BREAKAWAY FACTIONS OF THE MUSLIM CONGRESS GIVE A DEATHBLOW TO RANIL ‘S AMBITION TO FORM NEXT GOVERNMENT
By Walter Jayawardhana reporting from Los Angeles
February 21, 07.55 AM:In a deathblow to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s ambition to form another minority supported government following the April general elections a strong faction of the UNF ally, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMM) is breaking away from the party and joining the United People’s Freedom Alliance led by President Chandrika Kumaratunga.
In a protest against party leader Rauff Hakeem’s decision to become an ally of the Wickremesinghe led United National Front the Deputy leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress Anwar Ismail and Treasurer A.M. Haaris said they were joining the A. L. M. Athaulla faction who would become part of the SLFP-JVP led United People’s Freedom Alliance.
Both leaders who actually represent the majority of Muslim Congress power in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka said Rauff Hakeem’s agreement with Ranil Wickremesinghe to have an electoral agreement in all provinces except in the Eastern Province was a blow against the Muslims. Rauf Hakeem represents a Kandyan electorate and considered an outsider among the Eastern Province Muslims.
Political observers in Colombo said it was natural for the Eastern Province Muslims to oppose the Ranil Wickremesinghe led United National Front since Col. Karuna Amman, the military leader of the LTTE in Eastern Province , who allegedly led many massacres of Muslims had indirectly appealed to people to support the United National Front led by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Muslims of the Eastern Province expected the same security lapses to remain under Ranil Wickremesinghe if he formed the next government with the help of the LTTE.
The faction of Athaulla is currently having discussions with President Chandrika Kumaratunga about the alliance between their party and the United People’s Freedom Alliance.
The defection of the deputy leader and the treasurer of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress had left only a shadow of a former party led by Rauff Hakeem to support Ranil Wickremesinghe in the majority area of the Muslims of Sri Lanka. Both said their repeated requests not to have any alliance with the UNF from their leader fell on deaf ears
Athaulla had offered the bonus seat that could be obtained by contesting under the UFPA to Anwar Ismail, sources said.
In addition to the breakaway factions of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, The National Unity Alliance led by Mrs. Ferial Ashraff would also join the UFPA in contesting the coming general elections.
