Colombo: In an escalating hate crime against Muslims in Sri Lanka, fresh violence broke out on Sunday in Puttalam district’s Anamaduwa city in Sri Lanka after a Muslim owned Restaurant was attacked by Buddhists mobs, a day after Sri Lankan President had ordered a probe into the Anti-Muslim riots that broke out in Kandy District.
The attack at the restaurant was carried out in the early morning amidst strict Police vigil at the Puttalam district which is located at 130 Kilometers away from Colombo following the eruption against Muslims in Kandy district that targeted Muslim business, mosques, houses leaving two persons dead.
Colombo Telegraph reported, “Anamaduwe Muslim restaurant was attacked at 4 am (local time) this morning.”
High tensions are prevailing across Sri Lanka after communal violence broke out last week which followed the death of a man belonging to Buddhist Sinhalese majority.
Declaring a nationwide state of emergency on Tuesday to prevent escalation of violence against Muslims, President Sirisena had deployed Police and military and also appointed a three-member commission on Saturday to probe the communal clashes riot-hit Kandy district of Sri Lanka.
A media report said nearly 146 suspects have been arrested in connection with the riots in Kandy, of which 135 are suspected for violence while other 11 have been suspected of violating curfew.
Muslims make up only 10% of Sri Lanka’s total 21 million population which largely has Buddhist Sinhalese group.
Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka on Sunday summoned the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission to temporarily ban all social media throughout the nation last week after reports came in that hate mongers are using social media to spread anti-Muslim hatred.
The Sri Lankan government took measures against mobs spreading violence and to contain the situation said Sports minister Dayasiri Jayasekara.
“The state security was important than anything else and we are glad the situation is now returning to normal,” Jayasekara was quoted as saying.
Hatred against Muslims and Islamophobia has escalated in Sri Lanka since the end of civil war in 2009.
Back in 2014, violence was carried out against Muslims by Sinhalese Buddhist community in the southwestern town of Aluthgama, following a rally carried out by Buddhist nationalist monks which resulted in the death of three Muslims, HT reported.