JEDDAH: Sri Lanka has urged the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) to grant it an observer status.
"Although we are a non-Muslim country, we need to have an observer status, especially at a time when we are concerned about rising oil prices," M.H. Mohamed, the island's longest-serving federal minister, told Arab News at a meeting at Sri Lankan Consul General Abdul Latiff Mohamed Lafeer's residence here yesterday.
He said his country was promoting Islamic banking and insurance, and a number of its Islamic organizations had been actively working for the welfare of the community.
Mohamed, the island state's parliamentary affairs minister, who also heads various Islamic organizations, is leading a six-member delegation, which had meetings with officials of the Islamic Solidarity Fund at the Islamic Development Bank to seek funds for some of its projects.
“A large number of projects need funding,” he said. Some of these include orphanages, centers for physically handicapped, madrasas and other institutions. "One other project is a 50 million Sri Lankan rupee polyclinic which needs assistance for equipment.
During his meeting with the IDB, the minister thanked the bank for its funding after the tsunami.
“The country's ethnic problem is being solved as the rebels are getting marginalized. Already we are controlling 80 percent of the LTTE strongholds and the remaining will be captured by December. Eastern Province has been liberated and local elections held,” said the minister who was Colombo's mayor in 1945 and has remained a minister since 1965 in various governments.
The delegation he is heading includes M.I.M. Razeek, managing director, ABC Barakah; M.I Firaz Hameed, director, ABC Barakah and consul for Sudan in Sri Lanka; M.I Fazal Hameed, consultant, ABC Barakah; Fauzul Khalid, director Islamic Center of Sri Lanka; and M.B.M. Zarook, secretary to chairman, Islamic Center, Sri Lanka and of ABC Barakah. ABC Barakah was opened in Sri Lanka on July 18, 2007 and is seeking tie-ups with Saudi institutions for microfinancing and technical support.
"We are a 100 percent Shariah compliant institution with four branches and are looking for tie-ups that will help us to acquire new products, know-how and finance in Islamic banking," M.I. Mohamed Razeek, managing director of ABC Barakah said.
