Kandy, Sri Lanka

Violence condemned: The UN has condemned a wave of anti-muslim violence – including attacks on individuals, homes, businesses and mosques – in Sri Lanka’s central Kandy district. The government announced a state of emergency last week for the first time since 2011 – giving it powers to impose curfews and other special measures – in response to violence in Kandy and the eastern town of Ampara. The trigger was the funeral of a Sinhalese Buddhist man who had died after allegedly being beaten by a group of Muslim men following a traffic dispute. Two people were killed and dozens of buildings burnt in the wave of unrest. Muslims, who account for about 10% of Sri Lanka’s 21 million population, have been the target of several outbreaks of mob violence in recent years.