The Hon. Rauff Hakeem, Attorney-at-Law

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, while moving the condolence messages on the passing of four Hon. Members, I must at length speak about the late Hon. (Dr.) I. M. Ilyas, whom our party recognizes as a revolutionary figure who represented this Parliament. But before that, let me begin by speaking about my friend, Hon. Rukman Senanayake.

¶ 02 After the demise of Hon. Dudley Senanayake in 1973, when Hon. Rukman Senanayake entered politics representing Dedigama, he later left the United National Party after a dispute with Hon. J. R. Jayewardene and formed a party called the “United Lanka Jathika Pakshaya.” Our party, in alliance with that party, faced a parliamentary election for the first time. We also contested alone as a party. In districts like Kegalle, we fielded our candidates under the symbol of the “United Lanka Jathika Pakshaya” together with him, and we contested. We had a close friendship. That is one aspect.

¶ 03 On the other hand, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, which today is a principal partner of this Government, worked with us during the 1988 period of terror. Before Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike contested the presidential election, we formed an alliance called the DPA – Democratic People’s Alliance. The JVP, then a proscribed organization posing a significant threat, secretly worked with us within that alliance. Acting as the host on those occasions was Hon. Rukman Senanayake. It was at his Woodlands residence that we surreptitiously met former JVP leaders like Gamini Gamanayake. With us, Hon. Dharmasiri Senanayake also participated in those discussions on behalf of Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike. I must very sensitively recall today that Hon. Rukman Senanayake supported and hosted those clandestine efforts for the alliance at a very dangerous time when the JVP was banned.

¶ 04 He was also a person who always spoke with a smiling face, who extended help, and who showed great affection for artists. He was a photographer—especially like our Leader of the Opposition and like Hon. Dudley Senanayake. Dudley Senanayake always arrived at official functions with a camera slung over his shoulder; that habit was in him too. I had the opportunity to work with him in several Cabinets. After returning to the United National Party, he was recognized as a person who also held the post of Chairman of the party. Representing districts such as Kegalle and Polonnaruwa, he served as a distinguished figure in this Parliament. I pray that he attains the bliss appropriate to his faith.

¶ 05 Likewise, I must speak about the late Hon. Sirinal de Mel. He was a standard-bearer in the trade union movement, especially in the National Employees Union. He served as the General Secretary of the National Employees Union for a long period. Even during the time of terror, when several members of that union were brutally killed, he bravely carried that movement forward. He was instrumental in rallying the trade unions towards the great victory of 1977. He can be hailed as an indelible figure in the history of the United National Party. His son is currently working in the Kesbewa electorate representing the Samagi Jana Balawegaya. On this occasion, I express my condolences to him and to all his family on the demise of Hon. Sirinal de Mel.

¶ 06 Next, speaking of the late Hon. A. A. Reginald Perera, he entered politics and served as Mayor of the Wattala–Mabola Urban Council. Thereafter, he was appointed as Organizer for the Mahara electorate. When I first entered Parliament in 1994, he too entered Parliament with me. Especially, he was a standard-bearer representing the Christian wing of the United National Party; that would be correct to say. The Members who spoke before me have sufficiently elaborated on his service. I pray that he attains the reward of his faith.

¶ 07 Finally, with your leave, I will speak in Tamil regarding the late Hon. Dr. I. M. Ilyas.

¶ 08 Dr. I. M. Ilyas was a towering personality who left a significant imprint in the political history of the Muslims of this country. Though he began his political journey from the Puttalam District, in 1977 he contested as a candidate of the Tamil United Liberation Front through the Muslim United Front under the Rising Sun symbol. I have with me his first campaign handbill. What it stated was very important, in my view. It read: “Voters of Puttalam! The guardian of truth, the young leader of the Islamic Tamil nation, Dr. I. M. Ilyas, calls you to the electoral battlefield. Are you ready? For the liberation of the Tamil nation, Dr. I. M. Ilyas leaps into the fray. The final battle is at hand. Arrayed against us are the marching columns of injustice and oppression; state power and billions of rupees. We have no weapon but the non-violence policy of Thanthai Selva; we have no money or wealth—only our principles burning in our hearts.” With such revolutionary expressions it continued, and it concluded urging: “Vote for the Rising Sun symbol to ensure the victory of Dr. I. M. Ilyas!”

¶ 09 From that period—since the 1977 parliamentary election—when the politics of the Tamil people and the politics of Tamil-speaking Muslims were inseparably interwoven, the late Dr. Ilyas was an indispensable figure in Muslim politics in Sri Lanka. He later joined us as an early member of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress and carried out his work. He was elected as a Member of Parliament for Jaffna. The displaced people in the Puttalam District—the people of the Vanni and Jaffna—will not forget him. In 1990, when Muslims were forcibly expelled at gunpoint from the North by the Tigers and sought refuge in Puttalam, it was the late Ilyas who gave them sanctuary and extended a helping hand, standing up for them. There is a long recorded history about this, but time does not permit me to elaborate.

¶ 10 Next, his Salt Satyagraha campaign was important. Following in the footsteps of Mahatma Gandhi’s Salt Satyagraha, he undertook a salt foot march up to Kurunegala to bring the issues of the people to the attention of the Government.

¶ 11 Dr. Ilyas had many revolutionary facets in his political life. I will mention one here. Once, in the Madina Nagar area, during the Friday Jumu’ah, our late close friend Abdulla Hazrath was invited to deliver the khutbah. When he began, he asked for a stick to use as an asa (staff). In the urgency of the moment, Dr. Ilyas handed over the AK‑47 rifle he had with him and asked him to use it to deliver the sermon. The next day, the newspapers sensationalized it, and it became a great controversy. The then Minister of Defence, Ranjan Wijeratne, was extremely angry and there was a time when he wanted to arrest our late leader Ashraff, Dr. I. M. Ilyas, and Abdulla Hazrath. I do not have time now to recount all such episodes as I must proceed to the Friday prayers.

¶ 12 Finally, on behalf of my party, I extend my deepest condolences to the family of the late Dr. I. M. Ilyas—especially to his son Dr. Inthikaf, and his daughters Jemina, a former Puttalam Municipal Councillor, and Fasmia—and I pray that the late Ilyas attains Jannat ul‑Firdaws. Wassalam.