The Opposition Leader and UNP Candidate addressing the public rally organized by SLMC at Muslim dominated Sammanthurai(Ampara District) in the Estern Province
 

We will protect the Eastern Muslims – Ranil

The Opposition Leader and UNP Presidential candidate assured the Muslims in the East that once he is elected President, he would protect their rights and prevent them being harassed by the LTTE, he said this when he was addressing a public rally held in support of his campaign by the SLMC in Sammanthurai. SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem, parliamentarians Dr. Rajitha Senarathne, Faizal Cassim, Hassan Ali, Deputy Mayor of Colombo Azad Sally, former Deputy Minister M.L.A.M. Hisbullah and several others also addressed the gathering.
"Some are saying that if Ranil becomes the president the LTTE will freely come to these areas, I would like query people like Anver Ismail and Athaullah that who is going to protect Muslims here if the Army is dissolved as suggested by one their colleagues in Mahinda Rajapakse camp?. The Saudi government sent five plane loads of relief to tsunami victims, nothing was distributed among victims here, I would ask those who are ministers of the present government as to why they did not question such discrimination" he added.
"From a war situation we are now in a no war, no peace situation. The CFA brought and end to hostilities. But there were lapses, we have gone through a series of problems, especially the Muslim community in the East had to face a variety of such problems. I promise that I will consider the problems of Muslims as that of mine and find speedy and acceptable solutions to those" he said."After November 18, we will also improve the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission's strength in the east. Like in India we will have a Rapid Deployment Police Force to prevent ethnic related clashes. They will be deployed in the east too", he said.
He also assured justice to the land rights of Muslims and their security. The Tsunami devastated people in the north and east and other areas will be treated equally and rehabilitated.
Ranil Wickremesinghe promised in Samanthurai that the Muslim community will take part in the peace process as a separate delegation and when powers were devolved to the North and the East, he would ensure that Muslim aspirations too were met. He also said that all decision would be taken upon discussing with the Tamil, Muslim leaders who had joined him.
I will develop the South Eastern University, Kalmunai town will be converted to a modern city, the stalled Oluvil port work will be re-commenced and we will modernize the Sammanthurai hospital. We will also establish a guaranteed price of Rs. 17/= per kilo gram of paddy and 50 kilo gram fertilizer bags will be provided to farmers at the rate Rs. 550/=. We will take all possible steps to arrest the cost of living' he assured.
The UNP leader said he was aware that Muslim traders were being taxed by the LTTE and their lands taken over. He assured that he would take action to ensure that their lands were returned and taxation stopped. He also promised to strengthen the STF to protect the Muslims. He also addressed propaganda rallies at Addalachchenai and Ampara town.

Hisbullah invites Anver Ismail for an open debate

‘Deputy Minister Anver Ismail, who continuously abused the SLMC and its leadership, is now criticising the agreement that had been signed between the UNP and the SLMC' said former deputy Minister Hisbullah who re-joined the SLMC this week. He challenged Anver Ismail to come for an open debate on the issues, instead of spreading misleading information among the masses.

Hisbullah posed this challenge when he was addressing an election rally held in support of UNP presidential candidate Ranil Wickremasinghe by the SLMC in Sammanhurai on Saturday (140/10).

He said that it was to protect the rights of the Muslims he had re-joined the party and it was for the same reason the SLMC decided to ally with the UNP during the presidential election.

"The SLMC leader had entered into a very clear agreement with Mr. Ranil Wickremasinghe. If we are to win our rights and aspirations as a community we must ensure the victory of Mr. Wickremasinghe who accepted the political rights of Muslims" he said.

Ranil addresses rallies in Trinco, Kinniya

Ranil Wickremasinghe, presidential candidate of the UNP addressed two election rallies organized by the LSMC in support of his presidential bid yesterday, one in Trincomalee town and the other in Kinniya. SLMC leader Rauff Hakim also addressed these meetings along with Mr. Wickremasinghe.
Wickremasinghe arrived in Trincomalee by an Air Force helicopter around 12 noon and was driven to the venue by a motorcade to Trincomalee private bus stand where the meeting was held.
He said that if he was elected to power he would invite the Sri Lanka Freedom Party to participate in the peace talks with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). He would take steps to involve all parties concerned in the national problem. ‘A lasting political solution to the ethnic question should be found under a federal concept within a united Sri Lanka', he added.
SLMC leader Rauff Hakim, said the SLMC has come to an understanding with the UNP on several important issues with regard to the political aspirations of the Muslim community. One of the SLMC demands is to confer autonomous powers to Muslim areas in the North-East similar to granting such powers and political status to Tamil majority areas. UNP has agreed to this and also to include a separate delegation of Muslim representatives in the future peace talks with the LTTE, he said.
Prime Minister and presidential candidate Mahinda Rajapakse has joined with the JVP and the JHU, two Sinhala nationalist forces that are opposing to any devolution of power as a solution to the ethnic crisis. The SLMC decided not to support Mr.Mahinda Rajapakse because he had alienated the minority communities in Sri Lanka, Hakim said.

Sri Lanka newspaper office attacked by armed gang

A gang armed with swords and guns attacked the manager of a newspaper known for its critical stance against the government, police and employees said Monday.
The gang broke into the offices of The Sunday Leader in Ratmalana, about 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of the capital Colombo, late Sunday and set bundles of newspapers on fire, said Lasantha Wickremetunga, the paper's chief editor.
Gang members hit the publication's manager S.A. Dias on the neck and demanded that printing of the newspaper be stopped, Wickremetunga said.
The armed men made off with Dias' mobile phone and some cash after setting about 40 bundles of newspaper ablaze, he said.
Wickremetunga vowed that the newspaper would not be ``intimidated into silence.''
In May, the editor wrote to the country's police chief claiming his life was under threat after a pro-government lawmaker accused him publicly of supporting Tamil Tiger rebels. The complaint came a week after another journalist facing a similar accusation was abducted and shot dead. Wickremetunga, a critic of President Chandrika Kumaratunga's government, was attacked once and his house shot at in 1998.
``This is yet another attempt to stop our publications,'' Wickremetunga said. ``It's a step toward media suppression for those who don't toe the line.''
A senior police officer, R. Asaratnam, visited the printing plant. ``We have already launched an investigation into the attack,'' he said. No arrests have been made so far but police were questioning several people, he said.
Several Sri Lankan journalists have been killed in recent years, but no one has been charged in connection with the attacks.