National Unity Alliance

The National Unity Alliance (Tamil: தேசிய ஐக்கியக் கூட்டமைப்பு) was a political alliance in Sri Lanka. Founded in 1999, the alliance ceased to exist in 2010 when its remaining members joined the Sri Lanka Freedom Party.

National Unity Alliance

தேசிய ஐக்கியக் கூட்டமைப்பு
FounderM. H. M. Ashraff
Founded1999 (1999)
Dissolved2010 (2010)
Merged intoSri Lanka Freedom Party
Election symbol
Pigeon

History

Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) leader M. H. M. Ashraff started discussions on forming a new political alliance in 1998.[1] The purpose of the alliance was to bring about unity among Sri Lanka's differing communities.[1] Although initial discussions weren't successful, the alliance was eventually registered with the Department of Elections as a political party on 23 August 1999 with the name National Unity Alliance (NUA).[1][2] Two political parties were members of the NUA - the SLMC and the Sri Lanka Progressive Front.[2][3][4][5] The aim of the NUA was to create a united Sri Lanka by 2012 and its motto was "Mother Lanka wants every citizen – All citizens want one Sri Lanka".[1][2]

Both the SLMC and the NUA were members of the governing People's Alliance (PA) but by 2000 relations between the SLMC/NUA and PA had become strained.[6] The SLMC/NUA nevertheless contested the 2000 parliamentary election in alliance with PA - in some electoral districts the SLMC fielded candidates under the PA whilst in others it fielded candidates under the NUA. Contesting in 13 electoral districts the NUA received 197,983 votes (2.29%), winning four seats in Parliament.[7][8] The SLMC also secured seven seats under the PA.

During the 2000 election campaign Ashraff was killed in a mysterious helicopter crash on 16 September 2000.[9][10][11] Just before his death Ashraff had sent faxes to the media stating that the SLMC and NUA had severed all ties with the PA.[9][12] Following Ashraff's death Rauff Hakeem became the SLMC's "thesiya thalaivar" (national leader) but there was a power struggle between Ashraff's widow Ferial Ashraff and Hakeem for control of the SLMC.[13][14] In June 2001 President Chandrika Kumaratunga dismissed Hakeem from the cabinet.[15][16] All SLMC/NUA ministers, including Ferial Ashraff, resigned from the government on the instructions of the SLMC leadership.[17][18] The SLMC leadership also decided that the SLCM should leave the PA and join the opposition.[14][17][19] However, Ferial Ashraff remained in the PA as leader of the NUA.[14] Three SLMC MPs loyal to Ashraff - Wimalaweera Dissanayake, U. M. Hanifa and U. L. M. Mohideen - also remained in the PA.[17][20]

Contesting under the PA, the NUA secured two seats in Parliament - Ashraff and M. H. Segu Isadean - at the 2001 parliamentary election. On 20 January 2004 the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) formed the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) as a successor to the PA.[21] The NUA joined the UPFA on 2 February 2004.[22] The NUA contested the 2004 parliamentary election under the UPFA and Ashraff and Isadean retained their seats. After the election Ashraff was appointed as a cabinet minister whilst Isadean became a deputy minister.[23][24][25]

The alliance became moribund thereafter and in February 2010 Ferial Ashraff and other NUA members joined the SLFP.[26][27][28] The alliance was de-registered as a political party in 2012.[29][30]

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References
  1. Salman, M. H. M. (27 January 2015). "Democracy without Opposition and the NUA". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka).
  2. Peiris, Roshan (19 September 1999). "Ashraff's mission 2012: unity in diversity". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka).
  3. Weerarathne, Chitra (4 August 2001). "SC issues notice on Ferial". The Island (Sri Lanka).
  4. Martinesz, Rodney (29 September 2001). "NUA case: Expulsion invalid - SC". Daily News (Sri Lanka).
  5. "Govt. in legal, political quagmire". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 10 June 2001.
  6. "Helicopter crash probe launched". BBC News. 17 September 2000.
  7. "Parliamentary General Election 2000 - All Island Result". Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 2012-12-19.
  8. "Parliamentary General Election 2000 - Composition of Parliament". Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 2010-08-26.
  9. "Key minister killed in Sri Lanka crash". BBC News. 16 September 2000.
  10. "Ashraff dies in mystery crash". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 17 September 2000.
  11. "Minister Ashraff among 14 killed in helicopter crash" (PDF). Tamil Times. XIX (9): 4. 15 September 2000. ISSN 0266-4488.
  12. "Final act". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 17 September 2000.
  13. Peebles, Patrick (2015). Historical Dictionary of Sri Lanka. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 167. ISBN 978-1-4422-5584-5.
  14. Farook, Latheef (23 December 2014). "SLMC: Liability on the Muslim community". Daily FT. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015.
  15. "Rauff Hakeem removed from cabinet". TamilNet. 20 June 2001.
  16. Subramanian, Nirupama (21 June 2001). "SLMC may offer issue-based support". The Hindu.
  17. Satyapalan, Franklin R. (21 June 2001). "SLMC-NUA quit PA coalition". The Island (Sri Lanka).
  18. de Silva, Nilika; Farook, Faraza (24 June 2001). "72-hour ultimatum to Ferial, SLMC rebels". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka).
  19. "Sri Lanka govt. faces collapse as Muslims leave". TamilNet. 20 June 2001.
  20. "Former Minister and six others crossover to opposition". Policy Research and Information Unit, Presidential Secretariat. 21 June 2001. Archived from the original on 20 June 2012. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  21. "SLFP-JVP alliance signed in Colombo". TamilNet. 20 January 2004.
  22. "Four Party Leaders sign pact with JVP-SLFP alliance". TamilNet. 2 February 2004.
  23. "PART I : SECTION (I) — GENERAL Appointments & c., by the President" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary. 1335/24. 10 April 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 December 2014.
  24. "The new UPFA Cabinet". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 11 April 2004.
  25. "JVP boycotts UPFA cabinet swearing in ceremony". TamilNet. 10 April 2004.
  26. "NUA joins SLFP". Daily News (Sri Lanka). 19 February 2010.
  27. "NUA leader Ashraff joins Sri Lanka Freedom Party". Colombo Page. 18 February 2010.
  28. "Nandana, Ferial join SLFP". The Island (Sri Lanka). 19 February 2010.
  29. Bandara, Kelum (1 February 2012). "Elections Dept. cancels registration of 3 political parties". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka).
  30. "Elections Dep. cancels registration of three parties". adaderana.lk. 1 February 2012.
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