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Army Chief s comments on minorities not right - Hakeem
Saturday, 27 September 2008 - 10:26 PM SL Time
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I am disturbed by the strong anti-minority sentiments expressed by Army Commander Sarath Fonseka during his interview and his assertion that Sri Lanka belongs to the Sinhalese, said Sri Lanka Muslim Congress Leader Rauff Hakeem.
The SLMC leader issued a statement yesterday (26th Sept) in response to remarks made by the Army Commander, on minorities.
Lt. Gen. Fonseka was interviewed by the Canadian newspaper National Post on 25th September.
The nature of the attack on the minorities in the interview borders on racism. His request for minorities not to make demands is totally uncalled for and only goes to create a fear psychosis among the minorities at this critical juncture of the conflict, the SLMC statement said.
Even in the armed forces and the police one gets Muslims and Tamils holding even top positions and serving the country with a strong sense of commitment. These comments are an insult to Muslims and Tamils who have shed blood and sweat to gain independence for this country and helped to develop Sri Lanka, the statement further adds.
Even the ordinary Muslim and Tamil in this country have their own contributions to society. They have added a lot to the vibrancy of the Sri Lankan economy and culture. It is a crime to say that they do not deserve equal treatment as Sinhalese, the statement says.
Mr. Hakeem insists he would rather have the Army Commander let politicians comment on political issues as remarks like these only go to break the bridges built between communities.
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noworries
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 22
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 27 Sep 2008 16:56:59 GMT Report for Abuse
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| Thank goodness Sarath Fonseka is not a politician. This is not the way to rebuild a broken nation. |
alwaysalion
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 27 Sep 2008 18:19:43 GMT Report for Abuse
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He got carried away!
Too many successful raids and victories..... |
Parasuram
Joined: Dec 2006
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27 Sep 2008 19:16:42 GMT Report for Abuse
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Sri Lanka belongs to the Sinhalese
Even moderate, anti LTTE Tamils and Muslims are going to think, What Velu thought about Sinhala Buddhist Talibans is true, in the name of fighting terrorism these Sinhala Buddhist Talibans are busy occupying North East and Velu has been vindicated.
If the army commander of UK or USA had said this type racial things he would have been kicked out from the job by now.
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Ruhunu
Joined: Jul 2008
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 28 Sep 2008 04:16:33 GMT Report for Abuse
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He is being the best friend for the minorities right now because when the war is won, the minorities will benefit most.
Contrast him with Prabakaran who is the Curse to the minorities |
p007
Joined: May 2006
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 28 Sep 2008 04:20:43 GMT Report for Abuse
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Mr. Hakeem insists he would rather have the Army Commander let politicians comment on political issues as remarks like these only go to break the bridges built between communities.
Comments like these are acceptable to the Politicians and the Army Commander is quite safe with such comments. If he made any comments on the need for a political solution satisfactory to the minorities, he would have been wrapped. He knows which side of his bread to butter. May be he is eyeing a political career after retirement! |
Arowana
Joined: May 2007
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 28 Sep 2008 05:02:47 GMT Report for Abuse
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| No doubt Army chief Sarath Fonseka should be penalised for saying such remarks that hurts the Mulsim and Tamil minority. Or is the Army chief reflecting the 'True Mentality' of Government and its extreme Singhala Budhist groups? Whatever it is, these kinds of remarks only pave the way for more terrorism and the minority will feel that there are no other ways but to take up arms. Singhalese please dont burn the candle at both ends. |
Sam007
Joined: Aug 2005
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28 Sep 2008 07:47:14 GMT Report for Abuse
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Mr-Hakeem,
It's not a insult to Tamils or Muslims. You are talking about their contribution to the nation as a minority. No one will disagree with you. But the fact is, if you are a minority in a country you are the 2nd best whether we like it or not. There are so many sri lankans live and work in gulf countries and they contribute to the full fillment of that nation for a wage. you see hig rise buildings are beingmade and world wonders are being made by these peopel, but are they traeted as equal to the local? Locals does not even make up to 1% of the toatl population of thises countries but they are the majority. what shall we do about that? do we have a say in it when you are there? No not for sure.
Sr Lanka is not saying that, why should we have tamil speking schools, with Tamil speaking Teachers, whay should we have leaders in the parliment like Mr.Hakeem or any other? Why should we have a system for all the citizens to go about their religions? What Mr.Fonseka mentioned is that Minorities should not ask for undue demands cos if those demands are met what will happend to the Majority and their demads cos the majority can maje demads all the time cos they are the mjority.
So, it's a very technical issue than what you think, don't take the face value of it, see the bottome line. |
Vishnu
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 28 Sep 2008 08:27:12 GMT Report for Abuse
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Well said Sam,
Ask Hakkem to take a Buddha statue to Saudi, then I'll listen to him. |
sivasubramani
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 28 Sep 2008 10:16:59 GMT Report for Abuse
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This general in the 1990s had a miserable record of failure in the Northern front when soldiers in thousands were sacrificed in defeat after defeat in the battles he was involved in. For this he was sidelined in the armed forces until the Rajapakses' regime came along. Army desertions ran in tens of thousands then. Today it is no better. In the short six months since January 2008 over 14 000 have reportedly (government source) deserted sadly 13 per cent of the armed forces. Desertions are indicators of army morale which also belies much of the victory hype. Desertions are bound to escalate as the battle moves deeper into the Tamil heartland. The much hyped up victory pleases the Buddhist/Sinhalas not the minorities including the Muslims especially in view of Fonseka's ominous comments. Also a new breed of SL apologists like Fonseka peddle the JVP line. One such apologist is the author of 'Amity after the War' in Lankanewspaper.com 28 August 2008 who elaborates the JVP line. Quotes from a critique to the 'amity' article titled 'The Tamil Cause - Accession/Merger with Tamil Nadu/India' in several websites should restore some balance in the general's mindset (politically ambitious Musharaf wrested the leadership in Pakistan)to forewarn that populist comments do turn counter-productive too. For political posturing one is tempted to steal the limelight when events seem to move well but do not forget the fate that awaits (sidelined) should the 1990 reverses repeat.
The quote referred to above is as follows:
'The word 'amity'in the SL context involves recognising the identity of the Tamils, the core issue in the SL conflict. The author omits reference to the identity issue underlying the 5+decades long SL genocide and concentrates on addressing the few listed 'grievances' for amity to miraculously dawn in SL. To the Tamils facing the life threatening savage genocide, 'grievances' are irrelevant as much as autonomy, devolution, federalism and even a separate state. None of these guarantee the Tamils' survival in SL. Accession/merger with Tamil Nadu/India offers the only viable guarantee for survival.'
'This author's atypical Buddhist/Sinhala thinking is so ethno-centric that the proposals again attempts to short change the Tamils for concessions on the old inconsequential grievances ..without arrangements that guarantee security from any future genocide on the Tamils. SL's policies hitherto were 'colossal betrayals' that only accession to TN/India offers the security the Tamils desperately crave for.'
Thus the hyped up victory is not going to end the conflict in SL. It takes the Tamil cause to the next logical phase. for details on which please read the blog in Sulekha.com
V S Subramaniam
Edited By - sivasubramani - 29 Sep 2008 00:32:58 GMT |
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