The Sri Lankan prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Sunday visited the Gintota in Galle where Muslim homes and business were attacked amid clashes between Muslim and Sinhala residents.
Pledging legal action against those responsible, Mr Wickremesinghe was quoted by the Daily Mirror as saying, “a major disaster erupted because of people spreading rumours. We can’t station Police and military here forever. So everyone should live peacefully."
The incident led to a police curfew being imposed in Kurunduwatte, Mahahapugala, Welipitimodara, Ukwaththa, Gintota East, Gintota West and Piyandigama.
Sri Lanka's Home Affairs minister Vajira Abeywardena on Friday attempted to downplay the reports, stating that it was a "minor" incident that was being portrayed as a racist incident.
Since the end of the armed conflict in 2009, Muslim communities across the Sinhala south have been targetted on a number of occasions by mobs, with homes and businesses being burnt.
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