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Curfew lifted in two
central districts in Lanka

A military spokesman said the situation was ''calm and quiet''.

Security has been tightened to prevent recurrence of such incidents.

Senior army officials had gone to the districts following ethnic clashes Sunday. More than 10 shops belonging to various communities at Thalawakelle were set on fire by agitated Tamil protestors after the funeral of a victim of the Bindunwewa massacre, in which 27 Tamils were killed last Wednesday.

Police said four compartments of a passenger train were set on fire by the Tamil estate workers, who had taken around 120 passengers hostage. Police had to open fire to disperse the mob and free the passengers. Two people were killed in the police firing.

The situation was brought under control by a special police team with army help.

The trouble began Sunday morning after Tamils, most of the them state workers, demonstrated against the attack on the Bindunuwewa detention camp and demanded that all shops and passing vehicles display white flags as a sign of mourning.

President Chandrika Kumaratunga directed the authorities to give full protection to the lives and property of people immediately.

Describing the incidents as 'unfortunate', a government spokesman said army and police personnel have been deployed in all sensitive areas which witnessed violence.

UNI

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