The Hon. Ismail Muththu Mohamed

¶ 01 Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim. Hon. Presiding Member, during this debate on vehicle import duties, I wish to highlight matters raised on platforms in the recent local government campaign.

¶ 02 On 28 October 1990, Muslims were forcibly expelled from the Northern Province. Looking at the suffering of these displaced, some did not show empathy; instead, they spoke indecently on political stages, mocking them as people who came with “shopping bags.” They called Hon. Rishad Bathiudeen “the one who came with a shopping bag.” It was not just him—150,000 expelled Muslims came with only shopping bags. I was one of them. At that time Hon. Bathiudeen was an A/L student; he did not bring books or files—none of us brought anything. If you had asked, “Why didn’t you bring books or files?” that would be different; instead, you humiliated the entire Muslim community.

¶ 03 This is not just a political jab; it offends an entire community. Those expelled were given no relief at that time; their sufferings were immense. I have lived for 20 years as an IDP in Anuradhapura District. We must see not only the history of the 150,000 expelled Muslims, but also the 350,000 Tamils kept behind barbed wire at Menik Farm, and the Sinhala people in border villages of Anuradhapura who were grievously affected by war.

¶ 04 Those expelled in 1990 have to this day received no meaningful relief. With just two hours’ loudspeaker notice from LTTE terrorists, they were forced out, handing over keys to their homes with their own hands. Please, do not continue this “shopping bag” insult; Muslims and Tamils have also voted for you. Do not insult the Muslim community by attacking Hon. Rishad Bathiudeen. He, who came as a refugee with a shopping bag, studied at Zahira College Colombo, went to university, became an engineer, and today is a leader who can give voice to a community—is that wrong?

¶ 05 Because we lacked such leaders then, we were expelled and still cannot recover. We suffered economic and educational setbacks; many of our people still have no houses. Considering this, I request this government, which has strong public support, to provide relief to Tamils and Muslims affected by the war. Many government servants affected by the war have now retired without any relief. Kindly provide relief to them as well. Thank you.