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Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Displaced Muslims to be resettled - Minister Baithudeen

Muslims of the Northern Province, who are living in the IDP camps in the Puttalam District for the last 20 years, are to be resettled in their original places in the North from the third week of this month, Minister Risath Bathiyutheen said.

He pointed out that the President will participate in the launch of the programme on the December 26, and. Muslims numbering more than 100,000 are to be resettled in their places of origin.

Prior to this move, Rauff Hakeem, the leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress met with LTTE leader Prabhakaran in 2002 and entered into an agreement for the resettlement of the displaced Muslims of the North. But the LTTE refused to resettle the Muslims even though they agreed to do so in 2002. the minister recalled.