Sri Lanka deploys troops after communal violence breaks out in wake of Easter Sunday bombings

The Sri Lankan government has deployed troops and imposed a curfew after clashes broke out between Catholic and Muslim communities in Negambo, one of the sites of the Easter Sunday bombings.

Mobs attacked homes and businesses in the first reported outbreak of violence since the bombings on churches and luxury hotels that left 257 dead. The Easter attacks, carried out by eight Sri Lankan suicide bombers were claimed by Isil.

Eye witnesses to Sunday’s clashes said that they began with a scuffle between Catholic and Muslim three-wheel trishaw drivers in Poharathota, a Muslim settlement.

“It just escalated from there, ending in Muslim houses being damaged and a few trishaws set on fire,” said Luxman Perera, a carpenter at the St. Sebastian’s Church.

The successive violence “seemed coordinated”, residents told The Telegraph.

“People took advantage of the situation and the violence spread very quickly,” said Mohamed Nizam, a shopkeeper.

The Dhalupotha mosque, some four miles from the area where the initial fight broke out, was pelted with stones and damaged by men wielding sticks.

The Archbishop of Colombo, Malcom Ranjith, condemned the violence, which left homes in Muslim settlements badly damaged.

“We were terrified. A mob of about eight to ten men swinging huge poles and some of them wearing helmets broke our door and rushed into our house last night. They were screaming that they will kill us,” a mother of two, who asked to be identified as just Fathima, told The Telegraph.

“They broke everything... The children were crying and I thought they were going to set fire to us,” she said sobbing, adding she was scared for her family to stay in their home.

In the past the government and the military have been accused of turning a blind eye to attacks on Muslims.

The police said that no casualties were reported during the Sunday night violence.

Following the tensions, the government shut down all social media for the second time since the Easter Sunday attacks to prevent the spread of rumours and incitement. A ban imposed following the bombings was lifted just three days ago.

Authorities were particularly wary of allowing grievances to fester as some schools re-opened their doors on Monday.

Amid tight security, classes resumed for public school students in Grades six to 13 – those between the ages of ten and 19 – although reports said most classrooms were near empty with many teachers also avoiding returning to work out of fear.

Private schools, including those for Catholic students, remained closed while public school pupils aged between five and ten won't return until May 13.

Students that did attend lessons today were forced to bring transparent school bags, lunch boxes and water bottles. Parking vehicles near school sites was banned entirely with special zones set up for school buses.

In an attempt to gain control over Sri Lanka after the attacks, President Maithripala Sirisena has re-introduced the wartime state of emergency laws which give the police and military sweeping powers to arrest people without warrants and detain them for long periods of time.  Muslim face coverings were also banned under this law last week.

On Monday morning, security remained tight in Negambo, with the air force and elite special forces on guard amid an atmosphere of tense calm.

St. Sebastian’s Church in Negambo was the worst affected of the six bombing sites, with more than 100 worshippers killed during the Easter Sunday service.