Hon. M.S. Uthumalebbe

¶ 01 Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim.

¶ 02 Hon. Presiding Member, I am grateful for the opportunity to speak on the condolence motions for the late Hon. P. Dayaratna, Hon. Gamini Lokuge, Hon. Indradasa Hettiarachchi, Hon. M.H. Sehu Iszadeen, and Hon. W.B. Ranatunga. This is my first time addressing a condolence motion since becoming an MP.

¶ 03 Hon. P. Dayaratna was a senior politician of our Ampara District. He was elected in 1977 from Ampara as a UNP candidate and served in Parliament from 1977 to 2015. He served as District Minister, Deputy Minister of Power and Energy, Minister of Power and Energy, Minister of Lands, Irrigation and Mahaweli Development, and Minister of Food Security, rendering service to the district, the Eastern Province, and the country. He maintained good relations with all communities, particularly Tamils and Muslims. During my tenure as Provincial Minister for Roads and Irrigation, although he did not hold office then, I was able to associate him in development works for Sinhala-populated areas from Dehiattakandiya to Panama, in recognition of his stature as a senior leader. On behalf of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress and the people of Ampara, I convey condolences to his wife, children, family and all who mourn him, and similarly to the families of the other former Members.

¶ 04 Another senior leader of our district was the late M.H. Sehu Iszadeen. He was a teacher — I was his student. Today I have the honour to speak on my teacher’s condolence motion. Beginning as an English teacher at Akkaraipattu Zahira College, he later became a lawyer, a renowned poet, Opposition Leader of the North-Eastern Provincial Council, MP, Deputy Minister, State Minister and Non-Cabinet Minister — a great political strength to the people of Ampara.

¶ 05 In 1985, he focused on the security of the Muslim community, and by 1986 he was engaged in political advocacy as well. When the Sri Lankan and Indian governments were discussing devolution and a merged North-Eastern Province for Tamils, he and M.I.M. Muhideen argued that if a Tamil unit was to be created through merger and devolution, a Muslim-majority administrative unit should also be created by uniting Muslim-majority areas in the North and East. On 09.08.1986, as leaders of the Eastern Province Muslim Front, Muhideen and Sehu Iszadeen presented a proposal for a Muslim-majority province in the East. It was broadly accepted then, later evolving into proposals for a non-contiguous Muslim unit within a merged North-East, and further concepts like Muslim self-determination and Muslim autonomy. It is a point of pride that both Muhideen and Sehu Iszadeen hailed from Akkaraipattu, near my own village.

¶ 06 Sri Lanka has nine provinces. Devolution on a provincial basis need not cause fear — but it should not be only about a Tamil merger; it must also account for Muslims in the North and East. Sehu Iszadeen joined the SLMC in 1986 and was a loyal, even valiant, lieutenant to its founder, the late A.H.M. Ashraff, standing by him when Muslims in the North and East were under threat and voiceless.

¶ 07 He served as Opposition Leader of the North-Eastern Provincial Council (1989–1990), then as National List MP for the UNP in 2000, for the SLFP in 2001, and for the UPFA in 2005. He served as Deputy Minister for Small and Rural Industries, Deputy Minister of Highways, Deputy Minister of Information and Mass Media, and finally as Non-Cabinet Minister for Export Development. I convey my deepest condolences to his wife, children, family and supporters, and pray that Allah grants him Jannah. I also extend condolences to the families of the other former Members. Thank you.