Sri Lanka declares emergency amid anti-Muslim violence
Mar 6, 2018
Sri Lanka's president has declared a state of emergency amid fears that anti-Muslim attacks in several central hill towns could spread
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka's president declared a state of emergency Tuesday amid fears that anti-Muslim attacks in several central hill towns could spread.
Details of the emergency decree were not immediately announced, and it was unclear how it would affect life on the South Asian island nation, where Buddhist-Muslim tensions have flared in recent years with the growth of extremist Buddhist organizations. Life went on as normal Tuesday afternoon in the capital, Colombo, and many other towns and cities, with no signs of increased security.
The areas where the violence erupted Monday, outside the town of Kandy, remained under curfew Tuesday, with soldiers and police patrolling the streets and no one allowed outside except for emergencies.
A tweet from the office of President Maithripala Sirisena said the decree would "redress the unsatisfactory security situation prevailing in certain parts of the country." It said the country's security forces "have been suitably empowered to deal with criminal elements in the society and urgently restore normalcy."
While government officials did not specifically mention Buddhist extremists, many comments appeared aimed at them.
The government will "act sternly against groups that are inciting religious hatred," Cabinet minister Rauff Hakeem said after a meeting with the president.
The emergency announcement came after Buddhist mobs swept through the towns outside Kandy, burning at least 11 Muslim-owned shops and homes. The attacks followed reports that a Buddhist man had been killed by a group of Muslims. Police fired tear gas into the crowds, and later announced a curfew in the town.
So far no violence has been reported in other parts of the island nation.
Lakshman Kiriella, a lawmaker from Kandy, said in Parliament that the attacks were "carried out by outsiders."
"I am ashamed as a Buddhist and we must apologize to the Muslims," he declared.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the government condemned the "racist and violent acts."
"As a nation that endured a brutal war we are all aware of the values of peace, respect, unity and freedom," he said on Twitter.
Sri Lanka has long been divided between the majority Sinhalese, who are overwhelmingly Buddhist, and minority Tamils who are Hindu, Muslim and Christian. The country remains deeply scarred by its 1983-2009 civil war, when Tamil rebels fought to create an independent homeland. While the rebels were eventually crushed, a religious divide has taken hold in recent years, with hard-line Sinhalese groups accusing Muslims of forcing people to convert and destroying sacred Buddhist sites.
The U.S. Embassy urged the government to act quickly against the perpetrators, protect the rights of religious minorities and "conclude the state of emergency swiftly, while protecting human rights and basic freedoms for all."
The rights group Amnesty International said the state of emergency should not be a pretext for further human rights violations, given that the country has spent nearly 40 years since independence under emergency rule.
"While it is positive that the government wishes to prevent further violence, any steps taken to address the problem, however, must meet Sri Lanka's obligations under international human rights law, including the absolute prohibition on torture, unfair trials and arbitrary detention," said Biraj Patnaik, the group's South Asia director.
MORE NEWS
In Graphics: How the cost of Iran war piled up
As crude oil prices rose, India paid more for this critical import even though it got less of it, data shows. Trade with major partners in the region remains affected, households and companies are staring at high inflation, and the govt is footing an elevated subsidy bill.
Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner romance: Basic Instinct actor admits secret relationship; here's who he was married to at the time
Michael Douglas has confirmed that he and Kathleen Turner had a secret romantic relationship while filming Romancing the Stone. The affair began in 1984 when Douglas was separated from his wife but still married. Both actors denied their romance publicly for over four decades to protect his family. Their relationship ended when Diandra, his wife, interfered after visiting the filming location in Mexico.
Fuel subsidies may top $1 trillion: UN
The UNDP analysis - which looked at data from the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the International Energy Agency - found the number of countries deploying different relief measures nearly doubled between April and September as the war's impact continued.
Fresh protest at Jantar Mantar on October 10 if CEC Gyanesh Kumar does not resign: CJP leader Dipke
The Cockroach Janta Party’s Abhijeet Dipke has announced a protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on October 10 if Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar does not resign.
Bonded warehouses may face 24-hour discrepancy reporting, five-year digital records under proposed customs overhaul
The government is considering tighter compliance rules for bonded warehouses, including a 24-hour deadline to electronically report shortages or discrepancies and mandatory digital records tracking goods from receipt to clearance, transfer or export. The proposed framework also envisages five-year record retention, monthly reporting and insurance against potential customs duty liabilities.
16 states await SSR, Hegde case, Attorney General opinion at centre of ECI rift
Both Election Commissioners -- Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi -- are learnt to have interpreted that the AG opinion and Hegde case inputs favoured resuming the decades-old convention of annual SSR, which was paused after 2024, skipped in 2025 and is yet to be announced in 2026, already late given the usual announcement timeline of May-July.
Adani Group committed to investment plans of over ₹6 lakh crore in Maharashtra across energy, airports and infra
Adani Group has announced plans to invest over ₹6 lakh crore in Maharashtra across multiple sectors. The investments are aimed at aiding Maharashtra's goal of becoming a $1 trillion economy by 2030. The group has committed to significant infrastructure projects, including the management of Mumbai's airports and renewable power sourcing. Additionally, the Dharavi Redevelopment Project will transform the area with modern housing and economic opportunities.
India extends RoDTEP export support till Dec 2026; raises insurance cover to 95% amid West Asia disruption
The government has extended the RoDTEP scheme for exporters until December 31, 2026, while raising insurance risk coverage to 95% for eligible shipments to specified regions amid geopolitical and logistics disruptions in West Asia. Existing RoDTEP rates and value caps will remain unchanged under the extension, the commerce ministry said.
Panama auditor targets ex-port regulators and CK Hutchison’s executives in canal probe
Panama’s comptroller general said on Friday that his office would send prosecutors more audit material on former executives of CK Hutchison’s local subsidiary next week, as part of a criminal investigation into the Hong Kong conglomerate’s annulled Panama Canal ports concession. Speaking at the Atlantic Council in Washington, Anel Flores said prosecutors had requested documents concerning Panama Ports Company (PPC), the operator of the Balboa and Cristobal terminals at either end of the canal...
Gujarat approves 50% vehicle tax concession for scrapping
As per the notification recently issued by the Ports and Transport Department regarding this decision, transport and non-transport vehicles manufactured as per Mass Emission Standards Bharat Stage-I (BS-I) and earlier standards have been covered under this provision. In addition, a concession has also been provided for all medium and heavy goods motor vehicles as well as all medium and heavy passenger motor vehicles manufactured as per BS-II standards.
Gujarat approves 50% vehicle tax concession for scrapping
As per the notification recently issued by the Ports and Transport Department regarding this decision, transport and non-transport vehicles manufactured as per Mass Emission Standards Bharat Stage-I (BS-I) and earlier standards have been covered under this provision. In addition, a concession has also been provided for all medium and heavy goods motor vehicles as well as all medium and heavy passenger motor vehicles manufactured as per BS-II standards.