“Time for a new Muslim leadership in Sri Lanka!”

Rishad Bathiudeen (Leader of All Ceylon Makkal Congress) speaking to Muslim Clergy in Colombo on 26 March night, said that, there is now a need for new leadership for Muslims of Sri Lanka. “In the aftermath of the end of war thanks to (HE) the President Mahinda Rajapaksa, we Muslims were looking forward to a new beginning. But we are facing newer problems. We need a new Leader for Sri Lanka’s Muslims” said Minister Bathiudeen on 25 March.



Minister Bathiudeen, who is also the leader of All Ceylon Makkal Congress, was addressing the election campaign meeting held in Mattzkkuliya, Colombo on 25 March for Muslim Clergy in Colombo.




“In the aftermath of the end of war thanks to (HE) the President Mahinda Rajapaksa, we Muslims were looking forward to a new beginning. But we are facing new problems. After more than 20 years, these Muslim IDPs are not re-settled yet. Many Mosques and Muslim schools in their places of origin stand destroyed. We do not get any support from anyone on this resettlement. Meanwhile, I have been wrongly accused by BBS of destruction of the Wilpattu National Park, creating an exclusive Muslim Zone from Wilpattu to Mannar and creating an ‘arab colony’ in Sri Lanka in the Mannar – Wilpattu area. These are clearly defamatory. And they are intended to create anti-Muslim feelings. I demand an apology for these false statements from BBS and if no apology is made to me or no retraction is made in the next two weeks, I ask BBS for $ 3.8 Mn in compensation. If no compensation is made, then I will institute legal proceedings. There is a need for new leadership for Sri Lanka’s Muslims.”