Lankan Muslims in mercy appeal for Nafeek

RIYADH: The Muslim community in Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo has appealed Friday to a Saudi couple to spare the life of a Sri Lankan housemaid who killed their baby. Rizana Nafeek was convicted of murdering Naif Jiziyan Khalaf Al-Otaibi’s four-month-old child in June, 2007.

Rauf Hakeem, senior parliamentarian and leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), handed a letter for Al-Otaibi and his family on Friday to the Saudi Ambassador in Colombo, Abdul Rahman Al-Jammaz, pleading for clemency for Nafeek on behalf of the Muslim community, which forms eight percent of the island’s 20 million population

The case of Rizana Nafeek and the concern

The case of Rizana Nafeek, The Government of Sri Lanka, and national, regional and international human rights organisations and also the Muslim Community in Sri Lanka are concerned about the case. President Rajapakse himself wrote a letter to His Royal Highness, the King of Saudi Arabia asking pardon for the Girl. Muslims politicians in Sri Lanka regarding the case and three of them pointed out that they were concerned about the death sentence on Rizana Nafeek.

Hasan Ali, member of Parliamentarian of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, speaking to Sri Lanka Guardian said, “I’m very happy about the President writing to the King seeking amnesty for the girl who went there as a domestic helper. He further pointed out the SLMC wrote a letter of appreciation to the President. We wish the His Excellency the King will be concerned about our pleading and he will declare an amnesty.”

President writes to Saudi King seeking clemency for Rizana

President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday wrote to King Abdullah bin Abdul Azeez of Saudi Arabia seeking clemency for Sri Lankan maid Rizana Nafeek. Rizana has been sentenced to death for allegedly killing a Saudi infant in 2005. 

A three-member panel of judges from the Dawathmy High Court headed by Chief Justice Abdullah Al-Rosaimi sentenced her to death. The court heard that Nafeek killed the child after she was asked to bottle-feed him by the sponsor’s wife. She was then sentenced a death penalty of beheading according to the Saudi Arabian High Court.

Her family has appealed against the verdict and the Saudi Supreme Court has rejected the appeal against the death sentence.

Maintain ethnic ratio beyond Parliament – Muslims demand

Sri Lankan polity has effectively ensured 8% Muslim MPs in Parliament in accordance with the ethnic ratio of the Muslim community. 18 Muslim MPs out of 225 is the loud and clear message sent to the Muslims that they cannot get more than their ratio. The question the Muslims now ask is whether the govt. will maintain this ratio on all aspects.Will the govt. provides state jobs, alienation state lands and admission to to universities etc etc based on this 8% ethnic ratio.

18 Muslims have entered the 7th Parliament. Of them 11 from UNP and 7 from UPFA. 8 MPs in the UNP are from SLMC which contested under the UNP. Out of 7 MPs from UPFA, 3 are from ACMC and 1 from NC. It is analysed that the UNP got 60 seats and out of them 11 are Muslim MPs whereas only 7 Muslim MPs are from the UPFA out of 144 seats. However, Muslim percentage in Parliament is maintained by 18 MPs, the analyses revealed

Mahinda Rajapaksa on the right direction: Sri Lankas bid for observer status at Organisation Islamic Conference

Masihudeen Inamullah – Former Consul General of Sri lanka in Jeddah, KSA

President Mahinda Rajapakshe reported to have held meetings with Heads of Arab Muslim states at the sidelines of his recent visit to UN, among other matters of bilateral and multilateral interests President has expressed his nations intention in securing observer status at Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) is the second largest inter-governmental organization after the United Nations which has membership of 57 states spread over four continents.

As a Muslim Diplomat who served in Jeddah, where the Head Quarters of the OIC is situated, I dispatched a detailed report to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Year 2006 on the importance of seeking observer status at OIC for which I received no response from the Ministry until I completed my tour of duty in July 2007