The Hon. Sivagnanam Shritharan

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, today we commemorate the late former Members of Parliament: Hon. P. Dayaratna, Hon. Gamini Lokuge, Hon. Indradasa Hettiarachchi, Hon. M. H. Cegu Isadean, and Hon. W. B. Ranatunga. This day is one to remember their actions and thoughts. I have known Hon. Gamini Lokuge since I became a Member of Parliament and have seen his activities. I offer my deepest condolences to his family and to the families of the other late former Members.

¶ 02 The late Cegu Isadean was a good Member of Parliament and one of the founders of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, helping lay its foundation. As an attorney and a fine poet under the name “Vedanthi”, he carried out his political work admirably. Though born in Akkaraipattu, he worked greatly for the advancement of Muslim brothers in the North and East, including Batticaloa and Ampara. At that time, he also undertook some efforts regarding Tamil unity. Particularly under the 13th Amendment introduced by the 1987 Indo-Lanka Accord, in the merged North-East Provincial Council, he properly discharged his duties as Leader of the Opposition.

¶ 03 In the first clause of the Constitution of the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK), it is clearly stated that we always support a governance structure for all peoples within Sri Lanka, ensuring Muslim self-determination. ITAK remains the only party that has explicitly stated that Tamils have a homeland in the North and East. Even the SLMC has not openly said so. Some Muslim leaders have recently been making wrong and inflammatory remarks. From the time of the peace talks between the LTTE and the Government in 2001 until 2006, Hon. Rauff Hakeem, now the Leader of the SLMC, participated in some sessions and even visited Kilinochchi to meet the LTTE Leader Prabhakaran. When he visited, arrangements were made even to bring his own cook, at Prabhakaran’s guidance. From Thondaman and Selvam to Sampanthan, Tamil leaders held clear views on Muslim rights. With good intent, Tamils worked so that Muslims could accomplish much, and at times Tamils made concessions to facilitate that.

¶ 04 Even Hon. Hakeem himself has publicly stated on stage that he demolished a Hindu temple in Ampara and built a structure there; that he procured weapons and gave them to the Home Guards; that he formed an organization called “Jihad”. Videos of such statements exist to this day. Even so, we hold no anger towards Muslims. In wartime, there are wounds and mistakes on both sides. During the struggle, Muslim brothers, too, fought alongside the LTTE and have fallen as martyrs in Jaffna, Ampara and Batticaloa. In the Kanagapuram Resting Place in Kilinochchi, there remains even today the grave of a Muslim brother.