The Hon. M.S. Uthumalebbe

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, please allow me one more minute to conclude this matter.

¶ 02 First, I wrote a letter on my own letterhead to then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. I table a copy of that letter in this House. In it I said, “Do not commit such an injustice. Do not wound the hearts of our Muslim community. It was precisely the measures taken against Muslims in 2015 that led to the fall of your brother’s government.” Despite counsel from professors and others, and despite my warning that this would be an act against the Muslim community, he did not listen and an injustice was done.

¶ 03 Therefore, irrespective of government or opposition, we must together ensure that such a situation never again befalls Muslims or anyone else. A Parliamentary Select Committee should be appointed and necessary action taken. Such missteps are not good for our country. Islamic nations have significantly contributed to our economic development; we must unite to correct such matters.

¶ 04 Next, our Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) Leader, the Hon. Minister of Health, was requested to submit in Parliament the list of those who died due to COVID-19 whose remains were cremated. I do not know the reason, but to date he has not submitted it. Yesterday, the names of those who received compensation for houses damaged during disturbances were read here. But the list relating to the wrongful cremations of “janaza” remains has still not been presented in this Parliament, which is a matter of concern to us.

¶ 05 As for the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, it has a close connection with this Parliament. When our late great leader M.H.M. Ashraff was a Member of Parliament, Hon. Anura Kumara Dissanayake was then with a small party on the opposition benches with only three or four members. It was through the efforts of Ashraff, as SLMC Leader, to reduce the parliamentary representation threshold from 12.5% to 5% that small and minority parties in this country today can take pride—and it also enabled a small party to become the ruling party with 159 seats today.

¶ 06 [Document placed in the Library.]

¶ 07 Hon. Presiding Member, please allow me one minute to finish. I will conclude by clarifying this matter.

¶ 08 Next, our party leader said in this Parliament, “Respect the Rohingya refugees!” The SLMC today has five MPs. I am the MP for Ampara District; former Deputy Minister Hizbullah served as MP for Batticaloa District; our National List MP is Hon. Mohamed Sali Naleem Hajiar; and our party leader contested in Kandy in alliance with the Samagi Jana Balawegaya on several occasions—six times. He also contested in Trincomalee and Ampara. Likewise, our General Secretary, President’s Counsel Nizam Kariapper, has become an MP through the National List of the SJB.

¶ 09 Why do I say this? Because we seek your cooperation for such good proposals that we bring. For these five MPs, on the 9th...

¶ 10 Hon. Presiding Member: Please conclude; there is a time issue.

¶ 11 Hon. Presiding Member, kindly grant me half a minute.

¶ 12 In my village, Addalaichenai, a reception is to be held. Certain forces have now gone to the Akkaraipattu Court seeking a restraining order to prevent it. We do not understand why. However, we will deal with it in court. Therefore, I urge the government members in this House to respect the leaders and people’s representatives of the Muslim community. I take my leave. Thank you.