"Open Letter to AEC"
"This has reference to an email I have received today giving me access to the Frontier Vol. 52, No. 24, Dec 15-21, 2019. I thank you for the same.

I notice a serious mistake which seems to have crept in to this issue. The article by title "An Open Letter to AEC" is not carrying the correct version.

Assuming that this was supposed to be my letter sent out in Dec. last year, it has not correct reference, does not refer to which project, and my address. If this was supposed to be my letter, it is completely incorrect. My original letter to AEC, which was forwarded to you, was as forwarded below. You may notice that the body of the message was totally different.

Please carry the correct version.

[There may be some misunderstanding at the time of sending it to press.] In reply, Mr Sharma wrote, "Thanks for your response. I can appreciate your position. But I am surprised that such mistakes can happen at the editorial stage. I am of the opinion that any mistake from any quarters should be corrected at that stage. But in this case no one seems to have read the final piece before publishing it. Bit sad, but we can blame it on the printer's devil.]

I hope it will be corrected soon.
Shankar Sharma
[As the letter is too long we will serialise it any time soon. Error is regretted.—Fr]

Intimidation of Muslims
The forces of Sinhala Buddhist chauvinism during the seventy years since Sri Lanka won independence quenched its thirst for blood at the expense of the Tamils of the North-East and Hill Country Tamils, and occasionally the Muslims. They are now fully focused on pouncing on the Muslims. The New Democratic Marxist Leninist Party strongly denounces their planned threats against the Muslims.

The chauvinist violence and damage to property unleashed after the 21st April Easter bombings continue to affect harshly the entire Muslim people. Besides, nearly 2300 Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims have been detained irrespective of age and, notably, most are Muslims. Meantime, racist media and social networks are propagating vicious anti-Muslim propaganda.

By Government circular, men in state service were required to wear shirt and trouser or the national dress and women the sari. Thus, the abaya, the traditional full length garment of Muslim women, was rejected. Although the circular was withdrawn following protests from several quarters, the act has demonstrated male chauvinism and anti-Muslim thought.

The recent three-day hunger strike in Kandy by clergyman-parliamentarian Athuraliye Rathana Thero was launched with the bigoted aim of breeding anti-Muslim sentiments among the Sinhalese. Another Buddhist clergyman, Gnanasara Thero, released recently on pardon by the President added to it his call for violence. Because of these, conditions prevail where Muslims all over the country conduct their daily activities with fear and anxiety.

The New Democratic Marxist Leninist Party denounces such intimidation of Muslims.

At this juncture, the Party wishes to point out that that an alternate political stand that will enable the Muslims to advance together with left, democratic and progressive forces is essential for the Muslims.
S K Senthivel,
General Secretary, NDMLP

Tamil-Muslim Unity
The long standing demand of the Tamil people of Kalmunai North that the Sub-Divisional Secretariat for the Tamils should be upgraded and made into a Divisional Secretariat, has to be viewed based on ideas of fairness and the traditional existence, history and relations of the Tamil and Muslim people, transcending narrow racial, religious and regional considerations. If the Tamil and Muslim people had conducted themselves with mutual respect and addressed the demand with accommodation and understanding, there would not have been room for the week long hunger strike and the satyagraha in protest against it. Unfortunately, room has been created for Sinhala chauvinist forces to intervene to wreck Tamil-Muslim relations and thereby strengthen their chauvinist agenda. It is also explicit that parliamentary ballot-box political forces are seeking to achieve their purposes. Hence the matter should be resolved by consensus, free of designs for political power and not harming Tamil-Muslim unity and none seeking to deprive any of his rights.

Following the 21st April, 2019 explosions, Sinhala Buddhist hegemonic thought and action is manifesting as propaganda and, in places, violence against Muslims. Some members of the Buddhist clergy were at the forefront, and parties seeking power through the ballot box did not fail to take advantage.

Tamils and Muslims should, besides, not fall prey to the divide and rule tactics of politicians with an eye to their vote bank to win parliamentary and provincial council seats, and people should identify and reject politicians who pit the Tamils and Muslims against each other in their hunt for voters.
S K Senthivel,
General Secretary, NDMLP

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Frontier
Vol. 52, No. 33, Feb 16 - 22, 2020