Colombo, June 24 – A handout picture provided by the Sri Lankan President Media Division shows a Sri Lankan Muslim representative stressing a point during the meeting with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa when he visited the Divisional Secretariat in the recent sectarian clash affected Beruwala 58 kms south of Colombo, Sri Lanka, 18 June 2014.
President Rajapaksa who was in Bolivia when the clashes occurred on 14 and 15 June rushed to Beruwala the very next morning of his arrival. He met both the Sinhalese and Muslims in the Beruwala and promised an impartial investigation and compensation for the affected.
Beruwala and Aluthgama where the clash began following a hard-line Buddhist group’s meeting were under police curfew which was lifted this morning with the areas returning to normalcy.
Two persons were reported dead and over 80 injured and admitted to hospital following a two day continued clash between Sinhalese and Muslims – a misnomer for ethnic Moors – groups in the predominantly Muslim populated Aluthgama area which later spread to neighbouring Beruwala as well.
Muslims religion wise make up around 10 percent of the islands just over 20 million population while the ethnic Sinhalese belonging mainly Buddhism and also Chriatianity and other religions account to over 70 percent.
Photos: EPA
