Anti-Muslim riots in Sri Lanka

Image: Kumuduni Vithana, Regional Coordinator, Kandy Regional Office, Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka. The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka will investigate complaints made by the public with regard to the aforementioned issue by virtue of their powers vested under the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka Act No.21 of 1996. As the initial step of the […]

Ruki Fernando. This story is based on visits to both sites and testimonies of at least 10 survivors and about 5 eyewitnesses present As Sinhalese – Buddhist mobs were escalating violence against Muslims around Digana on March 5, the Hijrapura mosque in Digana had just finished afternoon prayers around 4 pm that day. As usual, devotees were […]

(CPA /16 March 2018)Sri Lanka’s last state of emergency lasted for 28 years, and was terminated in August 2011, having continuously been extended by governments since it was first declared in 1983. On March 6th 2018, President Maithripala Sirisena declared a state of emergency in order to address and contain the violence unfolding in the Kandy district, where violent attacks […]

Image: Ceylon Today cartoon by MD Weeraratne. As the violence that affected parts of the Kandy District quietly moves into the history of ethno-religious confrontation in the country, society is faced with a new situation and issue of considerable importance that arose from the violence of recent days. It is the issue of handling Social Media, […]

Image: Sri Lanka Muslims in Kandy praying in open space as their Mosque has been set on fire by Sinhala Buddhist mobs. On March 6 2018, Parliament took up an adjournment motion on the issue of the recent violence taking place in Ampara and later, Digana. Speaking after Minister Rauf Hakeem, I agreed with many […]

Image: Jeffrey Feltman addresses a press conference in Colombo on March 3, 2015.  LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI/AFP/GETTY/CBS. (AFP) The UN’s political chief on Sunday condemned anti-Muslim violence that has targeted mosques and businesses in Sri Lanka as he wrapped up a three-day visit to the Indian Ocean island-nation. Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman urged the government to […]

Image: Ampara anti-Muslim violence was triggered by false info on so called sterilization pills. 7 March 2018 (Colombo, Sri Lanka): The World Health Organization (WHO) in Sri Lanka and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Sri Lanka, jointly echo the statement issued by the United Nations in Sri Lanka earlier today, regarding the recent […]

Image: On the night of 10th March a eatery in Anamaduwa, NWP was set on fire, but  Sinhalese helped to repair it and eatery was opened in 18 hours. Rajan Philips. Teldeniya is the last straw, if one was needed, to break the last strand of credibility of the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe government. Most people took for granted […]

(Lanka Truth) A ‘Sathyagraha’ campaign to protest against the communal clashes that occurred in Digana area in Kandy District and the attempt to spread communalism in other areas was held at Viharamahadevi Park today n 9th March. The ‘Sathyagraha’ organized by the JVP was participated by a large crowd including representatives of civil society organizations, […]

Image: Military guarding burned Muslim owned shops! Kandy – Sri Lanka(Reuters/Stringer) Violent clashes between Buddhists and Muslims have forced Sri Lanka to impose a state of emergency. Despite the move, the government appears uncertain about how to respond to the violence, says analyst Alan Keenan. The Sri Lankan government on Tuesday declared a state of […]