Sri Lanka's main party for the minority Muslim community said Saturday that the government had failed to address Muslim concerns in the proposed joint mechanism deal with the Tamil Tigers.

Rauff Hakeem, leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) told reporters here that Muslims have valid concerns on the deal as a large number of Muslims are among the victims of the Dec. 26 tsunami last year.

A joint mechanism is to be entered between President Chandrika Kumaratunga and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam rebels to ensure equitable distribution of tsunami relief in the Tamil regions in Northern and Eastern provinces.

Muslims are majority in some areas of Eastern province devastated along the coastal line.

Hakeem, however, said his party would not take to streets against the move. Kumaratunga's main coalition partner, the JVP had already left the government over the dispute on the issue.

The SLMC, which sits in the opposition benches, has six seats in the 225-member parliament after four of their total number of 10 defected to Kumaratunga's government.

Hakeem said Muslim representatives must be included in the mechanism in order to cater to the Muslim interests in the Muslim majority areas.

Source: Xinhua