The MPC noted this at a discussion, chiared by sociology dean of Colombo University Dr. Farzana Hanifa, at Kadirgamar Centre in Colombo on June 05 to mark the first anniversary of the incident.

Muslim Media Forum spokesman Thaha Musammil has told jdslanka.org that according to eyewitness accounts, most Muslims had already been sheltered at mosques when their properties were set on fire in the presence of the police.

The damaged houses have now been renovated, but the affected people have to buy back the furniture and other appliances.

Musammil said that millions of rupees of damages had been caused, but there was still no proper method to grant compensation.

Also, the culprits were yet to be brought to book despite a promise by the then president Mahinda Rajapaksa.

He had tried to cover up Bodu Bala Sena’s involvement in the violence and tried to play down the incident.

A week after the incident, the then government affiliate JHU’s Champika Ranawaka blamed Jihadists over the violence.

The leading politician of the area, Rajitha Senaratne said justice would be done, but one year has gone by without any sign of fulfillment of that promise, although he is now a top government politician.

Muslims are discouraged that the then opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe had shown not much interest over the incident.

Muslims of the area have formed peace committees at mosques to prevent a recurrence of such violence in the future, Musammil added.