Outside Politics

12th September 1999

Hameed: that dusty old file

By Epicurus

The UNP's one time Chairman and long time Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka, Abdul Cader Shahul Hameed, passed away, quite unexpectedly last week.

Thousands of Muslims and other communities thronged Akurana, the one time school principal's constituency of four decades, for the funeral. Mourners got to know that the veteran politician had aggravated bronchitis which led to heart failure, and his ultimate demise.

But doing the rounds and Hulftsdorp, and at Sri Jayawardenapura, Kotte, is a different story about that of a State Prosecutor who had once grilled the senior politician (which made Mr. Hameed terribly angry) was still at it despite the fact that the Commission that probed the ex-Minister is being probed itself for allged transgressions of the law. The prosecutor had called for the dusty old file. For what? Was it the work of the Government that was using Mr. Hameed for peace talks, or was the personal interest of an individual.

While we can find that out, we will never know if it was really the bronchitis that killed Mr Hameed.

Fun bun

A bald though not that bold UNP MP, bowled a recent bride over in an unusual way. Through his wedding gift to the couple. The young bride opening her gifts found, in addition to the "real" present, a supplement by way of the MP's wife's hair-bun. What fun !!

Wild raids

Has the Army, now responsible for the Yala National Park, been told not carry out raids on illicit meat dealers in the area? Has it been done on the grounds that it is not their task to carry out those tasks which belong to the Police?

Reports say this is one of the main reasons for the profileration of illicit meat - Wild Boar, Deer and Sambhur - in and around Tissamaharama and Hambantota areas.

Some politicians in the area say a PA politico was also angry over the constant raids. His strong supporters complained they were being deprived of their livelihood.

It was only a month ago, a Wild Life Department official was fired upon and was badly injured in the leg. This was after he apprehended a group of poachers, well inside the park.

Jungle Telegraph

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