Hakim to meet his rival Athaullah on LTTE proposals

[TamilNet, Monday, 03 November 2003, 11:13 GMT]
Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) leader and Minister Mr.Rauff Hakim on his return to Colombo Monday from Britain is scheduled to meet his rival and Minister Mr.A.L.M. Athaullah on Wednesday to discuss LTTE's proposal on the Interim Self Governing Authority (ISGA), political sources in Colombo said Sunday.

Mr.Athaullah is the leader of the SLMC rival group named Ashraff Congress which was formed after Mr.Athullah broke away from the SLMC after a power struggle within the SLMC.

However both factions of the SLMC are in the United National Front (UNF) government, sources said.

Other Muslim members of Ashraf Congress, parliamentarians Dr.A.M.Hafrath and Mr.Azeez, are to accompany Mr.Athaullah in talks with the SLMC leader Mr.Rauff Hakim, sources said.

Mr. Hakim has said according to reports reaching Colombo that the future of NorthEast Muslims needs to be discussed to form a consensus on a common programme when peace talks between the Sri Lanka government and the LTTE begins in the early part of next year, political sources said.

The National Unity Alliance (NAU), which is led by Ms Ferial Ashraff, Amparai district parliamentarian, met Saturday and held discussions on the ISGA proposals.

NUA vice president and parliamentarian Mr.M.L.A.M.Hisbullah later said the ISGA proposed by the LTTE meets the aspirations of Tamils and not of Muslims. "However we have to prepare an alternate proposal safeguarding the interests of Muslims in the northeast," he said.

Mr.Hisbullah added he would be tabling alternate proposal at the next meeting of the North East Muslim Parliamentarians' Forum, which is expected to meet on November 6 in Colombo, sources said.