The political destiny of Muslim community in Sri Lanka

-By DR RIFAI.UK-

What is the political destiny of nearly 2 million Muslims in Sri Lanka? Do we leave it in the hands of incompetent Muslim political leaders to decide what is good for the entire Muslims in Sri Lanka? Today we have nearly 20 representatives of Muslim MPs in our parliament. Some of them are competent people and the majority of Muslim MPs are incompetent. Are we going to leave the political leadership of Muslim community in the hands of people like Aswar, Fouzi, Abdul Cader, Hisbualla, Ataullah, Moulana,  And other people like them. Today the quality and commitment of Muslim political leadership is gone down dramatically in Sri Lanka. The Muslim political leadership does not have Islamic background or even communal commitment and responsibilities rather they become selfish people who make money out of politics. The Muslim political leadership must have two main characteristics in them. 1) Sound Islamic knowledge, 2).  Sound communal commitment with full competency in politics. We do not see these qualities in our political leadership today. This is indeed, unfortunate, we do not see charismatic leadership qualities of TB, Jaya and Ashraf in today’s leaders of our community. Muslim leadership should put communal interest over their personal interest. But what we see is that their personal interest overtakes their communal interest. 

Today, Muslim politics is divided in at least five or six camps. Some Muslim representatives are with UNP, some are with SLFP, Some are with SLMC, Some are with MNC, some are with newly formed NFGG. Working as fragmented political entities is not good at all for Muslims in Sri Lanka. Our geopolitical condition do not permit us to be divided in many political fronts. This would not bring any benefits for Muslims in Sri Lanka. We will lose our representation rate and percentage if each party wants to nominate one candidate for forthcoming general election. The more we are united the more we could have representation in parliament election. We have seen what happened in some of the provincial council elections. Too many Muslim candidates competed in some areas and non won the place. This happened in Uva provincial council election. In western countries Muslim live as a minorities and hence they know well having a separate political parties of their own would not helped Muslim community. Muslim candidates work alongside with national political parties. Think about our situation before Muslim congress came into politics. 

Abu Sally of Balangoda, ACS Hameed of Harispathuwa, MH Mohamed of Borella, and some other Muslim MPs are elected with Sinhalese votes. I would argue that Muslim community should work along national politics. We should have representatives in main two opposition parties. This means we should have not SLMC should not operate outside North and East. No Muslim parties should operate outside North & East. Identical Muslim political parties may function in Eastern province where Muslim live predominantly. Otherwise, our Muslim representation will go down dramatically if we try do selfish politics on our discretion. It is high time now before general election to think about this. This warning is done now so Muslims should not regret after general election. I think that we should go with national parties so that we could secure some Sinhalese votes in some places as well. Town such as Puttalam, Beruwala, Akurana, and Mawanella could have their own Muslim MPs if we go along with national parties and bargain for Muslim nomination from UNP or SLFP.     

 We should tell Muslim public not to vote for some of failed politicians. Even they should not be allowed to stand for election.  We should tell public that failed politicians should be sent home in this general election. I think that there are only a few good politicians among Muslim community today in Sri Lanka. Out 20 we could say that only a few people are good ones. Some of them are committed to Muslim community and some of them are really working for community. Public should identity them and support them. In my humble view, I would say that Asad Sally, Imthiyas Bakir, Ricahrd Badiudeeed, And Kabir Hashem are some of these good one. Although they do not have good Islamic background they are committed for Muslim cause. I do not know much about Kabir Haseem and his communal commitment and yet, these are some of the people we could see some positive politics. I think that Muslim congress utterly failed in some part of Sri Lanka. Its politics may be viable to Eastern province and its politics in other part of Sri Lanka does not bring any good for Muslim community and I think that Muslim congress should be dismantled in other part of Sri Lanka. They should only work in Eastern province. Muslim politics in other part of Sri Lanka should function with collaboration with main political parties otherwise, we will be politically marginalised in Sri Lanka. 

  We are living in Sri Lanka as a second minorities, we are scattered all over the country. Tamils have some geographical control at least in the North and East and even that type of domination we do not have anywhere in Sri Lanka. In this condition we should think practically and more appropriately. We should not know our limitation and our strength in competing with others in politics. We should be clever enough and politically vigilant and awaken to engage in politics. Political leadership with coloration with academics and intellectual should take some crucial decisions that affect Muslim community. More importantly we should shift our attention from communal politics into national politics, what I mean Muslim politicians should win the hearts and minds of entire nation through their broader political agenda that aim at the nation building process beyond communal constraints.  We should have ACS Hameed type politicians today to win back good will of entire nations. This does not mean that Muslim MPs totally ignore Muslim community. Muslim cultural and religious identity should be protected with the politics of Muslim in Sri Lanka.