Curfew re-imposed in Puttalam

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 November 2002, 16:58 GMT]
Curfew which lasted from 6 pm yesterday to 6 am this morning in Puttalam-Mathurankuli area has been re-imposed from 2 pm today to 6 am tomorrow to prevent further violence due to prevailing tension between the Muslim and Sinhala communities, sources said.

Police and Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers are jointly providing security and maintaining order in the area, according to sources.

Yesterday, a group of Sinhala youths attacked a Muslim refugee camp in the Puttalam-Srimapura area causing damage to 15 houses and destroying propery worth thousands of rupees. 65 Mulim families were forced to seek temporary shelter in the nearby Mosque, sources said. Following this event, Muslim settlements and refugee camps in the Puttalam area have been reinforced with further security personnel.

Vanni district Minister of Rehabilitation and Resettlement, Noordeen Marzook, inspected the affected areas and had consultations with senior security officials. The Officials told the minister that investigations are ongoing and that they have the situation under control.

Minister of Interior, John Amaratunge, is also being kept informed of the situation, sources said. Mr. Amaratunge had instructed the Officers of Security Forces to take actions necessary to prevent recurrence of similar incidents in the future.