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Hakeem in Parliament 2006–2011

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Pragmatic Muslim Politics

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Abstract

This chapter focuses on the current leader Rauff Hakeem’s speeches in parliament and elements of Muslim politics in them. As described above, the political conditions were different during the second half of the period that I am investigating in comparison to those that existed during Ashraff’s era. This was largely due to the fact that the civil war ended in 2009. Nevertheless, the war was ongoing during the first years of the Hakeem period, and it is also in regard to this topic that we find most of the references to Islam, or, rather, to Muslims. As will be shown, Muslim politics are in practice almost absent from speeches where other topics are addressed.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    This document states that political solutions had been found by the LTTE and the SLMC. The LTTE leader at that time, Prabhakaran (who continued leading the LTTE until his death in 2009), made a public statement saying that the Muslims who had been evicted by the LTTE in 1990 were allowed to resettle in the northern region. The LTTE also agreed to stop collecting money from the Muslims to support their struggle for their own homeland and agreed that when it was time for talks between the government and the LTTE to begin, Muslims would be present as a third party represented by the SLMC. The negotiations between the LTTE and the SLMC were a huge success, as Muslims were recognized as stakeholders in regard to the peace negotiations. Perhaps the most important matter of all, however, was that the LTTE recognized the Muslims as a unique community based on religion, not language. (see Appendix 3) This is also the main argument in the document Resolution to the conflict in the northern and eastern provinces n.d.

  2. 2.

    HA 2007-01-09: 129, Abrogation of the Ceasefire Agreement (translated from Tamil).

  3. 3.

    HA 2006-11-21: 811, Parliamentary debate, Appropriation Bill, 2007 (translated from Tamil).

  4. 4.

    HA 2007-01-09: 129, Parliamentary debate, Public Security Proclamation (translated from Tamil) and HA 2007-01-09: 129, Parliamentary debate, Public Security Proclamation (translated from Tamil).

  5. 5.

    It is not clear in what way the SLMC supports the LTTE. However, earlier statements suggest that the SLMC does not support a separate Tamil country but instead supports the rights of the Tamil people, and that the SLMC opposes the EU’s banning of the LTTE; see HA 2006-08-07.

  6. 6.

    HA 2006-06-21: 1602, Parliamentary debate, Massacre at Kebithigollewa (translated from Tamil).

  7. 7.

    HA 2006-11-07: 2917, Parliamentary debate, Public Security Proclamations.

  8. 8.

    McGilvray and Raheem 2007: 42.

  9. 9.

    For example, see: HA 2006-08-11: 2579, Parliamentary debate, Question Public Security Proclamation, HA 2006-10-19: 367, Parliamentary debate, De-Merger of Northern and Eastern Provinces: Stated by Hon. Rauff Hakeem.

  10. 10.

    HA 2007-01-09: 126, Parliamentary debate, Public Security Proclamation.

  11. 11.

    HA 2006-05-26: 739, Parliamentary debate, The Current Situation Faced by Tamil Civilian Population in the North-East (translated from Tamil).

  12. 12.

    See HA 2006-11-21: 812, Parliamentary debate, Appropriation Bill, 2007 (translated from Tamil).

  13. 13.

    HA 2006-08-08: 58, Parliamentary debate, Question by Private Notice: Grave injustice Caused to the Civilians of Mutur.

  14. 14.

    HA 2006-07-06: 2282, Parliamentary debate, Public Security Proclamation (translated from Tamil).

  15. 15.

    HA 2006-08-08: 123, Parliamentary debate, Provision of Relief for Displaced People of Mutur (translated from Tamil).

  16. 16.

    HA 2006-08-11: 371, Parliamentary debate, Public Security Proclamation.

  17. 17.

    HA 2006-08-11: 368, Parliamentary debate, Public Security Proclamation.

  18. 18.

    HA 2006-08-08: 60, Parliamentary debate, Question by Private Notice: Grave Injustice Caused to the Civilians of Mutur.

  19. 19.

    HA 2006-07-06: 2282, Parliamentary debate, Public Security Proclamation (translated from Tamil).

  20. 20.

    HA 2006-08-11: 369, Parliamentary debate, Public Security Proclamation.

  21. 21.

    HA 2008-08-06: 2725, Parliamentary debate, Public Security Proclamation.

  22. 22.

    HA 2009-05-26: 68–9, Parliamentary debate, University of Vocational Technology Act: Order.

  23. 23.

    HA 2009-05-26: 69, Parliamentary debate, University of Vocational Technology Act: Order.

  24. 24.

    HA 2007-01-09: 129, Parliamentary debate, Public Security Proclamation.

  25. 25.

    HA 2008-09-24: 992, Parliamentary debate, National Housing Development Authority (Special Provisions) Bill.

  26. 26.

    HA 2007-01-10: 212, Parliamentary debate, Peace Process and Current Situation Pertaining to Tamil Civilian Population in the North-East (translated from Tamil).

  27. 27.

    HA 2006-08-08: 58, Parliamentary debate, Question by Private Notice: Grave Injustice Caused to the Civilians of Mutur.

  28. 28.

    HA 2006-08-08: 59, Parliamentary debate, Question by Private Notice: Grave Injustice Caused to the Civilians of Mutur.

  29. 29.

    HA 2006-09-28: 1904, Parliamentary debate, Question by Private Notice (translated from Tamil).

  30. 30.

    HA 2006-06-21: 1601, Parliamentary debate, Massacre at Kebithigollewa and HA 2007-06-07: 1122, Parliamentary debate, Evictions of Tamils from Lodges in Colombo (translated from Tamil).

  31. 31.

    HA 2006-08-08: 59, Parliamentary debate Question by Private Notice: Grave injustice Caused to the Civilians of Mutur.

  32. 32.

    HA 2006-08-08: 123, Parliamentary debate, Provision of Relief for Displaced People of Mutur (translated from Tamil).

  33. 33.

    HA 2006-08-08: 124, Parliamentary debate, Provision of Relief for Displaced People of Mutur (translated from Tamil).

  34. 34.

    HA 2006-08-08: 124, Parliamentary debate, Provision of Relief for Displaced People of Mutur (translated from Tamil).

  35. 35.

    HA 2006-08-08: 60, Parliamentary debate, Question by Private Notice: Grave injustice Caused to the Civilians of Mutur.

  36. 36.

    HA 2006-06-21: 1531, Parliamentary debate, Appropriation Bill, 2007.

  37. 37.

    HA 2006-02-01: 132–5, Parliamentary debate, Geneva Conventions Bill.

  38. 38.

    HA 2007-07-19: 428, Parliamentary debate, Local Authorities (Special Provisions) Bill (translated from Tamil).

  39. 39.

    HA 2007-06-06: 936, Parliamentary debate, Public Security Proclamation.

  40. 40.

    HA 2006-08-08: 125, Parliamentary debate, Provision of Relief for Displaced People of Mutur (translated from Tamil).

  41. 41.

    HA 2006-08-10: 188, Parliamentary debate, Humanitarian Crisis Triggered by the Ongoing Hostilities.

  42. 42.

    HA 2006-06-21: 1601, Parliamentary debate, Massacre at Kebithigollewa.

  43. 43.

    HA 2007-01-09: 126, Parliamentary debate, Public Security Proclamation.

  44. 44.

    HA 2008-02-26: 749, Parliamentary debate, Public Security Proclamation.

  45. 45.

    HA 2008-02-26: 755, Parliamentary debate, Public Security Proclamation, (translated from Tamil).

  46. 46.

    HA 2009-10-08: 172, Parliamentary debate, Public Security Proclamation, (translated from Tamil).

  47. 47.

    HA 2006-05-26: 741, Parliamentary debate, The Current Situation Faced by Tamil Civilian Population in the North-East (translated from Tamil).

  48. 48.

    There were a lot of reports in the media regarding these events. See, for example, BBC 2012.

  49. 49.

    HA 2008-08-06: 2726–7, Parliamentary debate, Public Security Proclamation.

  50. 50.

    HA 2008-08-06: 3185, Parliamentary debate, Sabaragamuwa and North Central Provincial Council Elections.

  51. 51.

    HA 2008-02-26: 754, Parliamentary debate, Public Security Proclamation (translated from Tamil).

  52. 52.

    HA 2006-02-01: 132–5, Parliamentary debate, Committee on Public Petitions.

  53. 53.

    HA 2007-01-09: 129, Parliamentary debate, Public Security Proclamation.

  54. 54.

    HA 2006-02-01: 13, Parliamentary debate, Committee on Public Petitions and HA 2007-07-19: 429, Parliamentary debate, Local Authorities (Special Provisions) Bill (translated from Tamil).

  55. 55.

    HA 2008-09-24: 992, Parliamentary debate, National Housing Development Authority (Special Provisions) Bill.

  56. 56.

    HA 2008-02-07: 854, Parliamentary debate, Commissions of Inquiry (Amendment) Bill.

  57. 57.

    HA 2006-06-20: 1316–19, Parliamentary debate, Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (Amendment) Bill (translated from Tamil). See also HA 2006-05-26: 741, Parliamentary debate, The Current Situation Faced by Tamil Civilian Population in the North-East (translated from Tamil).

  58. 58.

    HA 2006-11-07: 2914, Parliamentary debate, Public Security Proclamations (translated from Tamil) and HA 2006-11-21: 812, Parliamentary debate, Appropriation Bill, 2007 (translated from Tamil).

  59. 59.

    HA 2007-01-10: 210, Parliamentary debate, Peace Process and Current Situation Pertaining to Tamil Civilian Population in the North-East (translated from Tamil).

  60. 60.

    See HA 2006-09-27: 1621, Letter to the president that was included in the HA record, HA 2007-09-18: 125–6, Parliamentary debate, Investigation Into Death of Tamil Civilians by Aerial Bombardment and Multi-Barrel Rocket Fire, (translated from Tamil), and HA 2006-05-26: 740, Parliamentary debate, The Current Situation Faced by Tamil Civilian Population in the North-East (translated from Tamil).

  61. 61.

    Ameerdeen 2006: 211.

  62. 62.

    HA 2010-07-01: 401, Appropriation Bill 2010.

  63. 63.

    For example, see HA 2007-12-05: 2399, Appropriation Bill 2008, HA 2007-03-06: 1232f, Sale of Sri Lankan Telecom Share (translated from Sinhala), HA 2007-03-06: 1195f, National Construction Association of Sri Lanka (Incorporation) Bill (translated from Sinhala), HA 2010-12-06: 1390f, Age Limit for Admission to Sri Lankan Law College, HA 2010-12-04: 1178f, Appropriation Bill 2011, and HA 2011-10-06: 130f, National Police Academy Bill.

  64. 64.

    Eighteenth amendment to the constitution of Sri Lanka, retrieved 2014-02-08.

  65. 65.

    HA 2010-11-26: 869–72, Appropriation Bill 2011.

  66. 66.

    See also HA 2008-08-06: 2728, Public Security Proclamation.

  67. 67.

    HA 2007-08-08: 1030, Parliamentary debate, Government’s New Policy on Admission of Students to Grade One.

  68. 68.

    HA 2010-06-09: 320, Attack on Aid Flotilla by Zionist Israeli Commandos.

  69. 69.

    HA 2007-07-19: 430, Parliamentary debate, Local Authorities (Special Provisions) Bill. The theme of ending the war has been a subject for Hakeem all throughout the last period. For an example just before the end of the war, see HA 2008-09-09: 175–81, Parliamentary debate Public Security Proclamation (translated from Tamil).

  70. 70.

    At one time, Hakeem was asked in parliament about the Qur’an and Muslim personal law, but he did not answer. HA 2006-09-28: 1912, Parliamentary debate, Muslim Marriage and Divorce (Amendment) Bill.

  71. 71.

    Rauff Hakeem, 2013-02-24.

  72. 72.

    Cf. Mercado 2008.

  73. 73.

    See McGilvray and Raheem 2007.

  74. 74.

    Eickelman and Piscatori 2004: 82, 103.

  75. 75.

    Abubakar 2010: 142.

  76. 76.

    McGilvray and Raheem 2007: 26.

  77. 77.

    Eickelman and Piscatori 2004: 106.

  78. 78.

    McGilvray and Raheem 2007: 27.

  79. 79.

    McGilvray and Raheem 2007: 41.

  80. 80.

    This declaration contains five principles: “One – Muslim autonomy must be ensured in any federal solution. Two – Muslims are entitled to their equitable share in all resources for development. Three – The Muslim political leadership must unite. Four – Muslims must be represented as a separate entity at peace talks. Five – The final political settlement must have the consent of the Muslims”. See Jeyaraj 2003, McGilvray and Raheem 2007: 41, and Fazal 2012: 173.

  81. 81.

    Cf. Demker 1998: 154.

  82. 82.

    Demker 1998: 167.

  83. 83.

    Brown and Hamzawy 2010: 3–4.

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    1. Swedish South Asian Studies Network (SASNET), Lund University, Lund, Sweden

      Andreas Johansson

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    Johansson, A. (2019). Hakeem in Parliament 2006–2011. In: Pragmatic Muslim Politics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-12789-3_5

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    • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-12789-3_5

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