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Colombo clashes quelled: Three-member committee appointed

by Ranil Wijayapala and Rashomi Silva

The government last night appointed a three-member committee comprising the Government Agent Colombo, the Commissioner of Buddhist Affairs and the Director Muslim Cultural Affairs to inquire and report into incidents in Colombo North yesterday which forced Police to enforce a local curfew.

Clashes between local residents resulted in the death of one person and injuries to at least 20 others. Of the injured four were warded at the Colombo Accident Ward and the others received outpatient treatment.

Police backed by a contingent of the Army and the Special Task Force kept the two battling groups apart. By evening the disturbances had ceased. The incidents caused the Police to divert traffic and as major roads were blocked there was a massive traffic jam that affected the entire Colombo metropolitan area.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister A.H.M. Azwer told the Daily News yesterday that Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had held an emergency meeting last evening to assess the situation after the clashes broke out.

Ministers Azwer, W.J.M. Lokubandara, M H Mohamed, Tilak Marapana and Defence Ministry officials attended the meeting. Minister C M Maharoof was also present at the scene of the incident. Inspector General of Police T E Anandarajah was also at the scene directing operations.

Several motorcycles and cars had been burnt and attempts had also been made to stone shops and houses, Police said. The Colombo fire brigade was called in to douse the sporadic fires. Some rioters burnt tires and trash on the roads blocking traffic.

The initial cause for the clashes had been a long-standing land dispute in the area over the construction of a religious school, Police added.

Minister Azwer later toured the area with Pesh Imam Moulavi Niyaz Mohamed who spoke to the residents. Minister Lokubandara had also had discussions with the leading Buddhist prelates in Colombo to assure all concerned that the incident was a local clash and not a communal incident.

Fifty persons had been taken into the custody for questioning in connection with the clashes, SSP of Colombo-Central D.P.L. Dissanayaka told the Daily News. Investigations are being conducted to find out whether certain mischievous elements were behind the incident.

Colombo DIG Bodhi Liyanage said the police curfew imposed in the area will be lifted this morning after considering the situation and request the public not to be misled by rumours. He said the situation was totally under control by evening and additional Police personnel were deployed to patrol the area. President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga also asked for immediate action to quell the incidents and called for a report into the causes of the clashes.

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