Muslims close shops to protest Buddhist attacks in Sri Lanka

Muslims in Sri Lanka shut down their shops on Thursday to protest deadly riots by hard-line Buddhists.

Despite Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse's plea to stay open, more than a thousand shops and restaurants were closed for the day following riots in two mainly Muslim coastal resorts popular with international tourists that left four people dead and Muslim homes and businesses razed, the Express Tribune reports.

A Muslim shopkeeper who declined to be named told AFP that the protest is against the BBS and the police failure to protect the Muslim community.

The shopkeeper added that they were also asking the government to take action against those behind the riots.

Meanwhile, Muslims in Sri Lanka's Eastern Province are continuing with their protests against violence on community members in the coastal areas of Alutgama and Beruwela, squarely blaming the incidents on the majority Sinhala Buddhist Bodu Bala Sena.

According to The Island newspaper, many schools and commercial establishments have closed in the Kalmunai, Sammanthurai, Addalaichenai, Oluvil, Palamunai, Sainthamaruthu and Pottuvil areas of the province.

Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan government has deployed a large number of police and army personnel in the coastal areas of Ampara District to prevent any riots from breaking out in the East.