SLMC disturbed over Army Chief’s comments
Sri Lanka Muslim Congress yesterday issued a statement expressing its protests over certain remarks made by Army Commander Sarath Fonseka recently to Canadian newspaper ‘National Post’. “I am disturbed by the strong anti-minority sentiments expressed by Army Commander Sarath Fonseka during his interview and his assertion that Sri Lanka belongs to the Sinhalese,” SLMC Leader Rauff Hakeem said in a statement.
“The nature of the attack on the minorities in the interview borders on racism. His request for minorities not to make demands is totally uncalled for and only goes to create a fear psychosis among the minorities at this critical juncture of the conflict,” the SLMC leader said in the statement. “Even in the armed forces and the police one gets Muslims and Tamils holding even top positions and serving the country with a strong sense of commitment. These comments are an insult to Muslims and Tamils who have shed blood and sweat to gain independence for this country and helped to develop Sri Lanka,” Mr. Hakeem said in the statement. “Even the ordinary Muslim and Tamil in this country have their own contributions to society. They have added a lot to the vibrancy of the Sri Lankan economy and culture. It is a crime to say that they do not deserve equal treatment as Sinhalese,” said the statement. Mr. Hakeem maintained he would rather have had the Army Commander let the politicians comment on the political issues since remarks of this nature only go to break the bridges built between communities after a lot of hard work.