Mecca ‘Ceylon House’ in dire straits

The Ceylon House', in the Holy City of Mecca, a gift from the late King Faisal Ibnu Abdul Aziz to the Muslim national leader Dr. T. B. Jayah in 1960, for use by Sri Lankan Muslims as a pilgrims rest, is today in a critical situation, former Parliamentary Affairs Minister A. H. M. Azwer says.

"The Ceylon House is the property of Sri Lankan Muslims. A Board of Trustees comprising seven Sri Lankans and one from Saudi Arabia was appointed to administer it. All the Sri Lankan trustees have passed away. The place is now being rented out by the Saudi trustee and I have witnessed shops have been constructed," Azwer said in a letter to President Chandrika Kumaratunga seeking her intervention to urge Saudi authorities to save the place for Sri Lankan pilgrims visiting Mecca. "New buildings are established in the area where the Sri Lankan Medical Team functions during the Haj season."

"It is learnt that all attempts made by Sri Lankan Consul General in Jeddah to meet the Saudi Trustee to protest against illegal structures hindering the pilgrims have failed as the Trustee over there had evaded all meetings," he said.

"Presently, the Saudi Government constantly extends area of the Haram Sheriff to accommodate the ever increasing annual Haj pilgrims. The site in which the Ceylon House is located will also come under the hammer in the near future. Compensation will then be paid for re-building of a new Ceylon House. Who will then receive the compensation is the concern of every Muslim in our country. Will the Sri Lankan Muslims, who are the rightful owners of this building, be the beneficiary or would it be the sole Saudi representative?"

Azwer in his letter requests the President who is also the Minister of Muslim Affairs to take prompt action to address a communication to Saudi leader King Abdullah appealing him to intervene in this matter to restore ‘Ceylon House' to the ownership of a newly appointed Board of Trustees.