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Sri Lanka: Mounting Anti-Muslim Violence Leads to Curfew, Social Media Ban

HeadlineMay 14, 2019

In Sri Lanka, a Muslim man was killed Monday in North Western Province as ongoing violence and attacks against Muslim targets have led authorities to impose an indefinite curfew in the region. A nationwide curfew in the rest of the country has been relaxed.

A number of Muslim-owned businesses, homes and places of worship have been vandalized after two days of rioting in North Western Province as Muslims celebrate the holy month of Ramadan. In response, Sri Lanka also again blocked popular social media networks and apps they say were responsible for the violent acts, including Facebook and WhatsApp.

Tensions in Sri Lanka have been on the rise since last month’s Easter suicide bomb massacre, which killed at least 257 people in churches and hotels.

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