Sri Lanka's special police unit receives nearly 300 complaints

A special police unit set up by the Sri Lankan government to investigate religious hate crimes after attacks by Buddhist monks on churches and mosques has received nearly 300 complaints on its first day of operations.
Although a Buddhist group had lodged the first complaint against the Muslim minority, the Muslims filed over 280 complaints as opposed to just 3 by the Buddhists yesterday on the first day, officials said today.
The Buddhist group 'Sihala Ravaya' said it filed a complaint against the Thawheed Jamad Muslim group.
The Sinhala majority Buddhist groups have been citing what they allege growing Muslim extremism in the country including the alleged operation of jihaadist groups.

Azath Salley, a Muslim opposition politician, said he had presented well documented cases of harassment against the Muslims.
"This unit is going to be useless. The police have been turning a blind eye to many cases of harassment against the Muslims," Salley said.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is a Buddhist, ordered the setting up of the unit to handle religious disputes. He had warned monks in January last year not to incite religious violence.
Christian evangelical groups have also come under isolated attacks in the past.
The police officers will be given special training on multi-ethnic and multi-religious rights, according to the police spokesman.

Complaints can be lodge at the unit by telephone or e-mail.
Seventy per cent of Sri Lanka's 20 million people are Sinhalese Buddhists, while Muslims are the second-largest religious group making up just under 10 per cent.