SLMC Leader Rauf Hakeem, MP has called for the setting up of joint structures for post tsunami rehabilitation and reconstruction.

He has stressed that it is imperative to have tri-partite arrangements where the affected Muslim community should have a parity of status.

Hakeem is reported to have held discussions on this issue with NUA leader, Minister Ferial Ashraff and agreed to meet again with other stakeholders, the government and the LTTE.

The two Muslim leaders also discussed the exhortation by the co-chairs of donor countries that parties involved in the peace process should consider close co-operation in post-tsunami rehabilitation and reconstruction by linking it to the peace initiative.

In this regard a high level team of SLMC parliamentarians led by Leader Rauf Hakeem met with the country representatives of World Bank, Asian Development Bank and the International Monetary Fund recently and requested them to facilitate formal engagement through the Muslim peace secretariat in the exercise of completing the needs assessment for the tsunami-ravaged North and East.

The SLMC leader had told the heads of these muiti-lateral agencies that the previous needs assessment done during the peace talks by the WB, ADB and the UNDP on behalf of the international community had not sufficiently considered important matters pertaining to infrastructure development that would impact on improving the livelihoods of Muslims in the area.

He explained that this neglect happened as his arguments relating to the imposition of a basic criteria that priority should be given in the selection of projects in areas most affected by the war.

Hakeem said the plea of the Muslim community is that their area should not be deliberately excluded by such irrational criteria, which was purposely imposed to deprive a large section of the people of enjoying an equitable and fair share of the dividends of peace.

The Sunday Island learns that in the discussions between Hakeem and NUA leader, Minister Ferial Shraff, they have agreed to pursue this matter with a meeting to be arranged within the next few days with president Chandrika Kumaratunga and Secretary General of the government’s peace secretariat Jayantha Dhanapala, Norwegian facilitators, local heads of missions of the co-chairs and other important heads of missions representing the donor countries including Germany and India.