Colombo Under Curfew

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30954, 10 January 1966, Page 12

Colombo Under Curfew

(N.Z. Press Assn. —Copyright)

COLOMBO, Jan. 9.

The Prime Minister of Ceylon, Mr Dudley Senanayake, clamped a dusk-to-dawn curfew on Colombo last night. He sent tanks, armoured cars and armed troops to patrol the streets, and warned

Communist terrorists that his men would shoot to keep order. His action came after an attempt by the Communists to storm his residence on the waterfront. Police and men of the Royal Ceylon Navy dispersed them with tear gas and firearms. One man, dressed as a monk, was killed and about 90 people wree injured. “We will shoot if necessary to maintain law and order and check the campaign of violence by Communists and Trotskyists,” Mr Senanayake said in a speech to Parliament.

When the Trotskyist leader,

Dr. Martin Pereira, and the Communist leader, Mr Pieter Keuneman, protested against the shooting of the monk, Mr Senanayake said it would be known after an official inquiry whether the man was in fact a monk. Language War The violence was part of Ceylon’s long - smouldering language war. Regulations allowing the Tamil language as well as Sinhalese to be used in official business in the northern and eastern provinces have been opposed by Left-wing political elements.

The Minister of State, Mr J. R. Jayewardene, introduced

the regulations in Parliament yesterday afternoon. The debate on them will continue until January 11. when a vote wil be -taken.