Sri Lankan police clamped a fresh curfew on a Colombo neighbour hood Sunday, a day after a Buddhist-led mob vandalised a mosque in an incident that raised religious tensions and US concern.
Police announced that a 13-hour curfew would be reimposed, starting at 6:00 pm across the residential and commercial areas of Grandpass district, which remained under tight security following Saturday’s attack that left four people wounded.
The government held lengthy talks with Muslim leaders and the clergy on both sides and announced what technology minister Champika Ranawaka described was a “just solution” acceptable to all sides.
Soldiers armed with automatic rifles were deployed at key junctions in the upscale area of the capital where the discussions were held after a day of tense clashes between Buddhist and Muslim mobs.
Through a just solution, we have now peacefully solved the issue,” the minister said. Sri Lanka Muslim Council said it accepted the settlement.
However, hundreds of police enforced the night curfew in the area.
Muslim ministers in the ruling coalition, including justice minister Rauf Hakeem, said failure to take stern action against those responsible for similar attacks in the past had brought about a breakdown in law and order.
“The notion that there are elements in our society who can act with impunity should be totally eradicated from the public perception that has now taken root in our society,” the ministers said in a joint statement.
President Mahinda Rajapakse’s coalition includes the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, the country’s largest Muslim political party.Three Buddhist monks and 14 others who were arrested in connection with the arson attacks in March were later freed when police and the victims did not press charges.
In another incident, radical Buddhists recently forced Islamic clerics to withdraw halal certification from food sold locally, claiming that it offended the majority non-Muslim population.
Residents said temple bells summoned dozens of men who stormed the mosque Saturday and started throwing stones and beating up worshippers. Several homes in the area were also damaged, they said.
70% of Sri Lanka’s 20 million population follow Buddhism, while Muslims are the second largest religious minority with just under 10% after Hindus who make up about 13% Others are Christian.