Sri Lankan president Maithripala Sirisena arrived India on Saturday to attend the first conference of the founding members of the International Solar Alliance in New Delhi. The Sri Lankan President will also be visiting Japan as part of his foreign tour.
Sirisena's foreign trip has come after four days of anti-Muslim riots hit the central hilly district of Kandy in Sri Lanka. The communal violence that has killed at least two people.
President of #SriLanka Maithripala Sirisena arrives in Delhi to attend #InternationalSolarAlliance conference pic.twitter.com/gGHxdPpLs0
— ANI (@ANI) March 10, 2018
A file photo of Maithripala Sirisena. AFP
The president had proclaimed a state of emergency to quell the riots and Kandy was under curfew for five days.
The government also blocked social media in another desperate attempt to curb rumours and violence.
Sinhala mobs went on a rampage after a Sinhalese man died in a traffic accident. The incident was reportedly used to fan communal passions.
Sirisena's government has come under fire for its inability to take timely action to curb the tensions.
Sinhalese Buddhists make up about 75 percent of Sri Lanka's 21 million population while Muslims are 10 percent.
Tensions between Muslim groups and the majority Sinhalese Buddhist community in the country have escalated since the end of the civil war in May, 2009.
With inputs from PTI
Published Date: Mar 10, 2018 17:17 PM | Updated Date: Mar 10, 2018 17:20 PM
