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Don't over step"- Hakeem Warns Monitors

Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) leader Rauf Hakeem slammed the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) for over stepping its mandate and making political statements which the party considered as injurious and harmful to the reputation of the Muslims in Sri Lanka. Hakeem said that the Batticaloa district SLMM monitor Steen Joergensen had told a weekend newspaper that he does not think it's a healthy sign if the Muslims practice their religion as extremist groups do and Joergensen had pointed out that various aspects of Muslim fundamentalism was mounting in the area.

The SLMM official also had said "According to recent disclosures there are indications that Muslims in the region are incited with extremist's views and aspects of fundamentalism. Since I came here last July, I have seen a clear increase of women being completely covered up. There are meanwhile large numbers of people being sent to Saudi Arabia to study the Quran in the orthodox way"

An angry Hakeem said "This is not the way the SLMM should act. Muslims feel that monitors are thoroughly impotent when it comes to ensuring that the ceasefire agreement between the government and the LTTE is adhered to and respected. They should first do their job. Not make politician statements" Hakeem said he complained to Erik Solheim and Norwegian Ambassador Hans Braktskar when he met them on Wednesday and the Norwegians had accepted his concerns and agreed to take the issue up with the monitoring mission.

President promises to consult Muslims

Amid concerns among the Muslims at being left out in the joint mechanism to coordinate post-tsunami relief and reconstruction, President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga has written to the Muslim Peace Secretariat assuring to consult Muslim opinion before concluding any deal on the proposed mechanism.

"I share your concern that the interest of Muslim people be taken into consideration on any proposed mechanism to coordinate post-tsunami relief and reconstruction", the President said in the letter addressed to the Head of the Muslim Peace Secretariat Javid Yusuf with copies to Minister Ferial Ashraff and SLMC Leader Rauff Hakeem.

"I will meet Muslim Peace Secretariat prior to concluding any agreement on post-tsunami relief and reconstruction," she said in the letter.

Yusuf who was one time Sri Lanka's Ambassador to Saudi Arabia told the Sunday Observer that the Secretariat had not yet formulated any specific proposals on Muslim representation in the joint mechanism "because, we don't know what have been discussed between the government and the LTTE."

He, however, said the Muslim Peace Secretariat expected to raise its concern, when they meet the President.

He said he expected the meeting to be held soon after the President returns to the island.

"We are keen that the Muslims should be given the correct proportion of representation in the joint mechanism," he said.

He said the Muslim Peace Secretariat was satisfied with the representation of the three communities at the Apex body of the joint mechanism. The Apex body has three members each representing Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims.

"Like that we want a fair representation at the regional level and district levels. Muslim concerns should be addressed," he said.

The proposed joint mechanism is a three tiered body with an apex body at the national level and local representation at the regional and district levels.

Yusuf said the Muslim Peace Secretariat had been in consultation with the Government Peace Secretariat, LTTE Peace Secretariat and the Norwegian peace facilitators.

Early this week, SLMC Leader Rauff Hakeem told visiting Norwegian peace envoy Erik Solheim that a joint mechanism on which Muslims had not been consulted, was unacceptable.

The Muslim Peace Secretariat was formed on December 15 last year based on a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the SLMC Leader Rauff Hakeem and NUA Leader Minister Ferial Ashraff. The Muslim Peace Secretariat aims to evolve a common position of the Muslims on the peace process.

Khalid