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Sri Lankan Muslims calls on investigation into religious killings

Xinhua, January 22, 2015 Adjust font size:

A Sri Lankan minority party on Thursday called upon the newly elected president to reinvestigate religious killings which had occurred in the country under the previous regime.

The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress Party (SLMC) said that while the government had a tight schedule under its 100-day policy program, it would request the president to reinvestigate Muslim killings and attacks led by Sinhala extremist monks last June, soon after the April general elections.

"The government has a lot to do in its 100-day policy program. But we want a reinvestigation into the killings and attacks soon after the April polls," SLMC General Secretary and newly appointed State Minister of Health, M. Hassen Ali told Xinhua.

Hassen Ali further said that his party had met President Maithripala Sirisena in Colombo on Wednesday and expressed supports to Sirisena's policies.

"Our Party High Command had also met the president and we have decided to work closely with the government to achieve all its goals," Hassen Ali said.

At least three Muslims were killed and over 80 injured in racist attacks which were carried out by Sinhala monks, led by the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) in June last year.

Muslims are a minority population in Sri Lanka and the attacks had led to fear in most areas they resided, with the army being deployed for their protection.

Several Muslim properties and mosques had come under attack and Muslim ministers had blamed the former government failing to protect its citizens. Endi