"SELF DETERMINATION IS KEY TO THE WORLD PEACE"
Vigilante
violence continues in east
By Charles Haviland
BBC News, Colombo
Many around the country are “petrified” at a wave of violent crime, or rumoured crime
There has been more violence in Sri Lanka in a wave of crime, vigilante attacks and angry clashes between people and the security forces.
In one town, at least 4,000 people laid siege to a government office for several hours.
It happened after members of the navy shot and seriously wounded two townspeople who had been demonstrating and accusing them of harbouring violent criminals.
In the words of one minister, many Sri Lankans around the country are “petrified” at a wave of violent crime, or rumoured crime.
Crowds have lynched two people in retaliation, and turned their wrath on members of the security forces they accuse of harbouring the guilty or instigating the crimes.
Attacks by military
There are reports, and pictures in the papers, of women wounded by attackers and also of a man badly beaten up in vigilante-style violence.
Attacks by the military on protesters have heightened tensions
The Justice Minister had to travel to the eastern town of Kinniya and negotiate an end to local people’s siege of a government office.
He has renewed an appeal to people not to take the law into their own hands and victimise strangers among them.
But incidents like the army’s killing of a protestor last week, and the navy’s shooting of two more on Sunday, have heightened tensions.
The crime wave includes a series of killings of elderly women in southern Sri Lanka several weeks ago, and copycat assaults since then.
Some attackers are said to wear masks and to prey on people’s fears of night-time assailants dressed like devils.
The wave of vigilantism is mainly among Sri Lanka’s Muslim and Tamil minorities.
And they seem to be blaming the security forces for the crimes afflicting them.
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Global Peace Support Group UK Ltd is a registered organisation based in London. The organisation dedicated to be involved in humanitarian and other related issues. We also work along with other similar organisations to promote peace and harmony among various societies..
GLOBAL PEACE SUPPORT GROUP - UK - TIRELESSLY WORK ON THE CONCEPT OF:
"SELF DETERMINATION IS KEY TO THE WORLD PEACE"
MOURNS ON THE CONTINUED TRAGEDY OF THE PEOPLE OF North & East of Tamil EELAM WITH THE HOPE OF ALL OF OUR ENDEAVOURS WOULD BRING AN END TO THOSE SUFFERING DURING THE YEAR AHEAD.
The International community has a duty towards the long suffering Sri Lankan Tamil population to restore their rights of SELF DETERMINATION.
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