National Unity Alliance

Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) leader M. H. M. Ashraff started discussions on forming a new political alliance in 1998.[1] The purpose of the alliance was to bring about unity among Sri Lanka's differing communities.[1] 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).[1][2] Two political parties were members of the NUA - the SLMC and the Sri Lanka Progressive Front.[2][3][4][5] 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".[1][2]

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.[6] 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.[7][8] 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.[9][10][11] Just before his death Ashraff had sent faxes to the media stating that the SLMC and NUA had severed all ties with the PA.[9][12] 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.[13][14] In June 2001 President Chandrika Kumaratunga dismissed Hakeem from the cabinet.[15][16] All SLMC/NUA ministers, including Ferial Ashraff, resigned from the government on the instructions of the SLMC leadership.[17][18] The SLMC leadership also decided that the SLCM should leave the PA and join the opposition.[14][17][19] However, Ferial Ashraff remained in the PA as leader of the NUA.[14] Three SLMC MPs loyal to Ashraff - Wimalaweera Dissanayake, U. M. Hanifa and U. L. M. Mohideen - also remained in the PA.[17][20]

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.[21] The NUA joined the UPFA on 2 February 2004.[22] 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.[23][24][25]

The alliance became moribund thereafter and in February 2010 Ferial Ashraff and other NUA members joined the SLFP.[26][27][28] The alliance was de-registered as a political party in 2012.[29][30]