It is reported that Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera had objected to the decision taken by Muslim MPs representing the United National Front to resign from their portfolios in the wake of the fast unto death of Athuruliye Rathana Thero.
Following Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's discussion with Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees this morning (03), all Muslim Ministers, State Ministers, Non- Cabinet Ministers and Deputy Ministers had come to Temple Trees and met with PM Wickremesinghe.
All Muslims Govt. Ministers at Fowzie's House!
Before coming to Temple Trees, all Muslims Ministers had met at the Colombo residence of AHM Fowzie and decided together to resign from their respective portfolios.
A senior Muslim Minister in the Government had informed the Prime Minister and other Cabinet Ministers present at Temple Trees that the resignation of Eastern Province Governor Hizbullah was made under duress as there were threats of nationalist driven ethnic unrest island-wide if Hizbullah failed to resign.
The Minister pointed out that the Government would also be subjected to the same threats if they decided to continue in office and as such, arrived at a collective decision to resign from all of their positions.
Decision taken to avoid a bloodbath!
The senior Minister added that the decision to resign was only a temporary measure to stop political opportunists gaining an undue advantage from the current political context as well as to stop things from spiraling out of control that could ultimately lead to a bloodbath.
He also said they believe that Muslim MPs will be vindicated once the Parliamentary Select Committee winds up its proceedings and the no-confidence motion debate is concluded.
Don't repeat the same mistake done by SWRD!
Minister Mangala Samaraweera had pointed out that the resignation of Muslim Ministers is a mistake similar to that of the removal of the Bandaranaike-Chelvanayagam Pact in April 09, 1958.
Samaraweera had said that Mr. Bandaranaike did not have a backbone to stand for what would have been the right decision back then and stressed that he was strongly opposed to allowing the Muslim MPs to make the same mistake again.
A deliberate decision!
Minister Samaraweera had stressed that instead of resigning, they should work to explain the true situation to the people.
However, the Muslim MPs had not agreed to it with their stance being that it was appropriate to resign from their ministerial portfolios until Minister Rishad Bathiudeen is proven innocent in Parliament.
At that time, Minister Harsha de Silva however had stated that the MPs had taken the right decision.
Let us resign together with the Muslim Ministers: Mangala
Minister Mangala Samaraweera had said that he was ready to resign along with the Muslim Ministers. If needed, more Ministers should resign from their positions in solidarity with the Muslim Ministers, Samaraweera had said.
He had further noted that they could swing public opinion by highlighting the tribal communalism that is spearheaded by Rathana Thero and others.
Samaraweera had said that they should not bow down in the face of radical racist trends and that the Muslim community should not feel threatened by the lack of democracy and due process in the country.
Don't resign Mangala, let's fight for national unity: PM
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had intervened and stated that the decision taken by the Muslim MPs was sufficient at this moment.
The Prime Minister had also proposed to work together to ensure that racism and communalism are defeated.
The Muslim Ministers had also urged Minister Mangala Samaraweera to remain in his position and intervene to ensure that justice prevails at the end.
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