A smiling girl selling flowers to pilgrims at Kirivehera, Kataragama, venerated by Buddhists all over the island.

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Positive response to Muslims demands

President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga has reassured the Muslim community that the Government would take steps to ensure that their concerns and aspirations are addressed in the implementation of the Post-Tsunami Operational Management Structure (P-TOMS).

During an extensive discussion with Muslim Ministers and Deputy Ministers, President Kumaratunga responded positively to the Ministers' suggestions and undertook to give them every consideration and explore how their proposals could be implemented.

The President held a fresh round of discussions on the Post-Tsunami Operational Management Structure (P-TOMS) or Tsunami Relief Council (TRC) with Muslim Ministers and Deputy Ministers.

At Monday's discussions at the President's House, the Muslim legislators expressed their concerns regarding certain aspects of the P-TOMS, a Presidential Media Unit release said. "Their concerns were discussed in depth with the President. They proposed some options with the objective of resolving the issues causing their community apprehension," it said.

UPFA General Secretary Minister Susil Premajayantha was associated with the President at the discussions.

Following the discussion, the National Unity Alliance has withdrawn an ultimatum to the Government that the P-TOMS be withdrawn by Tuesday. The party has since decided to stick with the Government.

"Following talks with the President, the NUA will not rock the boat," a party official told reporters.

NUA spokesman and Condominium Management Authority (CMA) Chairman Abul Kalam said their party will continue to remain in the UPFA alliance since they strongly believed in President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga's commitment of justice and fairplay by the minorities and were confident of the resolution of Muslims' concerns with regard to the P-TOMS. The President held several rounds of talks with Muslim theologians and legislators over the last few weeks prior to the signing of the P-TOMS last Friday. In a recent discussion with Muslim theologians in the East, the President assured them that the rights and security of the Muslim community would be safeguarded and respected and that they will be given their rightful share in the proposed P-TOMS.

President Kumaratunga met with Minister Ferial Ashraff and a delegation of her party on June 21. The President assured Minister Ashraff that she was fully conscious of the fears, anxieties and concerns of the Muslim people in the context of the suffering the Muslim community has endured during for more than two decades of armed violence and the recent tsunami natural disaster.

On that occasion, she assured Minister Ashraff that the Tsunami Relief Council takes into consideration and accommodates many of the interests of the Muslim community and has clauses for addressing their concerns.

During the long negotiations between the GoSL and the LTTE on the Tsunami Relief Council, the GoSL negotiated hard to accommodate Muslim concerns, persuading the LTTE to agree to some significant practical measures. Specifically the Muslim parties have equal representation at the national level, sufficient representation to prevent decisions that may adversely affect them at the regional level, and dominant representation in the areas where they live.

She assured Minister Ashraff and other Muslim leaders that her government would in the future as in the past take all necessary measures to ensure the safety and security of the Muslim people living in the East and the North.

Further, the President strongly recommended that Muslim leaders consider the proposed Tsunami Relief Council in its totality and the gains that may be made by the Muslim community as a whole, through full participation in it. The President also met MP Rauff Hakeem to discuss Muslim concerns regarding the P-TOMS.

News Today

Muslim Council Meets Ranil

Bandula Jayasekara in Colombo, SLT 10.00 P.M Tuesday 28 June 2005. An eight member delegation from the Muslim Council of Sri Lanka met opposition leader Ranil Wickramasinge at the opposition leader's office at Cambridge Terrace at 4 PM today. During the meeting, the Muslim Council presented its concerns with regard to the P-TOMS signed by the Government and the LTTE. The Muslim Council pointed out the serious flaws in the agreement, with special emphasis on the need for the Government of Sri Lanka to maintain the chairmanship at all levels of administration and equal representation for the Muslim, Tamil and Sinhala community in the regional and district committees.

The opposition leader also commented on the injustice to the Sinhala and Muslim Community in the P-TOMS agreement and assured his support and consideration in a future government under him. The opposition leader also agreed to meet a delegation of Muslim Youth from the Eastern province on Friday at his office. Wickremasinghe wants to assure the youth that he will find a solution to their grievances under a UNP government and urged them to avoid violence, and conduct any opposition through peaceful means.

The Muslim council of Sri Lanka has also requested a meeting with President Chandirika Bandaranayke Kumaranatunga. They will also meet the Tamil National Alliance, The Prime Minister, other Political parties and Co-chairs of the Tokyo agreement to discuss their concerns.

Muslims Take Anti-JM Harthals To Mutur.

Udara Soysa(LM), June 28. Following the string of Harthals imposed by angry Muslims in the Ampara / Batticaloa districts yesterday, the mass anti P-TOMS agitations by the Muslim community will be extended to Trincomalee tomorrow , according to a member of the organizing committee in Mutur.

It was not immediately clear whether the Harthals will grip Trincomalee town but will certainly be launched in Mutur early morning, the sources said.

The organizing committee was in conference finalizing Harthal plans at the time of writing.
In yesterday's decisive Harthal action by the Muslims in Ampara and Batticaloa, traders of all communities were compelled to put up shutters while transport and other services were also shut down completely.

It is learnt that the Harthal, if staged in Trincomalee could generate adverse repercussions and might hence not be staged in Trincomalee town, where the controversial Buddha statue issue remains an explosive powder-keg issueand could give rise to unwarranted complications right now if a hartal is staged there.

Yesterday's Harthals in Ampara and Batticaloa was a historic first as an agitational exercise by the Muslim community in Sri Lanka, that spread with surprising rapidity through more than ten commercial areas in the district, bringing life to a grinding halt everywhere.

Our reporters in the province said scanty pro-PTOMS canvassing by other Muslim interests was drawing no response from an angry eastern province Muslim community.

Political sources said that a break up of another mushroom Muslim party in the government was expected within the next week.

Meanwhile, unprecedented responses from Muslims in the Ampara district has resulted in the SLMC leadership being compelled to extend its eastern province tour by another two days.