Sri Lanka crisis: Cricketers call for peace and unity

Bengaluru, March 8: Sri Lanka Government had imposed Emergency in Kandy after Buddhists and Muslim groups clashed over religion.

In the time of strife, Sri Lankan players called for unity in the country through their social media accounts, exhorting people to stand together and not fight. India spinner R Ashwin too took to Twitter calling for peace.

As a multi-ethnic, multi-layer society Sri Lanka has been largely peaceful after the bloody civil war between the government and LTTE ended some years back.

Even when the civil war was raging in the country in the 80s and 90s, communal tension was not an issue in this tiny island nation. The only aberration came in 1983 when the Buddhists and Muslims took arms in the name of religion.

I strongly condemn the recent acts of violence & everyone involved must be brought to justice regardless of race/ religion or ethnicity. I grew up in a civil war which lasted 25 years and don’t want the next generation to go through that.

— Mahela Jayawardena (@MahelaJay) March 7, 2018

No one in Sri Lanka can be marginalized or threatened or harmed due to their ethnicity or religion. We are One Country and One people. Love, trust and acceptance should be our common mantra. No place for racism and violence. STOP. Stand together and stand strong.

— Kumar Sangakkara (@KumarSanga2) March 7, 2018

Yet it seems like certain fractions of our Country and Society have learned nothing from the past.
Do we really need another ethnic crisis? This Nation is OURS we are one PEOPLE and I condemn these acts of violence and hatred. I urge all of You to unite against racism and take a

— Angelo Mathews (@Angelo69Mathews) March 7, 2018

What’s happening in Sri Lanka is really sad, such a lovely country with such lovely people and surely this stand off between people with different beliefs will end soon. Let’s live and let live, important to accept differences and move on. 🙏praying for normalcy soon enough.

— Ashwin Ravichandran (@ashwinravi99) March 7, 2018

The sudden communal flare up has taken the authorities by surprise and have taken all the measures to bring the situation back to normalcy.

There were shadows over the on-going Nidahas Trophy but the Lankan authorities have ensured full security to visiting teams - India and Bangladesh - full security and it has been decided to continue the tournament.

In the opening encounter, hosts Sri Lanka had defeated India by five wickets after Kusal Perera made a blistering 66 off 37 balls.

In the second match, India will face Bangladesh on Thursday (March 8).