Lankamuslim.com

Eastern Provincial Council  member K.M.A. Razaack (Jawaad) speaking at the opening ceremonial function of peripheral unit at Ashraff Nagar in Oluvil said that expansion of 658 acres area of Degavaapy to 12,000 acres under sacred land programme was a terrible injustice done to the Muslim community.

He said “there is a necessity for Muslim leaderships to joint together to raise their voices over this issue”. He thanked Provincial Health Minister M.L.A.M. Hisbullah for setting up this peripheral unit and said that he was happy that the minister had eased the difficulties of the people who had to walk a distance of nearly 10 kilometres to take treatment for their illnesses.

Provincial Health Minister Hisbullah taking part as Chief Guest at this function declared open the Peripheral Unit where the Kalmunai Regional Health Services Director Ibralebbe was present.

muslimguardian

Muslim women prohibited of wearing Burgini in an Italian town

Varallo Sesia ,a town located in Italy has banned wearing of Muslim women’s swimming attire named burqini.

This body concealing attire consists of a headscarf, tunic and loose leggings.

The Muslim women who are trying to break the new law would have to face a fine of  €500 (£430). Italy authorities have taken this decision saying that the sight of women would disturb small children( Great joke what about Nude) and  it would  cause hygienic  problems to these women.

An official named Gianluca Buonanno said that if any western woman is bathing in a bikini in a Muslim country  ,they  would be decapitated or face a  deportation.

Friday, 21 August 2009 14:49 (Colombo-Lankapuvath-August 21) – Board of Investment and Blue Star Constructions signed an agreement to construct a residential complex at Rajagiriya.

The residential complex is an investment of US $ 25 million sponsored by investors from Iran. The complex will include 240 apartments in 3 towers constructed in a 180 perch land. The residential apartments are targeted for middle and high income sectors.

The company will commence construction shortly and is expected to commence construction within 2 ½ Years.

Special leave facility will be offered to the Muslim employees during the Ramzan period announced the Ministry of Labour Relation and Manpower.

Accordingly State sector employees will be entitled for special leave to attend to religious observances during the Ramzan period from 21st of August to the 21st of September.

Minister of Labour Relation and Manpower Hon, Athauda Senivirathne issuing a communiqué requested the Private sector employers to grant leave to the Private sector Muslim employees too.
The Minister also requested the employers to the pay  the festival salary advance 14 days prior to the expiry of the Ramzan period to the eligible Muslim employees.

The Daily prayer times are 03.30am to 06.00 am, 03.15 pm to 04.15pm, 06.00pm to 07.00 pm, and 07.30 pm to 10.30 pm.

Work shifts and leave periods can be arranged accordingly.

The director of Batticaloa Teaching Hospital Dr. Murukanandan declared open a rehabilitation unit at the Teaching Hospital in Batticaloa at 9.00 AM today.

The Handicap International donated rupees 7 million worth of prostheses (artificial limbs) to this unit. The country director of Handicap International Ms. Nuriavendita was present at the opening ceremony where the Additional District Secretary of Batticaloa Kathireswaran was also present.

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) while expressing shock and horror over the numerous instances of police brutality against unarmed civilians has called on the government to produce those responsible before a Court of law.

President of the BASL, W. Dayaratne, said that they are shocked and horrified over the numerous instances of police brutality against unarmed civilians, in particular the killing of two youth by police officers attached to the Angulana Police Station last week and the violent attack on a young student of the Sri Lanka Institute of Technology in Malabe, in the previous week by a team of police officers including a Senior Superintendent of Police.

“Whilst condemning these acts of brutality and violence with the greatest vehemence at its command, the Bar Association emphasises that these acts of violence have caused revulsion amongst society concerning the primary law enforcement agency entrusted with statutory responsibility of protecting the people. We call upon the Government to take immediate steps to prevent the recurrence of such acts of brutality and violence and urges the Attorney General, Secretary, Ministry of Defence and Inspector General of Police to take all necessary steps to ensure compliance with the due process of the law in bringing those responsible before the appropriate Court,” he added.

island

The Board of Investment has approved the setting up of the first ever commercial windmills in the island, to be built in the Puttalam District.

Director of the Government Information Department Anusha Palpita speaking to Daily Mirror online said that the project which will build two windmills, is the first ever commercially approved by the BOI

dailymirror

India’s main opposition, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday axed one of its senior leaders, Jaswant Singh, who is also a close aide of former prime minister Atal  Behari Vajpayee for writing the biography of Pakistan founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah, ‘Jinnah – India-Partition-Independence’ and then going to the town that he had been inspired by the ‘self-made’ leader of Muslim League.

Four years back, in June 2005, L K Advani, the chief architect of BJP was forced to resign as party chief for his hailing Jinnah as a secular leader during a weeklong trip to Pakistan. Like Jaswant now, Advani then noted that Jinnah, in his speech to the Constituent Assembly of undivided India on Aug. 11, 1947, had favored a secular, non-theocratic state and was of the view there should be no difference between Hindu and Muslims, as all were its citizens.

The U.S. Government is contributing an additional $6 million for demining activities in Sri Lanka’s Northern Province to help people displaced by the conflict return to their homes as quickly as possible.

This funding, through the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Political and Military Affairs Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement (State/PMWRA), was granted to four non-governmental organizations (NGOs) currently working on demining activities in Sri Lanka.  This additional funding is allowing the demining NGOs to increase their demining capacity and expand their work over the next twelve months.  The demining process includes initial assessments of the land where mines may have been planted, technical surveys of minefields, clearing of mines and the destruction of unexploded ordinance.

DDG (Danish De-Mining Group), FSD (Swiss Foundation for Mine Action), Halo Trust and MAG (Mines Advisory Group) are sharing the award and using the funds to hire additional staff for survey teams and demining teams and to purchase new equipment to remove the mines.

“The U.S. Government is pleased to provide this funding and assist with demining in northern Sri Lanka,” stated James R. Moore, U.S. Charge d’Affaires.  “Demining is a critical step in the process so that people can return to their homes, and we support the Government of Sri Lanka’s commitment to return all those displaced quickly and safely,” he continued.

In addition to this new funding, the Humanitarian Mine Action (HMA) team, a group of U.S. military and civilian demining experts from the Office of the Secretary of Defense, U.S. Pacific Command, Special Operations Command Pacific, and U.S. Army Pacific visited Sri Lanka on June 22-26.

The team met with a number of Sri Lankan government officials, members of the Sri Lankan military and representatives from nongovernmental organizations involved with demining to identify how the United States can best assist the Sri Lankan military in its humanitarian demining efforts in northern Sri Lanka.  The U.S. military, through U.S. Pacific Command, will provide equipment and training to the Sri Lanka Army for humanitarian demining in the Northern Province.

The U.S. Government has provided more than $68 million for humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka in 2008 and 2009, including more than $42 million in emergency food aid and more than $11 million in emergency non-food relief.  Most of this assistance has been directed to serve Sri Lankans displaced by the conflict in the North.

Asian Tribune

The Department of Census and Statistics is conducting a national ‘population and housing’ census, Director General of the Department of Census and Statistics, D.B.P.S. Vidyaratne said. The survey is scheduled to be completed by 2011, Director General added.

This is the first ever national census and statistical survey conducted in Sri Lanka after 30 years with the last survey done 10 years ago which did not include the areas then dominated by the LTTE terrorists.

“The initial work pertaining to the mapping of housing units and collecting data of persons living within a domestic unit has been commenced by now in the Grama Niladari Divisional level,” Vidyaratne further said.

The Department seeks public assistance and cooperation to its local staff and Government officials to make the census accurate

The Anuradhapura Chief Magistrate, speaking during a hearing today involving a journalist, said that no one can dispute the right the public had to obtain information nor can journalists be obstructed from carrying out their duties.

The Bahraini Prime Minister His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Salman Al-Khalifa has announced a cash donation of US$ 1 million to Sri Lanka to be utilized for the resettlement and rehabilitation of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the North. The donation together with a letter from Bahrain Prime Minister to President Mahinda Rajapaksa were handed over by the Bahraini Ambassador Sheikh Khalifa Bin Hamad Al-Khalifa to the Sri Lankan Ambassador Sarath Dissanayake at the Bahrain Embassy in Kuwait on 16th August.

Accepting the donation, Ambassador Dissanayake, on behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka expressed his appreciation to His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Salman Al-Khalifa, the Prime Minister and the Government of the Kingdom of Bahrain for this goodwill gesture which signifies the deep rooted friendship between the two countries.

In the letter, His Highness the Bahraini Prime Minister has expressed his appreciation to President Mahinda Rajapaksa for the warm reception and generous hospitality extended to him and his delegation during his visit to Sri Lanka from 28 – 30 July. This donation is a personal contribution by the Prime Minister of Bahrain which reflects his deep concern and care for the wellbeing of the IDPs in Sri Lanka. It may be recalled that during official talks with President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Bahraini Prime Minister extolled President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s courageous leadership and pledged to support his efforts to usher in a new era of lasting peace and prosperity for all Sri Lankans and to rebuild Sri Lanka’s North.

On the occasion, Mr. Sunil Premaratne, First Secretary from Sri Lanka Embassy in Kuwait and Mr. Isa Ibrahim Ali Al-Thawadi, First Secretary from Bahrain Embassy were also present.

It should also be noted that the Bahraini Prime Minister has recently donated a consignment of dates to be distributed among the Islamic devotees during the Ramadan Fasting season

No one should be above the law and the Government is not prepared to protect anybody who is trying to transcend the legal framework of the country, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said.

“The people who lack self discipline should not be in the service of either the police or Armed Forces. One or two indisciplined persons even in the police could put the country into disrepute. Discipline should be maintained in all institutions”, the President added.

He was speaking at a felicitation ceremony organised by the Ratnapura District Secretariat with the coordination of Maha Sangha and civil society representatives in the Sabaragamuwa Province at the historical Maha Saman Devalaya, Ratnapura.

The ruling UPFA yesterday ruled out the possibility of appointing someone from the All Ceylon Muslim Congress (ACMC) as the deputy mayor of the Jaffna Municipal Council saying no such agreement had been struck between the two parties before the election.

After the election, the ACMC, led by Resettlement and Disaster Relief Services Minister Rizath Bathiudeen, requested the government to appoint one of their members as the deputy mayor of Jaffna. The ACMC which contested the election for the Jaffna municipality on the UPFA ticket won four seats. The EPDP which also contested the election under the same symbol got nine seats. Subsequently, the party recommended Mrs. Yogeswari Patkunarajah for the mayoral post and Thurairajah Ilango for the deputy mayoral post.

Asked for his comments in this regard, UPFA Secretary, Education Minister Susil Premajayantha said that the government’s policy was to give prominence to candidates who topped the preferential voter list when making such appointments. Accordingly, the Minister said that the Tamil candidates representing the EPDP would have a better chance of getting these two posts. “EPDP leader Minister Douglas Devananda is to arrive here in Colombo soon. Then, we will make these appointments in consultation with him. The ACMC had not made such a request prior to the election,” he said.

Commenting on the forthcoming Southern Provincial Council, he said that the nomination lists would be finalized by next week. The SLFP candidates have already been identified for the election, while other parties of the ruling UPFA are yet to nominate their candidates for the election. Former Southern Province DIG D.W. Prathapasinghe and film star Anarkali Akarsha are also expected to contest Under the UPFA’s betel leaf symbol.

The Election Commissioner’s Department will accept nominations for the election from August 21 and the last day for nominations is Aug 28.

(Colombo Lankapuvath August 17)Jaffna  U/C  Member  Mr.Ahamed Sultan  Sufyan [Moulavi] who contested in Independent group for Jaffna P/C  Election [The Group leader] met  President Mahinda Rajapaksa after the winning , at Temple trees on 17th August. and he has pledge to support UPFA and joing to Minister Susil Premjayanth . Jaffna UC  member Mr.Subeir Mohomed Munafdeen are also in the picture.

lankapuvath

CAIRO — The holy fasting month of Ramadan will start in Europe on Friday, August 21, according to astronomical calculations, the European Council for Fatwa and Research (ECFR)  has announced.

“The moon of Ramadan will be born on Thursday, August 20, 2009 at 10:02:35 GMT (1:02:35 pm Makkah time),” the Dublin-based council said in an Arabic statement obtained by IslamOnline.net Saturday, August 15.

“Thus Friday, August 21, will be the first day of Ramadan inshallah.”

Turkey and all Balkan countries have already announced that the dawn-to-dusk fasting month will start on Friday, according to astronomical calculations.

The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) said that Ramadan would begin on Saturday, August 22, in North America.

In Ramadan, adult Muslims, save the sick and those traveling, abstain from food, drink, smoking and sex between dawn and sunset.

Muslims dedicate their time during the holy month to become closer to Allah through prayer, self-restraint and good deeds.

It is customary for Muslims to spend part of the days during Ramadan studying the Noble Qur’an.

Many men perform i`tikaf (spiritual retreat), spending the last 10 days of the month exclusively in the mosque.

* Unity

The ECFR urged Muslims worldwide to adopt astronomical calculations in defining the start of the holy fasting month.

“Astronomy is a modern science that reached a great level of accuracy in determining the start and end of lunar months.

“So we urge European Muslims to adopt it in determining the start of lunar months, particularly Ramadan and Shawwal, to help people do their religious duties.

“We also ask mosque officials and scholars in all Muslim countries to respect the clear-cut results of the astronomical calculations to help unify Muslims worldwide.”

The first day of Ramadan and moon sighting have always been a controversial issue among Muslim countries, and even scholars seem at odds over the issue.

While one group of scholars sees that Muslims in other regions and countries are to follow the same moon sighting as long as these countries share one part of the night, another states that Muslims everywhere should abide by the lunar calendar of Saudi Arabia.

A third, however, disputes both views, arguing that the authority in charge of ascertaining the sighting of the moon in a given country announces the sighting of the new moon, then Muslims in the country should all abide by this.

This usually causes confusion among Muslims, particularly in the West, on observing the dawn-to-dusk fasting and celebrating the `Eid Al-Fitr, which marks the end of fasting.

Source: IslamOnlin

//

by Shyamalee Mahibalan Murugesu

During my recent visit to the island I stumbled upon ‘Nobody’s People’ a book by Latheef Farook that gave an excellent view into the Muslims of north and east. The book prompted me to research on the plight of the Colombo Muslims which I feel is a façade created into thinking that they are a rich business community.

The Colombo Central densely populated, highly congested predominantly Muslim areas of Maligawatte, Aluthkade, Maradana, Grandpass, Modera, Central Road,Bloemendhal Road are a huge voter base used by every political party of all hues to their whims during elections time.

Maligawatte, a marshland was transformed by the then president R Premadasainto a township of apartments and shop houses, recreational facility and a movie theatre. Over the years with the changes of ruling parties in typical Sri Lankan fashion, previous projects were ignored. So Maligawatte, like President Premadasa’s many clock towers stopped with time. It failed to provide education, employment opportunities to the youth; instead what it gave drugs, alcohol, and porn (the Ruby Theatre rolls out enough that the likes not seen in Las Vegas). It became a breeding ground for violence supported and created by politicians. Most dreaded of all places is Applewatte, the Mumbai of Sri Lanka, a haven of contract killers and mobsters. There are reported to be many Jamal’s and Saleem’s with big dreams with less or no opportunities to progress in life thus have become easy targets for politicians.

My quest led me to Rauff Zain a university student who is also an editor of the book ‘Abnormal behavior of Muslim youth’ which was sponsored by the world assembly of Muslim youth(WAMY). Written in Tamil the book sheds a light on the life of Colombo’s Muslim youth.

Prior to 1970 education in the Muslim community was given less preference or scant regard and the most educated Muslims were considered to be the Jaffna Muslims. For the rest, other than a few affluent classes, it was family business. After the 70’s, despite its image of wealthy business, the income of Colombo Muslim householders are relatively less and are under urban poverty. Most of the families are engaged in informal wage work or in self employment. So the image of wealth itself is a façade.

Considering the 21 Muslim schools in Colombo including Zahira and Muslim Ladies the progress is reported to be alarming. The research specifies the following issues as a huge contributor. Lack of permanent teachers, lack of resources, drop outs and students with ODD (Oppositional defiant Disorder) Many Muslim youth in Colombo are reported to be reflecting this behavior.

A further survey carried out by the CMC has identified that a total of 77,612 families are currently living in 1614 low income settlements in the city. And 90% of these slum settlements are in the predominant Muslim areas of Central Colombo.

Specifically, residents in the areas Maligawatte, as Rauff Zain pointed out, the houses are so congested that they take turns to sleep alternatively. Usually it’s the youth who sleep outside. So the youth in these areas reflect the social and psychological factors that have influenced their lives. In 2008 police reported to have arrested 10278, mostly Muslim youth for possession of heroin and the type of heroin that’s popular among the youth of Colombo Central is known as no 3 which originates from south west Asia. According to police narcotics bureau it is mostly Muslim businessmen who have been smuggling drugs in to the country. The latest fad among Muslim teenagers is reported to be MAWA, a beeda type of a drug which is a craze among school teenagers. According to reports the Muslim underworld gangs are reported to be operating from the areas of Applewatte and other Colombo central areas bringing the total number of gangs operating in Colombo to 54. According to Rauff Zain’s research the main causes of criminal activities among the youth are urban poverty, illiteracy, political discrimination and political pressure, childhood experience, social segregation, and lack of moral/cultural based education. Many gang members display ODD (oppositional defiant disorder)

Living in such extreme poverty with less hope or no hopes at all, hidden by the rest of the world these young people are easy prey for violence. The Colombo Muslims are lagging way behind in education and only education without political interference can enrich and transform their lives. It has also been established that this youth suffer from anti social behavior and it is vital that the society does not isolate and segregate these youth, instead there should be a mechanism in place to reach out and rehabilitate.

It is interesting to note that the local media is suddenly buzzing with jihad groups and sectarian violence in the Muslim community. This had outraged many since every Muslim knows that he or she has a personal jihad not the one fought with weapons.

It is paramount to understand that the modern Jihad movements in the world are the work of social disparity in a society and nothing religious about them.

Specifically in Sri Lanka it was politics that separated people not their beliefs. It was Blue, Red and Green that divided people, not ideologies. It was the politicians like the British who divided the people to rule. It seems Sri Lankans have become way too passionate about politics that the people cannot build a country beyond political ideology.

It is interesting to reflect on the history of a country that once idealized Sri Lanka. As Singapore celebrates its 44th national day this week all Singaporeans will recite their national pledge. ” we, the citizens of Singapore, pledge ourselves as one united people, regardless of race, language or religion, to build a democratic society based on justice and equality so as to achieve happiness, prosperity and progress for our nation” in English, Malay, and Tamil. This was one country that was built beyond politics and political interference. If Sri Lanka is to become another Singapore, it has to erase political ideologies and free its citizens from the bondage of politics and provide equal opportunity to all its citizens. Let the youth have dreams irrespective of race and religion since disparity and repression are a breeding ground for violence.

The Island

The All Ceylon Muslim Congress (ACMC) led by Resettlement Minister Risath Bathiudeen has staked a claim for the deputy mayoral post in the Jaffna Municipality despite the EPDP having already recommended two names for the posts of mayor and deputy mayor. The ACMC and the EPDP contested the election to the Jaffna Municipal Council under the UPFA’s betel leaf symbol and got four and nine seats respectively. The EPDP led by Social Services and Social Welfare Minister Douglas Devananda has already nominated Mrs. Yogeswari Patkunarajah for the post of mayor and Thurairajah Ilango for the deputy mayoral post.Meanwhile, ACMC General Secretary U.L.M. Hameed said that his party had made a request in writing to UPFA Secretary, Education Minister Susil Premajayantha, asking him to offer the deputy mayoral post to a Muslim representative of his party. Mr. Premajayantha, however, said that the government was yet to take a decision on this issue. “We have received the names of persons recommended by our constituent partners for these posts in the Jaffna municipality. We will take a decision on this later,” he said.

COLOMBO: Jaffna district Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian N. Sri Kantha said Tuesday a Muslim member would be appointed in due course, to the Jaffna Municipal Council by his party.

He was responding to a question as to whether his party was going to keep the promise it gave the Muslim IDPs in Puttalam, that, if no Muslim candidate from the party won at the Jaffna Municipal Council elections, an elected Tamil member would be replaced by a Muslim.

“We have to work for the unity of Muslims who were expelled by the LTTE from Jaffna,” he added.

Meanwhile, TNA General Secretary Mavai Senadirasa said that the appointment of a Muslim member to the Jaffna Municipal Council was not a decision of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA).
“It was said by one of our Parliamentarians” he said.

Seven girls from the Mahmood Ladies College, Kalmunai have been selected to study medicine. The selection was done according to the Z-score marks of the University Grant Commission.

Out of the seven girls selected to study medicine, two girls scored the district highest marks while another scored the 3^rd highest. According to the principal of the school A.H.A. Basheer a total of 80 girls have been selected to enter universities this year.

muslimguardian

Central Provincial Council member Lafir Hajiyar said that the work on a road in Akruna area came to a halt when he questioned about the repair work on it at the last provincial council meeting.

The meeting of the council was held at the Pallegala Provincial Council Hall. “As a member of the Provincial Council don’t I have the rights to query about the problems of the people?” asked Lafir Hajiyar. He vehemently opposed to the removal of material brought for the road repair works.

muslimguardian

President of a fishermen society and cadju nuts trader in Eravur town, 41 years old father of three children Dawood Abdul Samad was shot dead by unidentified gunmen riding on a motorcycle around 7.55 PM on 11.08.2009. It is said two persons on a motorcycle came to his shop while he was praying in side his house adjoining the shop. One of them was inquiring the prices of cadju nuts from his little daughter in the shop while the other entered the house when his pregnant wife was away talking with another lady next door and shot him in prayer. It is learnt he was abducted in a white van some time ago and was later released by the abductors. He is also one among those handed over illegal weapons to the security forces in Eravur recently.

The Saudi government has decided to issue visas only for pilgrims holding international passport this year. The director of Muslim Religious and Cultural department Y.L.M. Navavi said that the Saudi government has advised Sri Lanka to avoid sending pregnant mothers, children under 12 years and men and women over 65 years to perform Haj this year. He said this was only an advice and not an obstruction or control to prevent pilgrims performing Haj. Apart from this the Saudi government has also advised Sri Lanka to avoid sending pilgrims suffering from diseases such as diabetes and heart ailments. Saudi has made this advice due to the spreading of influenza A (H-1, N-1) virus the world over. 

A 29 year old Mohamed Nazir has been shot dead in Peliyagoda last evening. The victim a resident in Grandpass was a trader by profession.

Peliyagoda Police is conducting further investigations in this regard.