Curfew amid Sinhala Muslim tension

[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 February 1999, 18:21 GMT]
Curfew was declared by the Sri Lankan Police in Pannala, a town in the Kurunagala district, about 100 kilometers northwest of Colombo, following indications that clashes could erupt between Muslims and Sinhalese in the area.

The curfew was imposed from 4.30 p.m. today and will be in effect until 6 a.m. tomorrow morning.

The problem began last night when a Sinhala youth who had gone with his friends had got into a brawl in a Muslim restaurant. The youth was murdered in the fracas that followed.

The murder had angered the Sinhalese in the area and several groups had got ready to retaliate on the Muslims tonight.

Meanwhile, the Pannala Muslims had also prepared to counter any such retaliation.

The curfew had to be imposed this evening to prevent the brewing hostility said a Police officer in Kurunagala.