DM builds mosque on Ambulawa Reserve

By L.B.S

Post and Telecommunications Minister D.M. Jayaratne said he had initiated the building of a mosque on the 3,586 feet high Ambulawa peak and that it would be ready on Ramazan festival day. He added that he had invited all the Imams in the country to recite the Koran when the mosque doors were opened at Ambulawawe Peak.

Minister Jayaratne was addressing a gathering to distribute 42 land deeds donated by a philanthropist-businessman Uswategedera Mohandiram Nilar, at Elpitiya Weligalle in the Gampola electorate.

The Minister reminded the gathering that he had done much for the Muslims of the area. Quoting an example, he said that the mosque at Elpitiya, Weligalle was devastated by the 1947 floods and a non Muslim cemetery was right opposite.

“The Muslims wanted the cemetery for themselves as it was opposite the mosque. They made representations to the then District Minister W.P.B. Dissanayake and Nawalalpitya MP Chandaman Silva, but to no avail. The Muslims came to me. At a meeting held in the Elpitiya Temple, most monks turned down the request for the Muslim burial ground. So I said I will grant the land opposite the temple for a Muslim burial ground and the non-Muslims can continue burying their dead opposite the mosque. Through this they realized the gravity and agreed to release the land opposite the mosque for the Muslim burial ground,” said an elated D.M. Jayaratne.