Feb 8 (IL) Sri Lanka Muslim Congress Leader Rauff Hakeem has declared his party’s contentment on the Co-Chairs assertion that the aid provided for the post tsunami reconstruction must be linked to the peace process.
During a meeting with European Union Ambassador Wouter Wilton at the SLMC Leader’s Residence in Kollupitiya, Mr. Hakeem also emphasised the need for a ‘collective Muslim response’, which would assist the community in vital decision making matters.
He further stressed that, keeping this in mind the SLMC and the National Unity Alliance headed by Mrs. Ferial Ashraff signed an agreement thereby establishing the Muslim Peace Secretariat.
Mr. Hakeem also informed the Ambassador that the Muslim Peace Secretariat was currently working towards establishing a ‘collective Muslim response’, which would urge the decision makers to link the post tsunami reconstruction to the peace process.
Ambassador Wilton in response emphasised the fact that the Sri Lankan Government, LTTE, Opposition and all other respective parties should make use of the tsunami experience into a positive environment. The need to establish a positive environment, which would in time lead to reconciliation, was very much intimated by Mr. Wilton.
