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Ramazan messages
Uphold identities and rights, says President
The Colombo Grand Mosque announced last night that the Ramazan festival will be celebrated today. This festival heralds the end of twenty nine days of religious fasting for the local Muslim community.

Delivering her Ramazan Message to the nation, President Chandrika Kumaratunga said that we as Sri Lankans must ensure that we uphold and protect the identities and rights of all our peoples.

The President said the Muslim community in Sri Lanka had lived for centuries in perfect harmony with the Sinhala and Tamil communities. Environment and National Resources Minister, A.H.M. Fowzie, in his Ramazan message said that national peace should be a central theme of the festival.

"Our main task ahead is to achieve national peace where all communities will be ensured sufficient safeguards to their life, property, dignity and honour." Western Province Governor and Presidential Advisor on Muslim Affairs, Alavi Mowlana stated in his Ramazan message that the Muslim world was being divided by "all and sundry" who "had the courage to interpret the religion" according to their own "whims and fancies." Mr. Mowlana appealed to all Muslims to be "just and humble and unite to safeguard the tenets of Islam."

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