Muslims leaders always hold hands with the government both in times of war and in times of peace, but whenever peace efforts commence, they engage in demanding that they be included in the peace talks as a third party. Such demands cannot be decried because they include the political rights of the Muslim people.

But what worries us is the timing of such demands. While making such requests when there is a likelihood of a negotiation between the government and the LTTE, they don’t raise their voice in the same sprit when violence is unleashed in the North-East.

Similarly at such times there are efforts to endanger the cordial relationship that exists between the Tamil people and the Muslims. This has been the lesson we have learnt in recent times.

To cite an example even now after the announcement of unconditional direct talks between the government and the LTTE, 11 innocent Muslims have been massacred in Pothuvil. Immediately after this incident, the media of the south, without ascertaining any facts, put the blame on the LTTE with the view to create a split between the Tamil community and the Muslim community.

It can be observed that such violence is caused and a false propaganda is carried out in order to weaken the strength of the Tamil people to bargain at a negotiating table. Even the request to accommodate the Muslims at the talks is raised in such times with the same purpose.

But it is encouraging that following the massacre of Muslims in Pothuvil, Muslim people and their leaders have bravely revealed the truth without being swayed away by false propaganda.

Madam Louis Abbor, the Chairperson of the UN Human Rights Council, while inaugurating the sessions of the council, stated that in Sri Lanka on many occasions not only are acts of violence not investigated and culprits are not brought to book but also victims are not ensured justice and relief.

Let us expect that the present massacre in Pothuvil will not meet the same fate.

An English translation of the Editorial in Uthayan, a Tamil daily, based in Jaffna

Comments (1)

Subscribe to this comment's feed