Fashion shop set ablaze by Buddhist extremists in Sri Lanka

By Ehi Ekhator, Naija Center News

The religious war between a group of Buddhist and Muslims in Sri Lanka has escalated as a Muslim owned fashion store, No Limit, located in Panadura, a suburb of Colombo has been burned down today.

The Nolimit fashion network newly established a multi-storey fashion store in Panadura which has been an attraction in the city.

According to a resident, the shop has been damaged after being set on fire by the angry Buddhists.

The security in the area has been tightened due to the incident.

Many Muslims shop has been targeted since the beginning of this outburst, particularly Nolimit. Sources said that the network has been targeted for its refusal to allow Buddhists visit the shops during festive seasons to buy clothes.

The Buddhist extremists had earlier made seveval attempts to discourage customers from buying clothes from the shop as they threw rotten eggs on the buyers and distributed the disgusting photos on social media as a warning.

A special police team led by DIG Anura Senanayake is currently conducting investigation into the incident.

The problem between Muslims, Christians and the Buddhist extremists started awhile ago when the Buddhists took to the street to protest against the minority Muslims and Christians religion whom they say are converting their members.

Days ago, the Buddhists led by some monks attacked a surburb of Colombo with guns and other dangerous weapons, leaving 3 residents of the Muslims dominated area dead.

Sri Lankans indigenes who ended a terrorist war from the Tamil Tigers that lasted for 30 years are scared as this problem, if not properly checked, may degenerate to a bigger attacks

The Sri Lankan government has said they are working very hard to bring everlasting peace, Since the President, Mahinda Rajapaksa promised the last time that those who went destroying and attacking the Muslims will be brought to book, there have been more attacks on the minority religions.

Fashion shop set ablaze by Buddhist extremists in Sri Lanka

Scores dead as Buddhists and Muslims clash in Sri Lanka

COLOMBO, June 17, 2014 (AFP) – More deadly violence flared in a Sri Lankan coastal resort where Buddhist hardliners set shops and homes alight for a second night running in defiance of a curfew, police and residents said Tuesday.

Amid mounting international concern over the unrest, residents of a town which has borne the brunt said a security guard was killed in an attack outside a Muslim-owned farm, raising the overall toll to four.

“More than a dozen houses and shops have been burnt overnight,” a police source told AFP from the mainly Muslim town of Alutgama after another night of mob violence by followers of the extremist Buddhist Force.

Hundreds of soldiers have been deployed to help police put a lid on the violence. Although the unrest on Monday was not as widespread as the previous night, it came despite the announcement of an indefinite curfew.

Residents said that several vehicles had also been set alight in Alutgama although there were no reports of fresh violence in the neighbouring town of Beruwala where property was also set on fire on Sunday.

Police said that the curfew would remain in force although residents would be given a four hour window to stock up on provisions till noon (0630 GMT).

The authorities say nearly 80 people have so far been seriously injured in clashes while many more have suffered minor injuries. Dozens of homes, shops and mosques have been partially or completely destroyed.

The most senior Muslim member of President Mahinda Rajapakse’s government threatened Monday to resign at the decision to allow militant Buddhists to rally in the flashpoint region on Sunday.

The fighting erupted after a prominent Buddhist monk threatened to obliterate the predominantly Muslim towns in the majority Buddhist nation.

The UN human rights chief Navi Pillay expressed concern that the riots could spread to other areas and demanded that Colombo immediately bring the perpetrators of Sunday’s attacks to justice.

“The government must urgently do everything it can to arrest this violence, curb the incitement and hate speech which is driving it, and protect all religious minorities,” Pillay said in a statement.

The United States, which has led international condemnation of Sri Lanka’s human rights record, had also urged Colombo to end the violence.

It could be recalled that in the month of June, 2013, a group of Buddhists monk who identified themselves Buddhists Nationalist Groups, invaded a church in Hikadduwa, a suburb of Colombo, destroying properties valued millions of rupees,  another group of Buddhists was also identified as the anti Muslim group attacked a Muslims community burning houses and properties on sight.

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Scores dead as Buddhists and Muslims clash in Sri Lanka