Sri Lanka: FB post saying ‘Don't laugh more, 1 day u will cry’ triggers anti-Muslim riots; mosque vandalised

Colombo: In the aftermath of the devastating terror attacks in Sri Lanka on April 21, anti-Muslim riots hit several towns across the island nation on Sunday.

All is not well in Sri Lanka after suicide attacks at three luxury hotels and three churches on Easter Sunday left 258 dead.

On Monday, Sri Lanka blocked WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and other social media platforms in a bid to avert any untoward incident.

Signalling religious tension in Sri Lanka, Christian groups on Sunday attacked shops owned by Muslims in the north-west town of Chilaw in response to a Facebook post by a Muslim shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper, identified as 38-year-old Abdul Hameed Mohamed Hasmar, had written a post titled "Don't laugh more, 1 day u will cry”. Local Christians reportedly took the post as a warning of an imminent attack and a mob smashed his shop and vandalised a nearby mosque. A curfew was imposed until dawn Monday.

Despite an attempt by security forces to disperse the crowd, violence spread to nearby



towns where Muslim businesses came under attack.

A motorcycle gang attacked shops in nearby Kuliyapitiya. Although police had arrested four members of the gang, they had to be released after dozens of people laid siege to the police station.

"The curfew imposed in Kuliyapitya and Chilaw has been lifted," police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said.

A state of emergency has been in place since the blasts.

Earlier, clashes between Christians and Muslims were reported from Negombo, the town north of Colombo.

Meanwhile, the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU), the main body of Islamic clerics, said: “We call upon the members of the Muslim communities to be more patient and guard your actions and avoid unnecessary postings or hosting on social media.”

The latest tension was flared as Catholic churches resumed Sunday masses for the first time since the terror attack. Muslims comprise approximately 10 per cent of Sri Lanka's 21 million population and Christians around 7.6 per cent.