Presiding Officer, the Clergy, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am very much honoured by the
kind invitation extended to me by the Ministry of
Constitutional Affairs and National Integration
to be with you on this significant occasion to share
with you my views on the present peace process.
For the second time, we have converged
here to discuss about bringing about the lasting
peace to this war-torn country from anywhere. We
met here before on 29th of January 2005 to discuss
the same theme, and as far as I can remember, I
have insisted on “give and take approach”
if we really and honestly want to see a lasting
peace and tranquility between the warring factions
and suggested a peace and reconciliation committee
comprising representatives of all the parties and
communities to achieve this gigantic target.
Almost six months have passed since
the tidal wave devastated our blessed motherland,
and we are waiting anxiously with every passing
day for the promising peace to come. Unfortunately
more and more misunderstandings and more and more
disputes cross our path pushing back the progress
of the widely expected peace. For me, all these
misunderstandings and disputes are preventable if
we steadfastly dedicate ourselves to peace.
With great hesitation I would like
to point out the very recent happening in the Trincomalee
District. The controversial Buddha statue in Trincomalee
has provoked the Tamil community, and we happened
to hear nasty commotions from not only where the
Tamil community is in a majority but also in the
Supreme Council of this country.
I humbly request you all not to
brand me as a sympathizer of anti-Buddha statue
campaigners. On the contrary, I would like to raise
the question why we tend to do such things while
the country is at stake and there are more and more
to do in haste to see the country rising to its
feet once again. I honestly believe that such inappropriate
actions in inappropriate times could jeopardize
the peace process rather than instilling of religious
values into people.
As the representative of the highest
religious authority of the Muslim community of Sri
Lanka, I believe that religious institutions and
religious leaders have a crucial role to play for
the stability of the country. They could build a
bridge between the political leaders and people
in order to scale down tensions when controversial
issues crop up. Both the general public and the
political leaders need advice and guidance of the
religious leaders. Religious leaders must have common
strategy to guide the new generation that could
lead the country without hatred, discriminations
and ethnic differences.
At this juncture I wish to point
out a very saddening attitude of the political leaders.
They fail to obtain the advice of the religious
leaders at the initial stage of planning, designing,
etc. But if the worst comes to the worst, then only
the politicos open their eyes and tend to listen
to the religious leaders. The saddest part of this
phenomenon is that some politicians try to put the
blame on the religious leaders at the last moment
when everything has fizzled out.
Unless all the communities respect
each other in all aspects, understand the feelings
of each other, preserve the rights of one another,
have regard for the theories of equality of human
beings, brotherhood of human beings and freedom
of faith and adopt the “give and take approach”,
peace cannot materialize, and Herculean efforts
of the religious leaders and others to establish
peace will, undoubtedly, end in vain.
Let me conclude by saying that
we cannot bring down peace from heaven. It has to
come out from the bottom of the heart of each and
every citizen of this country.
May Almighty Allah bless this beautiful
Island with eternal peace, happiness and prosperity
and make today’s discussion constructive,
successful and fruitful.
Thank you.
