Sri Lanka declares Emergency updates: US embassy calls for quick action against perpetrators, end to Emergency

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‘President ordered security forces & police to enforce law and order’

President ordered security forces & police to enforce law & order & to take immediate action to counter acts of violence affecting any community, in liaison with Govt Agents/Divisional Secys & other District Administrative Authorities: Director General of Govt Info Dept #SriLanka

— ANI (@ANI) March 6, 2018

Heavy deployment outside Colombo’s Premadasa stadium

Heavy security forces deployed outside Colombo's Premadasa Stadium where the first match of T20 Tri-series is to begin shortly where India and Sri Lanka will face each other. An emergency has been declared in #SriLanka. pic.twitter.com/L5ey1ZXLU7

— ANI (@ANI) March 6, 2018

Sri Lankan PM Ranil Wickremesinghe on Twitter

As a nation that endured a brutal war we are all aware of the values of peace, respect, unity & freedom. The Govt condemns the racist & violent acts that have taken place over the last few days. A state of emergency has been declared & we will not hesitate to take further action.

— Ranil Wickremesinghe (@RW_SRILANKA) March 6, 2018

Turmoil in Sri Lanka 

According to sources, the president has ordered the CID team to head to Kandy to investigate the communal clash. Two hundred special task force personnel have been deployed on ground to control the situation, along with 200 army troops and 1000 police personnel.  

Curfew has been imposed in a few places across Kandy: Teldeniya and Pallekale. The situation was triggered after a Sinhalese man allegedly beaten up by a group of Muslim men last week succumbed to his injuries on Saturday. The clash was triggered by an alleged altercation over road rage. Violence broke out in Teldeniya and then spread to Digana town. Shops were set afire and a mosque was torched on Sunday night and Monday this week.

In another separate incident last week in Ampara, it was alleged that a restaurant was mixing sterilising medicine with food. A religious undertone was given to that incident. It was alleged that the organised groups carried out the violence in both incidents. They are said to have used social media to organise their activities. The government is trying to control the situation by imposing state of Emergency.

Inputs by Chathuri Dissanayake/101Reporters.

First time Emergency imposed since 2011

This is the first time Emergency has imposed in Sri Lanka since 2011. Police say heavily armed commandos have been deployed since afternoon. Everyone awaiting Prime Minister  Ranil Wickremesinghe’s statement in parliament

Video courtesy Sri Lankan citizen journalism website Groundviews

Video courtesy Sri Lankan citizen journalism website Groundviews

Video courtesy Sri Lankan citizen journalism website Groundviews

BCCI acting president CK Khanna

We are monitoring the situation regularly. We are also in touch with the Sri Lankan govt. It is an important series for them too. We believe all matches will be held on time: CK Khanna, BCCI Acting President on emergency in #SriLanka pic.twitter.com/p5hLyx59Kl

— ANI (@ANI) March 6, 2018

Former Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa calls for calm

It is the #SriLanka Government's responsibility to maintain law and order in #Digana. Action could have been taken sooner to prevent clashes. I urge residents to remain calm and act with reason.

— Mahinda Rajapaksa (@PresRajapaksa) March 6, 2018

Cricket statistician Rajneesh Gupta on Twitter

Premadasa Stadium is all ready for the opening match of #NidahasTrophy2018. No issue with security at all.#SLvIND pic.twitter.com/3F1HEMDVPK

— Rajneesh Gupta (@rgcricket) March 6, 2018

Sri Lankan politician Namal Rajapaksa criticises govt on Twitter

Namal Rajapaksa, son of former Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa and a member of parliament took to Twitter to criticise the government

Current #SriLanka Government must take responsibility for mishandling incidents in Digana and Ampara, and allowing them to escalate. It can’t continue blaming the past government for its current inaction. It must take responsibility for maintaining law & order around the country.

— Namal Rajapaksa (@RajapaksaNamal) March 6, 2018

Emergency in Sri Lanka, curfew in Kandy

#Update : Emergency imposed in #SriLanka, curfew in #Kandy

Read @ANI story | https://t.co/kJZVodq8LN pic.twitter.com/5i4L0KaiuF

— ANI Digital (@ani_digital) March 6, 2018

BCCI: India’s T20 tri-series to go on

BCCI acting president CK Khanna told PTI: “The Indian cricket board is in constant touch with the Sri Lankan government authorities. The security is foolproof and we have been assured that there is no threat to the tournament. So the Indian team, as of now, will be playing the tournament.” 

The government decision to declare Emergency came after a Buddhist man was killed and  a mob set fire to a Muslim-owned shop. In Sri Lanka, of its 21 million population, Buddhists Sinhalese make up nearly 75 percent, 13 percent of the population are Hindus while Muslims comprise around 10 percent.

Members of Buddhist community protest outside Kandy police station

#WATCH: Members of Buddhist community hold protest outside Police station in #Kandy, Sri Lanka, demanding the release of Buddhists those who were arrested in the riot. pic.twitter.com/NVqJwcTtyn

— ANI (@ANI) March 6, 2018

Members of Buddhist community protest outside Kandy police station

#Visuals: Members of Buddhist community hold protest outside Police station in #Kandy, Sri Lanka, demanding the release of Buddhists those who were arrested in the riot. pic.twitter.com/R3OcDHklUg

— ANI (@ANI) March 6, 2018

Latest outbreak of violence

In February, five people were wounded and several shops and a mosque damaged in a clash between majority Sinhalese Buddhists and minority Muslims. In June 2014, at least 40 people were injured and mosques and shops were damaged in clashes that started at a protest march led by hardline Buddhist group Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), or the “Buddhist power force”.

‘President will decide if Emergency can be extended’

President Maithripala Sirisena and the Cabinet today decided to declare a state of Emergency for 10 days following the violence prevailed in some parts of the country, Minister of Social Empowerment S B Dissanayake said.

  A Gazette notification would be issued right away, he told reporters outside the President’s Secretariat, where the Cabinet meeting was held.  

“There are allegations that the law was not implemented to minimise the impact of these tense situations. Now, the police and army personnel had been deployed to respective areas to beef up security,” he was quoted as saying by the Daily Mirror.    

Dissanayake said the president could decide at the end of the 10 days, whether to extend the state of Emergency.

BCCI reacts to Emergency being imposed in Sri Lanka

There have been reports of curfew and an emergency being called in Sri Lanka. The situation is in Kandy, not Colombo. After talking to concerned security personnel, we have understood that situation is completely normal in Colombo: BCCI #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/4rTXZ8C8Mb

— ANI (@ANI) March 6, 2018

 Maithripala Sirisena government imposes 10-day state of Emergency

A day after sending police and military into the district of Kandy — and imposing a curfew there to prevent communal clashes, the Maithripala Sirisena government has declared a nationwide 10-day-long state of emergency. The Indian cricket team is expected to face Sri Lanka in the first match of the triangular Nidahas Trophy — to mark 70 years of Sri Lankan Independence — that also features Bangladesh at 7 pm (IST) at Colombo’s Premadasa Stadium.