COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing displaced Northern Muslim representatives reiterated his government’s stance that it will make no distinction among, Muslim, Tamil or Sinhala Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) when resettling and rebuilding the nation.
“My government will make no distinction among, Jaffna Muslims, Mannar Muslims, Tamil or Sinhala, IDPs or between so-called ‘old’ and ‘new’ IDPs. They are all IDPs and we will treat them all alike. It is the duty of my government to resettle them all soon,” said President Rajapaksa.
Promises displaced Northern Muslims speedy resettlement in Jaffna
Addressing representatives from the diplomatic corps and INGOs in English the President Rajapaksa requested the international community to follow the same footsteps.
“I request diplomats, NGOs and the international community not to differentiate between ‘old’ and ‘new’ IDPs. This is my message to them,” he stressed.
“There is even a minister from those evicted 20 years ago in my Cabinet now as there is an ex-LTTE cadre among my Cabinet of Ministers,” president reminded the gathering.
The event to commemorate the twentieth year anniversary of the forcible eviction of Muslims from the Northern Province by the ruthless Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) was organized by the All Ceylon Muslim Congress (ACMC) led by Minister of Industry and Commerce, Rishad Bathiyudeen, who himself was an evicted Muslim from Jaffna.
“Thanks to the dynamic leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa all peoples of this country can now enjoy sustainable peace,” said Minister Bathiyudeen.
“I appeal to the international community to help the displaced to resettle and also not make the distinction between old and new IDPs,” the Minister earnestly requested.
Minister Bathiyudeen also called upon Islamic countries to assist in rebuilding houses, schools and mosques for the Muslims who had been forcibly evicted by the ruthless LTTE and were forced to live in camps for over two decades.
He also appealed the President to look into the plight of Muslims who were returning to their dwelling places in Jaffna and elsewhere.
“However Muslim IDPs have a lot of grievances. Their numbers have increased to nearly 200,000. Some of the evictees have got married in camps now. Their homes and former dwelling places have overgrown with shrubs. Some public servants are not at all concerned about their resettlement,” he added.
“I wish to thank Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa and late M H M Ashroff who rendered yeomen service to the IDPs,”
Meanwhile Indian High Commissioner Shri Ashok K Kantha earlier said that his government had intimated to its Sri Lankan counterpart to include ‘old’ IDPs when preparing lists of beneficiaries for the 50,000 houses project.
The LTTE rebels in October 1990 ordered the entire Muslim population of about 75,000 from Jaffna, Mannar, Mulaitivu, Killinochchi and Vavunia districts to leave the North giving them only forty eight hours to evacuate with nothing more than Rs. 300 and the few clothes they were wearing.
Disaster Management Minister A. H. M. Fowzie, Deputy Minister M. L. A. M. Hisbullah, Parliamentarians A. H. M. Azwer and M Farook, Northern Province Governor Maj. Gen. G. A. Chandrasiri, US Ambassador Patricia A Butenis, Indian High Commissioner Ashok K Kantha, UAE Ambassador Mahmood Mohammed Al Mahmood, and other foreign and local dignitaries also participated.
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