Sri Lanka’s Political Polarization and Tribute to Senior Journalist Salim
Sri Lanka Muslim Congress leader and Member of Parliament Rauff Hakeem stated that, although ethnic polarization has unfortunately become an unavoidable structural weakness in the country’s current political landscape, senior journalist Salim stood as a beacon of true unity between Tamil and Muslim communities beyond such political boundaries and realities.
He made these remarks while addressing the memorial event of the late senior journalist A.L.M. Salim and the book launch of “Media Veteran of the East”, held yesterday at the Colombo Tamil Sangam, Sankarapillai Hall. The event was organized by the Tamil Journalists Union.
He further noted that Sri Lanka’s current political direction is increasingly pushing journalists and politicians into ethnic and narrow regional divisions, which has become an observable systemic issue in daily political life.
In this context, he highlighted that personalities like Salim played a key role in protecting the long-standing ideological foundations of Tamil-speaking communities through their balanced and impartial writings. He also mentioned that the late leader M.H.M. Ashraff shared a close intellectual and political relationship with Salim, unlike many others in the media field.
He further described Salim as a person who always prioritized humanity, even in politically sensitive and challenging environments, and who used humor as a means of guiding and moderating individuals. He emphasized that in an era where journalism has become highly commercialized, Salim’s integrity and unbiased writing stand as a strong example.
Finally, he announced that he would personally take responsibility for funding and organizing an annual award in Salim’s name through the Tamil Journalists Union, aimed at recognizing and supporting a deserving field reporter each year.
