Religious leaders meet to diffuse tension in Colombo

[TamilNet, Friday, 01 November 2002, 22:36 GMT]
Curfew was re-imposed for the third day Friday afternoon till Saturday morning as seven police divisions in the city of Colombo are slowly returning to normalcy with the heavy presence of state armed forces and police, security sources said.

Meanwhile at a peace conference held Friday morning at Bodhirajarama playground presided by the Interior Minister Mr.John Amaratunge for working out an action plan that will help prevent clashes in future between Sinhalese and Muslim communities. Religious leaders of both religious orders attended the peace conference.

The Defence Ministry Secretary Mr. Austin Fernando at the conference directed the Colombo Government Agent Ms R.K.Rukmani to submit a report on the damages caused to properties during the violence to facilitate payment of fair and adequate compensation to the victims.

In the meantime, the Sihala Urumaya, hard-line political party Friday denied reports that it was behind the clashes between Sinhalese and Muslims in Colombo. An official of the Sihala Urumaya said some forces in the government have been spreading this rumor in order to have their party banned.