Pirapaharan to meet Muslim leaders

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 April 2002, 08:29 GMT]
Mr Velupillai Pirapaharan, the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) assisted by Mr Anton Balasingham, the organisation’s political strategist and advisor will meet the Muslim leaders soon in Vanni to discuss various issues affecting the Muslim community in the northeast.

This was revealed by Mr Balasingham on Wednesday when he addressed a public meeting at Sivasubramaniam Maha Vidyalayam, Puthukuddirrupu in Mullaitivu . Several thousands of people attended the rally to listen to the LTTE’s senior leader espousing the current peace strategy of the Tamil Tigers. Mr Tamilselvan head of the LTTE’s political wing chaired the meeting.

Mr Balasingham said that the LTTE leadership is prepared to discuss and resolve the concerns and grievances of the Muslim people in the northeast. “There are a lot of misapprehensions amongst the Islamic community with regard to the LTTE’s political strategy. Mr Pirapaharan is willing to discuss all issues affecting the Muslim population and prepared to take immediate action to resolve them,” Mr Balasingham said.

Agreeing that the expulsion of the Muslims from Jaffna was a political blunder, which could not be justified, Mr Balasingham said that the LTTE leadership would be willing to re-settle them in the northern district when cease-fire is stabilised and normalcy is restored.

“We do recognise the unique cultural identity of the Muslim community. Linguistically, economically and territorially the Muslims and the Tamils are inextricably inter-related and therefore they have to co-exist as brothers in the northeast. Let us forget ad forgive the mistakes made in the past. Tamil Eelam is also the homeland of the Muslims and we have to live in harmony and amity to promote peace and prosperity in the region,” Mr Balasingham said.