Rishad braves stone attacks in East

Rishad braves stone attacks in East, gets rousing welcome

• Thwarted meetings, stone attacks for ACMC’s first Eastern foray
• ‘Even Late Leader Hon Ashraff was attacked in East’-Rishad
• Says ACMC undaunted
• Eastern women, youth starting to rally round ACMC

Minister of Industry and Commerce, ACMC’s leader and Vanni MP Rishad Bathiudeen is receiving a rousing welcome almost everywhere in East–while braving jealous rivals at every corner and being thwarted from meeting Eastern voters in many places. The security cordon of ACM Leader who is currently campaigning in East was also suddenly beefed up on 08 August after he was stone-attacked while addressing the evening meeting at Irakkam, a mere 10 Km from Ampara. Eastern women and youth Muslim voters appear to be increasingly drawn to ACMC campaigns taking place since last week.

The security cordon of ACM Leader Rishad Bathiudeen who is currently campaigning in East is seen beefed up on 08 August after he was stone-attacked while addressing the evening meeting at Irakkam, a mere 10 Km from Ampara.

“When Sri Lanka Muslim Congress’ first late leader Hon Ashraff started the party and arrived in East, he was threatened in many Eastern cities and was even attacked by stones” said ACMC Leader Rishad addressing the Eastern voters in Sammanturai on 08 August evening. “This was the nature of appreciation a leader of such status received when he tried to protect the rights of Muslims of Sri Lanka. Today our party ACMC is arriving for campaigning in East for the first time and I too have been greeted in the same way. Today I have been stone attacked, threatened and our party supporters in East are also being intimidated. We know who is behind these acts and we are undaunted. After the demise of late leader Hon Ashraff, we can see the decline of Eastern Muslims everywhere today. The new SLMC leadership has victimised Eastern Muslims rather than helping them. They are inundated with livelihood issues-be it farming or fishing or business. Most people in this area cannot remember as to when any infrastructure developments took place here. I urge the Eastern Muslim voters to give us just one opportunity and return ACMC candidates to Parliament. We promise that you will witness a new era for Eastern Muslims.”

Some Eastern ACMC rallies were thwarted and a tense situation ensued when political rivals nearly thwarted another key meeting of ACMC at Sammanturai city at noon on 8 August.

ACMC is fielding 10 candidates to 7 slots of Digamadulla District’s electorates of Ampara, Kalmunai, Sammanthurai and Potuvil in Eastern Province. It is contesting alone in East while in Northern Province, with the UNP.