Curfew clamped in Amparai following civilian, STF clash

Colombo, Sep 20 (UNI) Sri Lankan police today declared curfew in the Amparai police division, in the restive eastern province, after a brief clash with a group of civilians of the area, who were on a protest campaign to condemn the massacre of 11 Muslim workers, top police officials said.

According to reports from the East, at least 14 Muslim civilians, who were engaged in the protest campaign, were wounded during the clash with the Special Task Force (STF) of the police and were admitted to the nearby government hospital.

''We have declared police curfew in the Amparai police division this morning after a STF vehicle came under attack by a group of local civilians of the area. The situation has now been brought under control," police officials said.

The officials said the tension was mounting in the area as the protesters were demanding the removal of the Chief Inspector of the STF, Pottuvil, where 11 Muslim youth were hacked to death on Sunday.

As usaual, both the govenment and the Tamil Tiger rebels have blamed each other for the massacre which has created a tension in the Muslim dominated areas in the Eastern Sri Lanka.

Although the government has sent a team of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) sleuths to investigate into the incident, key Muslim party leaders have called for international assistance for the probe with some section of the local people pointing finger at the STF for the massacre.

UNI XC SI VV1523