed that a saint’s carving was found on a rock & reproduced portrays of him & paying homage, even go far as practicing all pagan rituals . whom the Thoweeds openly refer as mushreeks (pagans) .

    So which one is to be represented ? Can you please clarify ? Or do you guys own the franchise of the word in Arabic Muslim. which merely means monotheist and believe have the right to abuse it anyway you wish?

    • 4
      0

      Majority of politicians of all parties are corrupt and criminal.

      Corrupt politicians like Mahinda Jarapassa and goon Gota the white van man use religion to distract the moda masses from their evil, corruption and criminality.

      The bottom line is making money using religion to fool the people. Meanwhile the stupid donors and international community ignore the issue of FINANCIAL CRIMES and focus on War Crimes, but this is a stupid strategy because as long as there is impunity and immunity for poltician’s and cronies financial crimes, there will also be hate crimes and war crimes in countries like Sri Lanka.

      There can be NO political JUSTICE for Minorities, without investigation and ACCOUNTABILITY for FINANCIAL and ECONOMIC CRIMES by politicians against the people of Sri Lanka.

    • 15
      1

      It amazes me time and again.

      Mr. Latheef is totally incapable of uttering a single word, in a prublic forum, without dragging in his religion and ethnicity.

      Sad!

      • 12
        0

        Ben Hurling

        “Mr. Latheef is totally incapable of uttering a single word, in a prublic forum, without dragging in his religion and ethnicity.”

        And don’t forget Israeli/Palestinian conflict too.

    • 3
      0

      Latheef Farook

      RE: Political & Religious Leadership Crisis Of Sri Lankan Muslims

      //”Who represent the Muslim community in the government? The shocking answer is “NONE”.”//

      //’One may ask “how could the Muslims complain as there are several Muslim ministers and deputy ministers in the government”. Yes there are many Muslim ministers, but they do not represent the community as most of them entered into deals and got into the government.”//

      The Ministers represent themselves, and use the community as fodder. This is not exclusive to the Muslim Politicians.

      It is also being practiced by other non-Muslim politicians.

      It is the Civic Organizations that represent their interest. Look at what happened during the recent Floods.

      PS. Who Represents the Devil, Satan, Iblis? The Wahhabies, Salafies, the ISIS and their Clones. They redefine Muslims and want to kill them, especially, Shia, Sufi, Ahmedis and Sufi Muslims who do not follow their Satanic Ideology.

      References:

      al-azhar cleric about wahabis/salafis

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAvWmZfGjTU

      Hadith of Najd

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadith_of_Najd

      Top 5 Terrorist Groups that are Supported by Saudi Arabia [GSR][List

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHSgWBBHUZw

    • 4
      0

      Latheef Farook

      Please define, the Old definitions and Definitions Definitions. The answers are there.

      Who is a Muslim: OLD definition or definitions.

      Who is a Muslim: NEW definition or definitions.

      Who is a Muslim Politician: OLD definition or definitions.

      Who is a Muslim Politician: NEW definition or definitions.

      ho is a Muslim Ulema,or Mullah: OLD definition or definitions.

      Who is a Muslim Ulema -Politician: NEW definition or definitions.

      Some of your answers are there.

      PS. Do you have ANY issue with the Current Muslim Marriage and divorce act, that treats Muslim girls and Women as chattel, and an Old guy can marry a young girl of 12 or even lower by getting permission of the Qazi Judge, called legalized rape, that is conflict with the SL Constitution?

      Do the Sri Lankan Muslims and other Muslims follow the tradition of Prophet Mohamed by marring older Women and widows?

    • 0
      0

      a community in utter chaos.

      Interesting.
      Try not to split hairs or trying to be clever.
      Get lost.
      Cheers.

  • 2
    2

    [Edited out]

    • 4
      1

      ballah

      “[Edited out]”

      Thanks for keeping it brief.

  • 9
    1

    Mr.latheef.

    Can you please provide us with the following data , even for a Minister to represent his community ,he will need the following data ,and if you are not aware of the data , then I sincerely advice you to stop making unwanted accusation and slandering and scandalizing the Ministers ,which is considered as worst than Zeena , adultery according to Sunni Scholars.

    Please provide us the exact number of families and the number of family members in each province and electorates and in the Villages etc.

    Their education status , civil status , health , financial status , their accommodation , are they living in rented homes or own , is the current home enough to accommodate all of them?

    Until you can collect and get the data endorsed by the government authority ,please do not bring up this issue , you have no real case to question the Ministers on.

    And further Please do not forget to also mention which group of schism each person belong to, because we will need to put each group to the a Minister of their respective group.

    As for “Non Borah”- Shias sadly they have nobody to represent them, they are even in a worst situation than Ahmediyas .. they live in fear everyday.

    • 0
      1

      The idiot calling himself “A COMMUNITY IN UTTER CHAOS” is utterly boring. CT can you please tell this fellow to get lost unless he wishes to write about his omma’s amorous adventures?

    • 0
      0

      A community in utter chaos.

      This person needs some serious medical help.
      He does not realise that Mr. Latheef is only a journalist and not some institution which collects such data.
      Get real, man.
      Go and get some medical help.

  • 14
    1

    BTW Mr.latheef , please stop this blame game , Israel is no saint , but that does not make Sunni any better.

    It is you guys who have brought the curse upon the community , do you guys don’t back stab your won (just like the Jews of old times) , do you guys not spread slander and scandalize your own people? do you guys ever reach out to uplift the community?

    you are a bunch of jokers , every Sinhalese and Tamil know very well now they do not have t worry about the so called Sri lankan Muslims becoming a power force in Sri Lanka , because you guys are such a self destructive community , The Sinhalese and Tamils sit and laugh , because on daily basis you guys are scandalizing and slandering your own people. even though your won religion completely forbids it and warns of being cursed .

    You are such a disgusting lot. You do not need Israel to destroy you, you are enough to destroy each other.

    I wonder which Israel Mossad agent scandalized Rauf Hakeem ? and who slandered My own mustafa ?

    I can give tons of cases here in Sri lank alone. Just stop making Israel the bogey man and own up your blunders and do your part as a member of the Community .

  • 4
    4

    This aging senile journalist is signing for his supper. He is someone, like assat sally living off the innocent muslims who are working hard in the middle east. His articles make people feel that he is the biggest reformist, whereas he has never been seen in a mosque and he still calls himself a Muslim

    • 0
      0

      Fazeel Hussain.
      “innocent Muslims” work in the middle east to make a living like other Sri Lankans working in other countries for the same reason.
      Your childish views and thinking is not very helpful to the Muslim community.
      Your view of a Muslim is questionable;get properly educated about the Muslim religion, you ignoramious.,
      Cheers.

  • 2
    0

    The primary motivating factor that drives all politicians is the intense greed for power. Muslim politicians are no different in this regard despite all their pious utterings on and off the public stage. If the Muslim Community is awaiting the emergence of a Muslim Politician who is ready, willing and able to place their interests well over and above that of his or her own political goals, well, they better not hold their collective breath waiting for this selfless and altruistic leader to rise from the ashes. Muslim Political Parties have tried and are still trying despairingly to sell the idea that ‘Muslims must vote for Muslims’. What balderdash ! If the Muslims only throw their minds back to the period before the introduction of the dreadful new Constitution of 1978 (which incidentally was crafted for the sole purpose of ensuring victory for the UNP at successive elections), they will recall the many times when Muslim MP’s were elected with huge majorities from predominantly non-Muslim electorates and also of the ready support extended to non-Muslim candidates by Muslim voters in almost all electorates. This was a time when Muslims voted for Candidates, irrespective of race or religion, who won their confidence of being able to safeguard and protect the interests of their Community inside and outside the Legislature. Was the 30-year period after Independence not one of relative harmony between the Muslims and the other major religious groups ?

    The ossification of the Muslim brain resulting from following a process of Blind Obedience over a thousand years as advocated by the Ulemas has produced a vast herd of mindless sheep who are waiting to be led. And into this gap steps in our Muslim Politicians and various Islamic Preachers who are desperately searching for a flock to lead.

    As for the religious dimension, it appears that the Muslim Community has been indifferent or oblivious to the fact that over the last 10 – 15 years, the leading group of Islamic Theologians has been attempting desperately to upgrade their status so that they would acquire the same highly-revered standing among the Muslim Community that the Maha Sangha enjoys among the Buddhist Community. How much more ridiculous can one get in one’s insatiable thirst for power ? So we have the rather comical situation where a devastating earthquake in Nepal moves the Theologians to organize humanitarian assistance ( a very worthy cause indeed) to those affected, but leaves them cold when it comes to sending humanitarian assistance to fellow-Muslims being currently slaughtered in Yemen by Saudi Arabia.

    Is the Political & Religious Leadership Crisis that the Muslim Community finds itself in then one of their own making – inadvertent and involuntary though it may have been ?

    Unshackle your minds, O! Muslims of Sri Lanka.

    • 0
      0

      good one.
      Obviously a thinker.
      Cheers.

  • 6
    1

    ACJU – is a bunch of good for nothings. Looking for quick favors/ buck from corrupt politicians and sleazy businessmen. As rightly pointed out in this article these good for nothings should restrain their work for religious work only.

  • 3
    0

    Izeth Huzein where are you?
    can you comment on this

  • 5
    3

    Hello Latheef Naana;

    This time you seem to have got it right by NOT BLAMING the Sinhala-Buddhists.
    Keep on washing your owns dirty and filthy clothes in your own Muslim laundry.
    But remember, your Community is a restless vicious MONSTER WITH TWO HEADS. Sometimes two heads also wage wishes fights between them. It is natural don’t worry too much about it.

    • 4
      0

      Ranbandu

      “Sometimes two heads also wage wishes fights between them. It is natural don’t worry too much about it.”

      It is a power Struggle between the Devil , Satan , Iblis Following Wahhanbies, Salafies and the clones ISIS etc. and the Normal Muslims, the Sufis, Shia. Ahemdia and other non-Wahhabi Sunnis.

      Syrian Civil War is a very good example of that.

      It is about hegemony and power, by using Religion as a Vehicle, just like tjhe Sinhala Buddhists.

  • 3
    3

    I like the tenor of this article.

    I must agree that the Muslim community is like a rudderless ship, and has on its own abdicated leadership to persons who don’t necessarily represent them. Instead of substantive issue based discourses Sri Lankan politics is about gimmickry designed to appeal to the electors’ entitlement mindset. Muslim polity too is caught in this same trap.

    There is a dire need to raise the living standards of Muslim, particularly of their educational achievements, especially at tertiary level so that we will have more people contributing to the well being of Muslim society, archaic marriage laws need urgent reform, and we need to find ways and means of integrating with society at large.

    Personally I think we could do without issues of Halal, and the Habaya/Hijab. I am of the opinion that while Halal certification does make commercial sense , we seem unable to move away from the narrow religious narrative to the broader commercial narrative . I have similar thoughts on the dress code as well and other gender bases issues which Muslims must resolve.

    However the broader issues of integration, livelihood, race and religion based irritants must be addressed and cannot be approached from a purely religious perspective. These are issues that have social implications and need remedies that do not boomerang on Muslims as well as other communities.

    And I agree with the writer that we have failed to manage this process.

    Some of you have vilified him. Please don’t shoot the messenger because you don’t like him. The message is what is important and needs our collective attention.

    Also some of you Pseudo Muslims and pretenders can stop making silly remarks as most of us can see through you.

    Well done Mr. Latheef
    Nabil

    • 1
      0

      Nabil.

      Good one.
      The solution I believe is a constitutional one and educational; for religion and politics is not a good mix and it is too engrained in the SL psyche.
      Good luck Mr. Latheef.

  • 4
    3

    Please leave the sinhalese nation and go to places where they will protect muslim rights and what ever the law you want to practice. its much better that you muslims fight with each other.

    • 1
      0

      wijelion

      “Please leave the sinhalese nation and go to places where they will protect muslim rights and what ever the law you want to practice. its much better that you muslims fight with each other.”

      Correction and Comments:

      1. “sinhalese nation” ? No. It is the Nation of Native Veddah Aethho stolen illegally by the Para- Sinhalese, Para- Tamils and Para- Muslims, and other Paras.

      Through a comparison with the mtDNA HVS-1 and part of HVS-2 of Indian database, both Tamils and Sinhalese clusters were affiliated with Indian subcontinent populations than Vedda people who are believed to be the native population of the island of Sri Lanka.

      http://www.nature.com/jhg/journal/v59/n1/full/jhg2013112a.html

      Everyone is Born Here, Everyone has to Contribute, but some selfish Politicians exploit differences for personal gain Their Own. Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

      https://www.facebook.com/anurakumara/videos/547773602043758/

      2. “its much better that you muslims fight with each other.”

      They will always fight each other. Why?

      Because the Wahhabies, Salafies and their clones, ISIS, Taliban, Boko-Haram etc. who follow the Devil will fight other Muslims who claim to follow God, Allah, have two different Ideologies and Theologies. Thre is peace, only if they are kept separate.

      al-azhar cleric about wahabis/salafis

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAvWmZfGjTU

      Top 5 Terrorist Groups that are Supported by Saudi Arabia [GSR][List

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHSgWBBHUZw

      • 2
        0

        Asaw Asaw Asaw listen listen and listen don..don.. dum..dum..

        yet another apostle just emerged by the name of Amar Asiri fakeer the labbe his almighty seems to be almighty god India. he preaches verses that are revealed to him by angel called India data base. that first revelation is genetic affinities of population of Indian sub continent. he says people of Indian sub continent are genetically inter connected including Sinhalese and lanken Tamils as such sinhalese and lanken tamils are parayas as they came from India after fully civilized population here with indian religion and technology. but latest scientific findings disputed it.see below scientific quote

        Since scientists developed the ability to decode the genome and compare the genetic makeup of species, some people have been stunned to learn that about 98.5% of the genes in people and chimpanzees are identical. This finding means chimps are the closest living biological relatives to humans, but it does not mean that humans evolved from chimps. What it does indicate is that humans share a common ancestor with modern African apes (i.e., gorillas and chimpanzees), making us very, very distant cousins. We are therefore related to these other living primates, but we did not descend from them.

        coming back to main topic,though it is not my subject. I must say Muslims here live in a societies dominated by animistic Buddhist and Hindu idealisms. some related to souls, some related to more than one god and some has no god but idealism.As such Muslims here should know their only one god idealism can not be practiced here openly and can not legalize their god’s laws or laws and traditions existed in their messenger’s birth place around thousand four hundred and fifty years ago.those traditions or environments is totally different to traditions and environments that exist in their adopted country.as such change of thinking and mending is essential to have mutual co-existence.That truth should be faced by them otherwise there may be trouble always whoever political or religious leaders were or are or will be

        . .

  • 6
    0

    @nabil truth hurts doesn’t it? well well , so much of much of bombastic comments, so again the blame game ?

    so lets have it here , who are the Pseudo Muslims and pretenders?

    why don’t you address what the Pseudo Muslims have remarked ? lets hit it out .. Prove them wrong , we can see through you too … so you are from which sect ? the one guaranteed free ride to heaven ?

    Please reply and keep it simple ,it gives us the jitters with all your superlative language,, hmm hmmm,

    well-done latheef my foot ,,, You guys are very happy as long as someone is blamed for your stupidity , and somehow Israel has always been a convenient bogeyman ,when will you ever own up your own mistakes ?

    Without expecting pin bath and blaming others ,go and do something to your community .

    You can not even Prove one-thing, what the so called Pseudo Muslims have remarked ,

  • 5
    0

    nabil nana takes a lot of trouble to express himself in a simple comment ,as if he is writing an article .

    This is comment space , if you want to write an article please send it to The editor , do not waste our time and space , that is if you care for us to even consider scanning through the usual frequent gibberish you pen here with your highfalutin words.

    • 0
      1

      Dear Nabil ge Nana,

      It’ll be good if you can hold back on your anger and re read my reply.

      First, it is directed at Muslims. No one else.
      Second, I am not blaming anyone but the Muslim community.
      Third, I am used to the truth, and can handle it. Looks like you can’t
      Fourth, By pretenders I meant all those who have made a habit of making racist, meaningless remarks. Read the article again. And ask yourself, “have we really understood his argument?”.

      I am not going to dignify you with answers to your jibes!

    • 0
      0

      nabil ge nana.

      I think that he is a pseudo Muslim; born to Muslim parents and practising
      all the “cultural baggage” believing that he is a true Muslim but has never studied the Quran to understand the spirit of Islam. Most Muslims in SL I believe belong in this category. It is sad.
      Full stop.
      Cheers

  • 4
    0

    Latheef did not choose Saudi Arabia to migrate because he knew he would be nothing there. Instead, he chose the west that they always talk with hatred and for reevenge. There also he does not get what he wants because they screwed up there too.

    All thanks to Allah. That is how allah wanted it for Muslims.

    But, he knows They can bully Sri lanka and they are allowed to do it the way they want.

  • 1
    0

    Mr Latiff, do’t point fingers at others; contest in the next general election and be an MP.

    That’s the best remedy.

    One advice on behalf of people, stop your racial thinking and represent all the people in your electorate.

    Good luck.

  • 2
    2

    Generally, all three communities in Sri Lanka have their own issues. We all suffered from war, including the Muslim community. But, all interluctual people know who are the most beneficiries of the ethnic conflict. Sir, could you please clarify the following information for past counple of decades based on the ethnic composition:
    1, number of emplyments
    2, number of development projects
    3, ministry post

    If you calculate all these figures, you will obviously know who made use the war between the Sinhales and Tamil to gain the benifit for their own community. It is also unfair to demand and downgrade the legitimate demand of other people by your community without paying much in any legitimate claim that other have made.

  • 0
    1

    Crisis …What Crisis … mate !!!

    Ai Akbar paid LKR 34 Million 700 Thousand for the permit alone ,to Yahapalalana Pillar and the Colombo Elites’ Pin Up Boy young Sujeeva.

    Now Ali Akbar will pay USD 75,000 for the Land Cruiser.

    Colombo Condos are mostly built by SLMC supporters.

    When I talked to one ,he said ” you haven’t seen nothing yet”, And the Yahapalanaya was only 6 months old.

    Pity I didn’t take him seriously.

    That 3 bedder is now 30 Million..

    I couldn’t give a curse for any crisis, whether political or religious among our Sinhala Buddhist inhabitants, if they had the dough to throw around like this..

    Yahapalanaya has been blessing for you and the Sujeeva clan aka the Colombo Elite.

    • 3
      2

      How About Rishad Bathiuddin and Hakeem take tuens when clearing forests and settling their muslims voter population.

      It is not the muslims have crisis. It is the other people.

  • 1
    2

    Sri Lankan Muslims (Moors, Malay, Java and Borah) cannot come under single political flag. It is better to have provincial or district parties. So there can be many party leaders and they can fulfill their personal egos. Ahamed Lebbe formed Muslim Congress to make Ashraff a genuine leader, but failed. When Ashraff got power and money, he changed and the God punished him. Hakeem and Rishard did not learn a lesson from his death.

    When Raja and KASmaalam like people promote violance against Muslims through BBS and Sinha Le like thugs, defenitely Muslims need leaders to voice their concerns.

    Except in Jaffna and Colombo, the Tamils were pichchaikkaara naaihal ‘slum dogs’. They became millioners by robbing and killing Muslims through LTTE, EROS, EPRLF etc. Now they are talking about beneficieries. Do they know the number of innocent Muslims killed by Tamil terrorists? Do they know the value of gold, vehicles and properties left behind by Muslims in the North when they were chased away by LTTE terrorists?

    • 0
      0

      Villageman,

      Batalanada Ranil converted them to UNP..

      Did the Tamils kill Muslims ….

  • 0
    0

    Muslims are yet to feel that they are treated
    as citizens of this country
    We are living in an era where a Muslim is not appointed even to a post of Provincial or Zonal Education Director.
    Until the Eastern Provincial Election victory by the SLMC, all the Provincial Chief Ministers were ministers of Education in that province.
    But with the appointment of a Muslim as the Eastern Provincial Chief Minister this was changed and a different minister not belonging to a minority community was appointed as the Minister in charge of the subject of Education.
    So it is not a surprise move to deny a DIG who was a member of the first batch of the STF officers since its creation in 1984, the post of Commandant of the STF just because he is a Muslim,
    Further, the majority of the people in the Ampara and the Trinco districts are Muslims and Tamils respectively. Because of that every government since the creation of these districts are very particular to see that a minority is not appointed as the District Secretary of these districts. Soon after the end of the war Basil Rajapaksa was very busy in bringing in Sinhalese GA s to Mannar and Vavuniya. The situation still continues because the majority people are living with minority complexities
    Not only that Thinakaran is the Tamil daily paper printed by ANCL and over 95 % of that paper is bought and read by the Muslims of Sri Lanka. But, efforts on the part of the PM to appoint a Muslim editor was thwarted by influential people.
    Even under the yahapalanaya we are yet to experience the
    equality as the citizen of this country

    • 0
      0

      Riyas.

      I do not see why Muslims in SL should be treated any differently. Are we not all Sri Lankans in paradise?
      Get real.
      cheers.

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    One should understand, while the majority of Muslims are peaceful, there is a certain sub-section (among the Sunni) who are pressing for Shariah and a global caliphate. The fanatical ideology that underpins this Wahhabi ideology is even worse than the Eelam ideology promulgated by the (now defunct) LTTE. That is why, with a few exceptions, the LTTE allowed the Muslims to leave Jaffna. In comparison, Shias,Kurds, and Christians are not expelled from areas which the ISIS capture. They are massacred or sold into slavery. Unfortunately, the reality is that peaceful Sunni Muslims have a religious obligation to not oppose Shariah. It does not matter where they live or whether they actively contribute to the “jihad” that aims to conquer territory under the banner of Sharia; they simply cannot voice their opposition.

    Now, the point of the above is that it is very easy for (Sunni) Muslim political parties to fall under the spell of radical ideology. The Sri Lankan Government should take extra precautions to monitor the activities of these political parties, so that the Muslim community does not come under terrorist influences, such as we saw with the Tamils. Separate schools, special laws, etc. are not a solution, despite what Mr. Farook advocates. Integration within the larger society is the only path to success.

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    Is Latheef suggesting that Lankan Muslims are at the bottom of political heap because they do not have a united front?

    There is considerable division among Sinhala and Tamil politicians. Muslims have and will exploit this. Is this not enough Latheef?

    With the exception of Islam all other religions are reforming albeit slowly. Work towards reforming Islam Latheef.

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    So what Senior Muslim Journalist Brother Latheef Farook has exposed/written is nothing that can hurt any other community, the Muslim Ulema/ACJU or does the Muslim community bother about it, but are indeed really happy the the Mighty Truth, TRUTH and nothing but the Truth of these “DECEPTIVE” religious and political institutions and their leaders are exposed to the public, especially to the humble Muslim community, Alhamdulillah, Insha Allah.

    These UNSCRUPLOUS Muslim politicians are today suspected of large scale corruption and swindling of State funds, both during the Mahinda Rajapaksa government and now in the Yahapalana government. With their ill earned money they have managed to sweep under the carpet all the probes and inquiries against them. The ACJU willingly or unwillingly allows itself to be manipulated by the above Muslim politicians and used as a front for Muslim as well as non-Muslim politicians who seek to achieve their own ends through the ACJU is true as stated by Senior Muslim Journalist Latheef Farook
    It is strongly rumoured that the ACJU also received large amounts of money via a Muslim minister from former President Mahinda Rajapaksa when they were politically flirting with the UPFA/SLFP government during the Geneva visits and no one knows what happened to these monies the ACJU got from Mahinda? But what did they do at the 2015 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections to the UPFA/Mahinda Rajapaksa? THEY BACK STABBED HIM en-block. Fingers are also pointed at the ACJU regarding their “Halal Certificate” earnings and the way it is now being manipulated under a so-called “Non-Profit Company”. It is time-up that The ACJU should declare it’s account, admit it received a lot of funding during the Geneva visits to campaign for Mahinda and reveal the assets of its leader and his high-profile life style and maintenance of expensive luxury vehicles, being a ordinary “MOULAVI/Mufthi”. Very soon, the privileges of the RIGHT TO INFORMATION BILL/ACT may induce Anti-Muslim Buddhist clergy and Extreme Nationalist elements, to use the law to probe into the earnings of the ACJU and make them become “TRANSPARENT” in their dealings.
    The Bodu Bala Sena and the Anti-Muslim, Ant-Islam Buddhist Monk was made use by our Muslim unscrupulous POLITICIANS and Muslim businessmen to defraud the Haj Quota allocations few months ago. One of the Muslims is the brother of the “LOUD MOUTHED UNETHICAL POLITICIAN” who conspired with other groups to bring about a “change” to the Mahinda government and is now holding a top managerial post of the Sri Lanka Cement Corporation (SLCC) which is under the Ministry of Industries and Commerce. There are rumours that officials of the Sri Lanka Cement Corporation are been suspected of being involved in trying to release hundreds of acres of lands belonging to the corporation to the private sector under nefarious activities. So, GANESARA THERA KNOWS MORE ABOUT THE BAD THINGS ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY THAN OUR OWN COMMUNITY BECAUSE ALL FINANCIAL AND BUSINESS INFORMATION OF OUR MUSLIM BRETHREN ENGAGED IN BUSINESS HAS BEEN REVEALED TO HIM AND THE BBS BY MUSLIMS OF THE ABOVE CALIBER.
    THIS IS WHY “THE MUSLIM VOICE” ACKNOWLEDGES WHAT Senior Muslim Journalist Latheef Farook has published. “THE MUSLIM VOICE IS PRAYING IT IS TIME UP THAT A NEW POLITICAL FORCE THAT WILL BE HONEST AND SINCERE THAT WILL PRODUCE ‘CLEAN’ AND DILIGENT MUSLIM POLITICIANS TO STAND UP AND DEFEND THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY POLITICALLY AND OTHERWISE, ESPECIALLY FROM AMONG THE YOUTH/YOUNGER GENERATION HAS TO EMERGE FROM WITHIN THE SRI LANKA MUSLIM COMMUNITY TO FACE ANY NEW ELECTIONS IN THE COMING FUTURE, INSHA ALLAH.
    Noor Nizam. Peace and Political Activist, Political Communication Researcher, SLFP Stalwart and Convener – The Muslim Voice.
    (Note: These comments are NOT made as MALICE against any politician or political party. It is written to kindle the aspirations and inspiration of the Muslims of Sri Lanka, and inform the public about facts that need immediate attention, Insha Allah).

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