Muslims hail victory over terrorism

The formal announcement to the Nation and the world by President Mahinda Rajapaksa last Tuesday from the Parliament, of the conclusion of a 26-year-old war, would have definitely caused great elation in the hearts of all peace-loving people in every nook and corner of the globe, General Secretary, All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama, Ash-Shaikh H. Abdul Nazar said.

A battle that lasted for nearly three decades, claiming the lives of thousands of people, maiming thousands, ruining properties worth thousands of millions, traumatizing hundreds, displacing thousands and plunging the economy into a bottomless pit for many years, has now come to an end, he said in a message.

“On behalf of the Muslim Community, I, with a sense of profound gratitude, congratulate the President who accelerated the combat with courage and determination despite the heavy pressure of the international community, the Defense Secretary who acted prudently and responsibly, the Chiefs of Three Services and Police those who laid down their lives for the cause of wiping out the terror campaign and their kith and kin,” it said.

The remark made by the President that this victory must not be construed as a triumph of one community over the other or loss of one community to the other, is applaudable. The reality is that peace has won and the terrorism has been overcome.

This is a long journey and each and every citizen is a passenger. It is not an individual responsibility of the Head of State; instead a collective responsibility of all, he said.