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Admitting that the expulsion of thousands of Muslims overnight from the northern Jaffna peninsula in 1990 was an unjustifiable 'political blunder', the LTTE has promised to re-settle them in their original habitations as soon as normalcy is restored in Sri Lanka.
In a conciliatory speech that came amidst mounting concerns over the safety of Muslims under an LTTE-controlled dispensation in the north and east, the group's political advisor Anton Balasingham asked the Islamic community to 'forgive and forget' the mistakes of the past.
"Tamil Eelam is also the homeland of the Muslims. We have to live in harmony and amity to promote peace and prosperity in the region," Balasingham was quoted by TamilNet website as saying.
Addressing a rally on Wednesday at Puthukudiyiruppu in rebel-held Mullaitivu district, he said, "There is a lot of misapprehension among the Islamic community about the LTTE's political strategy. (LTTE chief) Prabhakaran is willing to discuss all issues affecting the Muslim population and prepared to take immediate action to resolve them."
"The LTTE is willing to re-settle them in the northern district when normalcy is restored," Balasingham was quoted as saying by TamilNet.
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