Colombo, July 09: Opposition MPs today held up parliamentary proceedings as they demanded the Sri Lankan government respond to communal violence in the island's multi-ethnic eastern region which has reportedly killed 11 people. Speaker Joseph Michael Perera suspended the sitting for five minutes and business was held up for more than 30 minutes after the leader of the main opposition Mahinda Rajapakse made a speech blaming the government for the clashes by failing to provide adequate security. Several towns in the eastern province were placed under curfew after clashes between mobs from the minority Tamil and Muslim communities in the past two weeks. Local reports say 11 people died, although there is no official death toll. Ports minister Rauf Hakeem, who is also the leader of the country's main Muslim party, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), joined the opposition in calling for a government response.

Hakeem has accused the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) of attempting to clear Muslims from the eastern province.

There is a history of animosity between the two communities with some 100,000 Muslims being chased out of the Northern Jaffna peninsula in 1990 by the tigers. Hakeem and the SLMC have sought a meeting with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on ways to allay fears of Muslims in the eastern province.

A parliamentary statement on the clashes is to be made by defence minister Tilak Marapone on Thursday, officials said.

Bureau Report