Police re-imposed a curfew Monday as hundreds of heavily armed troops took to the streets in central Sri Lanka despite calls for calm in the riot-hit region, officials said.
The overnight curfew in the tea-growing districts of Nuwara Eliya and Badulla was eased but authorities slapped another 24-hour curfew on the town of Talawakele which saw intense mob violence, officials said.
"Troops are patrolling the streets in a show of strength," a local tea official said, adding workers stayed away Monday amid tensions in the mountainous tea-growing region.
At least one man was killed when police opened fire Sunday at rampaging mobs in Talawakele where public transport, state buildings and private shops were damaged.
The riots started during Sunday's funeral of a Tamil inmate who was killed in a prison massacre.
Mobs from the majority Sinhalese community slaughtered some 26 young Tamil detainees at an open prison in the central town of Bandarawela on Wednesday.
Police said a local Tamil politician who represents the Tamils of recent Indian origin was taken in for questioning early Monday in connection with the unrest.
The Marxist JVP, or People's Liberation Front, accused the government of inaction and called for an emergency session of parliament to discuss the crisis.
"There are political elements which are part of the government as well as the main opposition (United National Party) who are trying to make political capital out of this," JVP spokesman Wimal Weerawansa said.
Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake held an emergency meeting with top military commanders Sunday, urging them to bring the situation under control in the Nuwara Eliya district.
Government officials said the authorities had taken a series of measures, including sending additional troops to the area, to quell the unrest and restore law and order.
The defense ministry also ordered the suspension of 14 constables and two civilians employees responsible for providing protection to the open prison while investigations were under way.
In the northern town of Vavuniya, shops and offices remained closed Monday as a sign of protest against the massacre, local residents said.
The authorities were also grappling with fears that the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) will try to avenge Wednesday's massacre.
"It is possible that the Tigers could try to attack a Sinhalese village in the northeast to avenge the killings at Bandarawela," a senior police officer here said.
The LTTE said they believed security forces were involved in organizing gangs from the Sinhalese community to launch Wednesday's attack.
"The victims of this savagery are not members of the LTTE nor are they surrendered child soldiers," the LTTE said in a statement sent from their London office.
"They are innocent Tamil youths arrested on suspicion and detained without trial under the notorious prevention of terrorism act. These young detainees have been protesting against their unjust arrest and demanding release."
Officials said there could be a repeat of the violence seen last year after the air force bombed and killed 21 Tamil civilians in northeastern Mullaitivu district. The air force said it was an accident.
Four days later, suspected Tamil Tiger rebels massacred 54 Sinhalese villagers in a revenge attack in Ampara district.
"There could be a re-run of that situation and this means the military will have to step up security for villages that are threatened," a police spokesman said -- COLOMBO (AFP)
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
