UNP Western Provincial Council member Mujibur Rahman says Sri Lanka is slowly becoming a country in which no one has protection and that the police show no interest towards complaints from the public.

We suspect whether the government is attempting to recreate clashes between racial groups and push the country in that direction, he told reporters in Colombo today.

He said that in the past Muslim people had suffered the worst during the reign of the Portuguese, who had continuously suppressed the cultural and religious freedom of Muslims.

Since the rule of Portuguese, Muslims in Sri Lanka have faced the most hardships and turbulent times under the present government of Mahinda Rajapaksa, Rahman said.

He alleged that every Muslim person in the country is eagerly awaiting the defeat of the Mahinda Rajapaksa government.

The Provincial Councilor further said that SLMC leader Rauf Hakeem has once again decided to contest polls separately while staying inside the government, which he claims is an attempt to take the Muslim votes and put it in Mahinda Rajapaksa’s “pocket,” just like he did in the Eastern Province.

During the election in the Eastern Province the SLMC contested independently and Rauf Hakeem criticized the government to “steal” the Muslim votes and in the end joined the government to establish the Eastern Provincial Council.

“Hakeem knows that if he contests the election with the government, he will not get one Muslim vote,” Rahman said.

He alleged that is why Minister Hakeem has talked with Mahinda Rajapaksa and Basil Rajapaksa assuring assured them that the SLMC will garner some votes by contesting separately and then join the government.

“Hakeem has made that agreement of betraying the Muslim people once again,” he charged.