Muslim school to function with Sinhala name in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 30 June 2010, 19:32 GMT]
Nallakuddiyaa'ru Muslim School has been given a Sinhalese name as Namalwatte Vidiyalayam without identifying it as a Muslim school. A Sinhalese woman Principal has been appointed with four Muslim teachers to Muslim students about 65. Not even a single Sinhala student is studying in the school which is located in Nallakuddiyaa'ru Muslim village in Morawewa (Muthalikku'lam) division in Trincomalee district. This school comes under the Trincomalee Zonal Education Office.

The change of name from Nallakuddiyaa'ru Muslim School to Namalwatte Vidiyalayam has taken place without the decision of the school development society and other education authorities concerned. Eastern Provincial Education Ministry Secretary who is a Sinhalese is reported to have given permission to change the name of the school, according to parents of the school.

Morawewa came into existence with the state aided colonization scheme carried by the central government in Trincomalee district since the country gained independence from the British. Earlier the village was called Muthalikku'lam in Tamil.

Since the war against the LTTE came to a finish last year every step is being taken by the central government and provincial council officials belong to majority community to erase the identity of Tamil and Muslim communities in their traditional villages in the north and east, especially in the east, Tamil sources complain.