"No Muslim Unit required in Sri Lanka Army”

Saying that "no Nation’s Army in the world, defending its territorial integrity, has a particular regiment for a specific community or race," All Ceylon Moors Association, in a letter addressed to Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse said members of our "community are disinclined for the Sri Lanka Army to recruit Muslims youths to protect the Muslim community."

Full text of the letter follows:

We write to you in your capacity as the Executive President and the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of our Motherland.

After having obtained views of the cross section of our community, the All Ceylon Moors’ Association held an emergency meeting presided by Mr. M Mohinudeen Rajabdeen and wish to express our views by this statement.

Our Association which was founded in 1921, by late Sir Razik Fareed, has a cross representation of members from numerous walks of life, in all of the provinces.

University undergraduates, professionals, in the state and private sector, businessmen, as well as the laity of our community are disinclined for the Sri Lanka Army to recruit Muslims youths to protect the Muslim community, living only in the East, since our own identity of Ceylon Moors who are Muslims are well in excess of a Million inhabitants, living interspersed in all of the provinces and regions of Mother Lanka.

We as an intelligent and literate community are aware that no Nation’s Army in the world, defending its territorial integrity, has a particular regiment for a specific community or race. Since time memorial that we have lived in harmony within a multi racial, multi ethnic, and multi religious country, any recruitment in relation to the Defence of our country, should determine to enlist recruits of all communities, based on a National line and not on Ethnic divisions.

In pursuit of peace, our community has many political parties and leaders, presenting a Political Forum. Their thoughts and actions must correspond to consensus co-ordination by a strong, viable and meaningful civil society.

In conclusion, we, appreciate the services that have been rendered by the Armed Forces and the Police personnel which constituted Muslims, then and now, in defending our Nation, and our community, namely, Sri Lankans.

Thanking Your Excellency in anticipation, and remain,

MF Mohideen
Hony. Secretary General
ALL CEYLON MOORS’ ASSOCIATION
Headquarters : 473 Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 8
Mailing Address 571-1/1 Havelock Road Colombo 6
Email mspl@sltnet.lk Office 5626626

(http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=17661)