National Unity Alliance
{{short description|Political party in Sri Lanka}}
{{Infobox political party
| name = National Unity Alliance
| native_name = ජාතික සමගි සන්ධානය / தேசிய ஐக்கியக் கூட்டமைப்பு
| native_name_lang = si/ta
| logo = Election Symbol National Unity Front Sri Lanka.png
| colorcode = {{party color|National Unity Alliance}}
| leader = Azath Salley
| chairperson = Mr A.L. Adam Gany
| president =
| secretary_general = Azath Salley
| founder = M. H. M. Ashraff
| leader1_title = Treasurer
| leader1_name = Naushad Sathar
| slogan =
| founded = {{Start date and age|1999|df=y}}
{{Start date and age|2022|df=y}}
| dissolved =
| merger =
| split =
| predecessor =
| merged = Sri Lanka Freedom Party in 2010
| successor = Azath Salley in {{Start date|2012|df=y}}
| headquarters = R A De Mel Mawatha, Colombo 03.
| newspaper =
| student_wing =
| youth_wing =
| membership_year =
| membership =
| ideology =
| religion =
| national = New Democratic Front (Since 2022)
| international =
| european =
| europarl =
| affiliation1_title =
| affiliation1 =
| colors = Rainbow Colours
| seats1_title = Deputy General Secretary
| seats1 = Shahul Shabdeen
| seats2_title = Deputy Treasurer
| seats2 = F Ruzna Salley
| seats3_title = National Organizer
| seats3 = A H M Iqbal
| symbol = Pigeon
| flag =
| website =
| country = Sri Lanka
| footnotes =
}}
The National Unity Alliance ({{langx|ta|தேசிய ஐக்கியக் கூட்டமைப்பு}}) is a political alliance in Sri Lanka. Founded in 1999, the alliance ceased to exist in 2010 when its remaining members joined the Sri Lanka Freedom Party. However, Azath Salley subsequently assumed leadership of the party and the party is presently active.{{cite web | url=https://elections.gov.lk/en/political_party/political_party_list_E.html | title=Election Commission }}
The Alliance held an event to commemorate the 75th birth anniversary of its founder, Honourable M.H.M Ashraff at the BMICH in Colombo, under the patronage of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge as the Chief Guest, President Maithripala Sirisena, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, former minister and wife of Late M H M Ashraff, (Mrs) Ferial Ashraff Hon. Governor Azath Salley were among the special guests of the evening.
Members of the cabinet, parliament, diplomatic corps and close associates of the former minister were also in attendance.
Present status
The National Unity Alliance's was re-activated by Azath S. Salley by a Fundamental Rights petition with the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka. The party is presently 'active' and is recognized by the Elections Commission of Sri Lanka. The leader of the party is Salley.{{Cite web| title=The constitution of the national unity alliance | url=https://elections.gov.lk/web/wp-content/uploads/pdf/pol_party_list/Constitution/33_73_National%20Unity%20Alliance.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220702221545/https://elections.gov.lk/web/wp-content/uploads/pdf/pol_party_list/Constitution/33_73_National%20Unity%20Alliance.pdf | archive-date=2022-07-02}}
History
Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) leader M. H. M. Ashraff started discussions on forming a new political alliance in 1998.{{cite news|last1=Salman|first1=M. H. M.|title=Democracy without Opposition and the NUA|url=http://www.dailymirror.lk/62191/democracy-without-opposition-and-the-nua|work=The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)|date=27 January 2015}} The purpose of the alliance was to bring about unity among Sri Lanka's differing communities. Although initial discussions weren't successful, the alliance was eventually registered with the Department of Elections as a political party on 23 August 1999 with the name National Unity Alliance (NUA).{{cite news|last1=Peiris|first1=Roshan|title=Ashraff's mission 2012: unity in diversity|url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/990919/news2.html|work=The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)|date=19 September 1999}} Two political parties were members of the NUA - the SLMC and the Sri Lanka Progressive Front.{{cite news|last1=Weerarathne|first1=Chitra|title=SC issues notice on Ferial|url=http://www.island.lk/2001/08/04/news03.html|work=The Island (Sri Lanka)|date=4 August 2001}}{{cite news|last1=Martinesz|first1=Rodney|title=NUA case: Expulsion invalid - SC|url=http://archives.dailynews.lk/2001/09/29/pol02.html|work=Daily News (Sri Lanka)|date=29 September 2001}}{{cite news|title=Govt. in legal, political quagmire|url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/010610/pol.html|work=The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)|date=10 June 2001}} The aim of the NUA was to create a united Sri Lanka by 2012 and its motto was "Mother Lanka wants every citizen – All citizens want one Sri Lanka".
Both the SLMC and the NUA were members of the governing People's Alliance (PA) but by 2000 relations between the SLMC/NUA and PA had become strained.{{cite news|title=Helicopter crash probe launched|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/929211.stm|work=BBC News|date=17 September 2000}} The SLMC/NUA nevertheless contested the 2000 parliamentary election in alliance with PA - in some electoral districts the SLMC fielded candidates under the PA whilst in others it fielded candidates under the NUA. Contesting in 13 electoral districts the NUA received 197,983 votes (2.29%), winning four seats in Parliament.{{cite web|url=http://www.slelections.gov.lk/island2000.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121219184913/http://www.slelections.gov.lk/island2000.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-12-19|title=Parliamentary General Election 2000 - All Island Result|publisher=Department of Elections, Sri Lanka}}{{cite web|url=http://www.slelections.gov.lk/composition2000.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20100826002906/http://www.slelections.gov.lk/composition2000.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2010-08-26|title=Parliamentary General Election 2000 - Composition of Parliament|publisher=Department of Elections, Sri Lanka}} The SLMC also secured seven seats under the PA.
During the 2000 election campaign Ashraff was killed in a mysterious helicopter crash on 16 September 2000.{{cite news|title=Key minister killed in Sri Lanka crash|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/927370.stm|work=BBC News|date=16 September 2000}}{{cite news|title=Ashraff dies in mystery crash|url=http://sundaytimes.lk/000917/frontm.html|work=The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)|date=17 September 2000}}{{cite journal|title=Minister Ashraff among 14 killed in helicopter crash|journal=Tamil Times|date=15 September 2000|volume=XIX|issue=9|page=4|url=http://noolaham.net/project/36/3593/3593.pdf|issn=0266-4488}} Just before his death Ashraff had sent faxes to the media stating that the SLMC and NUA had severed all ties with the PA.{{cite news|title=Final act|url=http://sundaytimes.lk/000917/frontm.html|work=The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)|date=17 September 2000}} Following Ashraff's death Rauff Hakeem became the SLMC's "thesiya thalaivar" (national leader) but there was a power struggle between Ashraff's widow Ferial Ashraff and Hakeem for control of the SLMC.{{cite book|last1=Peebles|first1=Patrick|title=Historical Dictionary of Sri Lanka|date=2015|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=978-1-4422-5584-5|page=167|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=50igCgAAQBAJ}}{{cite news|last1=Farook|first1=Latheef|title=SLMC: Liability on the Muslim community|url=http://www.ft.lk/2014/12/23/slmc-liability-on-the-muslim-community/|work=Daily FT|date=23 December 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924043125/http://www.ft.lk/2014/12/23/slmc-liability-on-the-muslim-community/|archive-date=24 September 2015}} In June 2001 President Chandrika Kumaratunga dismissed Hakeem from the cabinet.{{cite news|title=Rauff Hakeem removed from cabinet|url=http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=6088|work=TamilNet|date=20 June 2001}}{{cite news|last1=Subramanian|first1=Nirupama|title=SLMC may offer issue-based support|url=http://www.thehindu.com/2001/06/21/stories/0121000a.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20150209151814/http://www.thehindu.com/2001/06/21/stories/0121000a.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=9 February 2015|work=The Hindu|date=21 June 2001}} All SLMC/NUA ministers, including Ferial Ashraff, resigned from the government on the instructions of the SLMC leadership.{{cite news|last1=Satyapalan|first1=Franklin R.|title=SLMC-NUA quit PA coalition|url=http://www.island.lk/2001/06/21/news02.html|work=The Island (Sri Lanka)|date=21 June 2001}}{{cite news|last1=de Silva|first1=Nilika|last2=Farook|first2=Faraza|title=72-hour ultimatum to Ferial, SLMC rebels|url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/010624/frontm.html|work=The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)|date=24 June 2001}} The SLMC leadership also decided that the SLCM should leave the PA and join the opposition.{{cite news|title=Sri Lanka govt. faces collapse as Muslims leave|url=http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=6089|work=TamilNet|date=20 June 2001}} However, Ferial Ashraff remained in the PA as leader of the NUA. Three SLMC MPs loyal to Ashraff - Wimalaweera Dissanayake, U. M. Hanifa and U. L. M. Mohideen - also remained in the PA.{{cite web|title=Former Minister and six others crossover to opposition|url=http://www.priu.gov.lk/news_update/Current_Affairs/ca200106/20010621crossover_to_opposition.htm|publisher=Policy Research and Information Unit, Presidential Secretariat|date=21 June 2001|access-date=28 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120620223636/http://www.priu.gov.lk/news_update/Current_Affairs/ca200106/20010621crossover_to_opposition.htm|archive-date=20 June 2012|url-status=dead}}
Contesting under the PA, the NUA secured two seats in Parliament - Ashraff and M. H. Segu Isadean - at the 2001 parliamentary election. On 20 January 2004 the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) formed the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) as a successor to the PA.{{cite news|url=http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=11003|title=SLFP-JVP alliance signed in Colombo|date=20 January 2004|publisher=TamilNet}} The NUA joined the UPFA on 2 February 2004.{{cite news|title=Four Party Leaders sign pact with JVP-SLFP alliance|url=http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=11121|work=TamilNet|date=2 February 2004}} The NUA contested the 2004 parliamentary election under the UPFA and Ashraff and Isadean retained their seats. After the election Ashraff was appointed as a cabinet minister whilst Isadean became a deputy minister.{{cite journal|url=http://www.documents.gov.lk/Extgzt/2004/pdf/Apr/1335%20_%2024/1335%20_%2024%20E.pdf|date=10 April 2004|title=PART I : SECTION (I) — GENERAL Appointments & c., by the President|journal=The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary|volume=1335/24|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141225151106/http://documents.gov.lk/Extgzt/2004/pdf/Apr/1335%20_%2024/1335%20_%2024%20E.pdf|archive-date=25 December 2014}}{{cite news|title=The new UPFA Cabinet|url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/040411/news/5.html|work=The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)|date=11 April 2004}}{{cite news|title=JVP boycotts UPFA cabinet swearing in ceremony|url=http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=11713|work=TamilNet|date=10 April 2004}}
The alliance became moribund thereafter and in February 2010 Ferial Ashraff and other NUA members joined the SLFP.{{cite news|title=NUA joins SLFP|url=http://archives.dailynews.lk/2010/02/19/pol06.asp|work=Daily News (Sri Lanka)|date=19 February 2010}}{{cite news|title=NUA leader Ashraff joins Sri Lanka Freedom Party|url=http://www.colombopage.com/archive_10/Feb1266502001CH.html|work=Colombo Page|date=18 February 2010}}{{cite news|title=Nandana, Ferial join SLFP|url=http://www.island.lk/2010/02/19/news25.html|work=The Island (Sri Lanka)|date=19 February 2010}} The alliance was de-registered as a political party in 2012.,{{cite news|last1=Bandara|first1=Kelum|title=Elections Dept. cancels registration of 3 political parties|url=http://www.dailymirror.lk/16462/elections-dept-cancels-registration-of-3-political-parties|work=The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)|date=1 February 2012}}{{cite news|title=Elections Dep. cancels registration of three parties|url=http://www.adaderana.lk/news.php?nid=16754|work=adaderana.lk|date=1 February 2012}} this was later challenged in court by Azath Salley and the party continues under Mr. Salley's leadership.
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{Sri Lankan political parties}}
Category:1999 establishments in Sri Lanka
Category:2010 disestablishments in Sri Lanka
Category:Defunct political party alliances in Sri Lanka
Category:Islamic political parties in Sri Lanka
Category:Political parties disestablished in 2010