Six Tamil and Muslim political parties have come together to form a common political platform aimed at jointly advocating for issues affecting Tamil-speaking communities across Sri Lanka, while stressing that the initiative is neither an electoral alliance nor an anti-government movement.

The platform brings together the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA), All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC), Ceylon Workers’ Congress (CWC), Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK), and the Democratic Tamil National Alliance (DTNA).

Speaking at the launch in Colombo on Monday, the leaders said the initiative seeks to address common concerns of Tamil-speaking communities living in the Northern, Eastern, Western and plantation regions.

Among the key priorities identified by the parties are urging the Government to introduce a new Constitution in line with its election pledge, ensuring justice, equality and meaningful power sharing, holding long-delayed Provincial Council elections, and resolving land-related issues affecting communities across the country.

The leaders said the platform would engage with the Government, opposition parties, civil society and religious leaders to pursue these issues through dialogue.

Responding to criticism that the grouping was based on ethnicity, the leaders rejected such claims, insisting that the platform was not a “racist alliance” but one that opposes racism.

They stressed that the initiative should not be interpreted as being against any ethnic community, nor as an alliance formed against the Government or in support of the opposition.

The parties said the platform would focus on areas where all six parties share common positions while continuing to maintain their individual political identities. 

Commenting on the initiative, TPA Leader Mano Ganesan said the initiative was not an electoral alliance, but a platform to advance a new Constitutional Process, early Provincial Council Elections, Land Rights in the Northern and Eastern Provinces and upcountry plantations, within an undivided Sri Lanka. 

Also commenting on the initiative, ITAK General Secretary M.A. Sumanthiran, said that it was the first time in decades that political representatives of the Northern, Eastern, Malaiyaha Tamil, and Muslim communities had established a collective political network to voice on agreed issues pertaining to Tamil-speaking communities.

“This is a platform where Tamil-speaking parties can raise a common voice on issues that affect us all. It is not an alliance. Each party remains free to hold its own political views, but where there is common ground, we will work together because a united voice carries greater strength,” he said. (Newswire)

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The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) has suspended the party membership of Colombo Municipal Councillor Zohara Buhary with immediate effect, for voting in favour of the Council’s budget.

In a letter issued by SLMC Secretary Nizam Kariapper, it was noted that Buhary voted in favour of the Colombo Municipal Council Budget Proposal despite the Party Leader, Rauff Hakeem, having personally instructed members of the Opposition to oppose it. 

The SLMC described her conduct as a “gross violation of party discipline.”

The letter further directs Buhary to submit an affidavit within one week explaining why disciplinary action, including termination of her membership, should not be taken. 

The SLMC warned that failure to comply would result in further disciplinary measures without notice. (Newswire)

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The Sri Lanka Medical Council has issued a notice urging medical professionals to adhere to the official guidelines on writing and recommending prescriptions. 

The Council emphasized that these guidelines are essential to ensure clarity and patient safety.

According to the statement, complaints have been received from pharmacists and the public regarding unclear prescriptions issued by certain doctors. Such a lack of clarity has made it difficult to identify the correct medication, posing a threat to patient safety.

The Council noted that the ethical conduct guidelines for medical professionals include specific instructions on how prescriptions should be written and recommended. These details are outlined in the official code of practice.

The Sri Lanka Medical Council further warned that disciplinary action will be taken against doctors who fail to comply with these guidelines. (Newswire)

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The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) has extended its support for the Illankai Tamil Arasu Katchi’s (ITAK) hartal to be held in the Northern and Eastern provinces on Monday (18), to protest the alleged killing of a man by soldiers from the Sri Lanka Army.

The body of 32-year-old Edirmanasingam Kabilraj was found in the Muttaiyankattu Tank on 09th August, two days after he and four others were reportedly summoned to the army camp and severely beaten.

Issuing a statement in support of the hartal, the SLMC said, “We are outraged by the recent killing in Mullaitivu, reportedly carried out by members of the Sri Lankan Army. This brutal act is yet another reminder of the deep crisis of law and order within the very forces that are tasked with protecting the public.”

The SLMC further said that the government’s inability or unwillingness to hold its armed forces accountable for such grave crimes has eroded public trust and endangered the lives of innocent civilians.

The SLMC pointed out that equally disturbing is the government’s attitude in granting visa-free entry to tourists from Israel, many of whom are members of the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), a force widely condemned for violations of International Humanitarian Law in Gaza. 

Such policies send the wrong signal at a time when our own citizens are facing violence and injustice at the hands of armed forces, the party said.

“We stand in full solidarity with the hartal announced by the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) on Monday, 18th, as a peaceful protest demanding justice, accountability, and the immediate end to impunity within the military. We call upon our Muslim brothers and sisters across the North and East to join this collective stand by closing their shops and businesses—at least during the morning hours of Monday, 18th,” the SLMC said. 

The party went on to note that this united action will send a clear and powerful message that all communities, Tamil and Muslim alike, reject violence, oppose injustice, and will not remain silent when the government enables or excuses the abuse of power. 

“Let us rise together in solidarity for justice in Mullaitivu for Mullativu killing and the safety of all citizens, and for a Sri Lanka where no one is above the law,” it added. (Newswire)

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Mohamed Sheriff Abthul Wazeeth was sworn in as a Member of Parliament from the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) before Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne in Parliament today.

According to a Parliament statement, following the oath and affirmation before the Speaker, Abthul Wazeeth signed the Members’ Roll placed before the Secretary General of Parliament.

The Election Commission had issued an Extraordinary Gazette Notification on July 03, appointing M.S. Abthul Wazeeth as a National List Member of Parliament to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of MP Muhammathu Saali Naleem.

Previously, Saali Naleem was appointed a Member of Parliament, after being elected to the Tenth Parliament from the National List representing the SLMC. 

Due to his resignation, Abthul Wazeeth was sworn in as a Member of Parliament of the Tenth Parliament of Sri Lanka today.

Abthul Wazeeth entered politics in 2000 and was elected to the Pottuvil Pradeshiya Sabha in the 2006 local government elections. He subsequently served as the Chairman of the Pottuvil Pradeshiya Sabha, winning the local government elections held in 2011 and 2018. He also contested the parliamentary elections held in 2020 and 2024. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) member Abdul Wazeeth has been appointed as a Member of Parliament of the 10th Parliament of Sri Lanka, the National Election Commission announced.

According to the Election Commission, Abdul Wazeeth has been appointed to fill the SLMC National List vacancy in Parliament.

Abdul Wazeeth replaces former MP M. S. Naleem, who resigned from the Parliament, after being appointed as a Member of Parliament through the SLMC’s National List following the 2024 Sri Lankan parliamentary election. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) National List MP, M.S. Naleem, has resigned from Parliament to contest the upcoming Eravur Urban Council election.

Naleem, the former Chairman of Eravur Urban Council, was appointed as the SLMC’s National List MP after the party secured one national list seat in the last general election.

His resignation marks the first parliamentary resignation of 2025. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) member Mohamed Nizam Kariapper took oaths as a Member of Parliament today.

He was appointed to the 10th Parliament of Sri Lanka via the Samagi Jana Balawegaya’s (SJB) National List. 

Mohamed Nizam Kariapper was sworn in as a Member of Parliament before Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne in Parliament this morning. (Newswire)

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The District Court of Colombo has issued a restraining order preventing the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) from sending the list of nominations for the SJB National List to the Election Commission.

The court ordered that the SJB’s nominations cannot be sent without including the name of Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) Secretary Nizam Kariapper. 

The order was issued by the District Court of Colombo after taking up for consideration a complaint that had been filed by SLMC Leader Rauff Hakeem. (Newswire)

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Mohamed Sally Naleem took oaths as a National List MP of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC). 

Naleem was sworn in before Speaker Ashoka Ranwala at the beginning of the Parliament session scheduled for today. (Newswire)

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Founder Chairman of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) Cegu Isadean has passed away at the age of 89.

It is reported that he passed away in his hometown Akkaraipattu this morning.

A lawyer by profession, Cegu Isadean was a former Member of Parliament and was last elected to parliament via the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA).

He has served as a deputy minister and Leader of the opposition in the North-East Provincial Council in 1989. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) Batticaloa district MP Ali Zahir Moulana has pledged support for President Ranil Wickremesinghe in the 2024 Presidential Election.

MP Ali Zahir Moulana extended his support during a meeting with President Ranil Wickremesinghe today. 

In October last year, MP Moulana was sworn in as a Member of Parliament filling the seat vacated by former Minister and former SLMC member Naseer Ahamed. 

Even though MP Ali Zahir Moulana has pledged his support for the President, earlier this month the Supreme Council of the SLMC led by MP Rauff Hakeem announced plans to conditionally support Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa in the Presidential Election. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka Muslim Congress Leader Rauff Hakeem has expressed his condolences over the demise of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) member R. Sampanthan, stating that the late MP bridged the relations between the Tamil-Muslim Communities in Sri Lanka. 

Issuing a statement, MP Hakeem said the passing of the senior political leader Rajavarothiam Sampanthan, who served as a bridge of Tamil-Muslim relations, has distressed the Tamil-speaking people. 

“I was deeply saddened to hear the news of the demise of Hon Sampanthan, a political doyen who was tirelessly engaged in the pursuit of an ultimate solution for the national ethnic problem in the country, especially for the Tamil people and the minority communities in general.

“Hon Sampanthan has gone down in history as a leading political figure in Parliament, whose arguments in Parliament focused on the unfulfilled promises of the South’s chauvinistic political leadership,” he said.

Sampanthan was the leader of the Opposition from September 15 to December 2018. Nurtured in Thanthai Chelva’s (S J V Chalvanayakam’s) school of ahimsa-based politics, he entered Parliament through the Ilankai Thamizh Arasu Katchi (ITAK), representing Trincomalee on numerous occasions and served as the President of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) from 2001 to date, leading it remarkably well since the latter’s inception.

R Sampanthan remained strident in his opposition to the numerous unfulfilled promises for the Tamil-speaking minorities, made by successive governments and chauvinist political leaderships of the South, for whom he was an indubitable authority on minority rights.

MP Hakeem revealed that although the non-violent Tamil struggle to win the rights of the Tamil people, traditionally followed since the times of ‘Thanthai’Chelva, changed its course later, owing to several circumstances, R Sampanthan worked relentlessly to find consensus among the Tamil parties and the other minority communities for achieving mutually beneficial solutions to the Tamil sides and the minorities in the peace negotiations between the government and the LTTE.

He has also forthrightly expressed from time to time, that the North-East merger, which was touted as a solution to the ethnic problem would not be possible without the consent of the Muslims living there.

R Sampanthan represented Trincomalee district in Parliament at different times since 1977, and continuously represented his party in Parliament since 2000 until his last breath, conducting himself in an exemplary manner, faithfully upholding the principles of his party and the Alliance.

In later years, although his health weakened in his old age and he visited Parliament in a wheelchair, his eloquence and sharp wit remained unfazed. Above all, his memory was admirable to the extent that he would even point out and elaborate on various aspects of the issues of solving the ethnic problem at different challenging times.

MP Hakeem said that although it is regrettable that his loss has occurred at a critical point of time in the politics of the country, the Tamil people and the minorities, including all Tamil-speaking people remain indebted to him. “We owe him a sense of gratitude to the extent of committing ourselves steadfastly to achieve durable peace, in the settlement of the ethnic problem, by making every necessary concession for it, in the best of our ability with minimum damage. 

“Personally and on behalf of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, I offer my deepest condolences to late Hon R Sampanthan’s bereaved family, the people of Trincomalee, the Ilankai Thamizh Arasu Katchi and the Tamil National Alliance,” MP Rauff Hakeem added. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) Batticaloa District member Ali Zahir Moulana took oaths as a Member of Parliament today.

Moulana was sworn in as a Member of Parliament before the Speaker, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena in Parliament this morning. 

The SLMC member has been appointed to the post vacated by former Minister of Environment and former SLMC member Naseer Ahamed. 

Naseer Ahamed’s Parliamentary seat was disqualified after the Supreme Court recently determined that the SLMC’s decision to expel him from the party was lawful. 

In April 2022, the SLMC decided to expel party member Naseer Ahamed after he was sworn in as the Minister of Environment under the former government.

Following his appointment, Naseer Ahamed also endorsed the 20th Amendment to the Constitution in 2020 and voted in favour of the Budget 2022, against the stance of the SLMC. Based on these reasons, the SLMC took measures to expel Naseer Ahamed from the party.

SLMC member Ali Zahir Moulana was next in line to enter Parliament after having secured the second-highest votes in the Batticaloa District for the SLMC in the last election. (NewsWire)

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Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) member Ali Zahir Moulana says he has been declared an elected Member of Parliament for the Batticaloa District, filling the Parliament seat vacated by Minister of Environment Naseer Ahamed.

Taking to ‘X’, Moulana stated that his appointment comes following the landmark verdict of the Supreme Court last Friday, which determined that the expulsion of Naseer Ahamed from the SLMC was lawful.

In April 2022, the SLMC made the decision to expel Naseer Ahamed from the party after he changed his political affiliation and was subsequently sworn in as the Environment Minister in the Gotabaya Rajapaksa-led Government.

Following the Supreme Court’s recent decision, the Elections Commission reportedly received a notice from the Secretary General of Parliament indicating that MP Naseer Ahamed’s seat has become vacant.

SLMC member Ali Zahir Moulana is reportedly next in line to enter Parliament after having secured the second-highest votes in the Batticaloa District for the SLMC in the last election. 

“By way of the landmark verdict of the Supreme Court last Friday, I have been declared elected as a Member of Parliament for the Batticaloa District today,” Moulana announced via a message on ‘X’.

He further said that the Supreme Court judgement sets a critical precedent for the political establishment, strengthening the ideologies and principles of political parties, fortifying the doctrines of maintaining a civilized, orderly democracy and most importantly consolidating the absoluteness of our Constitution.

“At a time when being one of the 225 Parliamentarians is frowned upon by an entire nation, I too now shall be one of them. However, I intend to and sincerely promise to do my utmost to my constituents in Batticaloa, to my fellow citizens and to Sri Lanka,” he added. (NewsWire)

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The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka has determined that the decision taken to remove Minister of Environment Naseer Ahamed from the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) is valid and legal.

The decision was announced by the Supreme Court judge bench consisting of Preethi Padman Surasena and Mahinda Samayawardhena when the case in this regard was taken up for hearing today (Oct 06).

In April 2022, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress decided to expel party member Naseer Ahamed after he was sworn in as the Minister of Environment under the former government.

Following his appointment, Naseer Ahamed also endorsed the 20th Amendment to the Constitution in 2020 and voted in favour of the Budget 2022, against the stance of the SLMC. 

Based on these reasons, the SLMC took measures to expel Naseer Ahamed from the party.

Naseer Ahamed had contested the elections under the SLMC and won in the Batticaloa District, becoming a member of Parliament.

However, it is unclear as to what will happen with regard to his Parliamentary seat due to the Supreme Court’s decision announced today. (NewsWire)

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