Muslims warned to be wary of forces trying to divide the community by Franklin R. Satyapalan

While the SLMC's N. M. Shaheed faces disciplinary action, the SLMC leadership urged all true Muslims to be wary of forces who are carrying out a campaign to cause divisions among the Muslims thereby weakening the hand of a community fighting for its just rights, National Organizer SLMC MP K. A. Baiz said yesterday.MP Baiz made this comment in relation to one of SLMC deputy leaders N. M. Shaheed being invited to participate in the inaugural day's sessions of the government's National Advisory Council on Peace and Reconciliation on Monday. Baiz said this took place, despite Secretary General of Peace Secretariat Jayantha Dhanapala and Secretary to the President W. S. Karunatilleke knowing well that the SLMC leader awaited a meeting with President Kumaratunga to clarify matters in this connection as he had spoken to them as well as written to them.Baiz said this only proved beyond doubt that it was a planned move to sabotage and destroy the party. It was one of several attempts engineered by the UPFA government from the time the People's Alliance was in the opposition to bring down the SLMC and its leadership.Despite leader Rauf Hakeem welcoming the President's move and not rejecting in toto his participation at future sittings, Shaheed was admitted and how could the government feign they were ignorant that the MP did not have his leader's approval.The High Command is to meet and decide on what type of disciplinary action would be taken against Shaheed as there are several more charges of conspiring against the party and its leaders, MP Baiz said.