24 August 2023 12:17 am Views - 511
We recognize that the Muslim communities of Sri Lanka, especially the Muslim women and Muslim women victims of the MMDA, have worked long and hard to bring to light the deep injustices, discrimination and harm caused under the
current MMDA
A collective of professionals, intellectuals, lawyers, rights activists, journalists, Private sector representatives, teachers and students representing the Muslim community have condemned the positions forwarded by the Muslim Members of Parliament [MPs], {except three MPs}, in a letter dated 8th June 2023 to the Minister of Justice, completely undermining reforms to the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA) of Sri Lanka.
Signed by over 150 representatives, the group has said that it is extremely disappointed in the backward positions taken by the Muslim MP signatories in this document. These positions go against the principles of kindness, compassion and peace encapsulated in the Shariah. They also go against building a Sri Lankan Muslim identity that upholds the Sri Lankan Constitution and represents the enlightened thinking of Islam across the Muslim world.
They complained by writing the letter the Muslim MPs have promoted the following positions;
1. Refusing to legally address child marriage
2. Agreeing to women’s signature on marriage documents and thereafter denying validity to the signature by making it mandatory that a male guardian sign as well
3. Refusing to genuinely address harmful effects of polygamy
4. Excluding Muslim women from the office of Marriage Registrars and Quazis
5. Denying equal procedure in divorce for women
6. Denying Mat’aa (alimony), matrimonial property rights in divorce
7. Enforcing divisions and hierarchies amongst Muslim in Sri Lanka based on Sect and Madhab and failing to recognize that Islam is a religion of equals
8. Insist on retaining the Quazi system and Quazi appointments within the full control of the Muslim political and religious elite and reject legal recognition of clear appointment criteria and procedures.
In their statement, the group representing a variety of sections of the Muslim community says as follows;
“We recognize that the Muslim communities of Sri Lanka, especially the Muslim women and Muslim women victims of the MMDA, have worked long and hard to bring to light the deep injustices, discrimination and harm caused under the current MMDA. The lack of reform all these decades has affected generations of Muslim communities. We are appalled that Muslim Members of Parliament having previously endorsed progressive decisions on MMDA reform have by this document completely reversed their positions. This conduct dismisses the plight of the victims, who continue to share at great risk their pain and mistreatment under the law. These proposals are a reflection of exclusively male-led community groups that have repeatedly undermined MMDA reform. These proposals only signal political expediency and not the long-term development of the Muslim society in Sri Lanka.
We denounce the attempt by Muslim MPs to that decades of law-making attempts to bring much-needed reforms. The recommendations sideline considered reports to the Ministry of Justice which had Muslim women also representing their views.
We urge the Muslim Members of Parliament who signed this document to reconsider this decision, withdraw their signatures and constructively engage with the reforms moving forward.”
We also urge these Muslim MPs to provide leadership in publicly communicating that reforms are for the benefit of our community, particularly the most vulnerable. The Muslim community deserves genuine leadership, solutions and redress, we urge that you act accordingly.
We urge the Minister of Justice and the Government of Sri Lanka to reject the MPs proposals and move forward on much-needed reforms to the MMDA.
We look forward to urgent positive steps from the representatives of the people on MMDA Reforms.”