The long police curfew has been lifted in Sri Lanka's capital city Colombo and life limps back to normalcy 10 days after the deadly Easter Sunday blasts. People move around as shutters of the shops are up and public transport restored.
The ban on social media networks like Whatsapp and Facebook was also lifted on Tuesday.
"We have come out to see the city today, after we heard that the curfew has been lifted," says Dilith Ranjitha, an auto driver in Colombo.
Dilith, a resident of Wellampitiya in north of Colombo, did not come out to work till Tuesday. "My area is close to Dematagoda were the bombs went off in an apartment. So I prefered staying indoors," says Dilith. Dilith had lost his earnings for the past 10 days, which would have been enough to run his family of four for a month. "What to do? Atleast we are safe," he adds.
Elsewhere in Negombo, the families of 123 victims are still struggling to get back to normal life. At St Sebastian's Church, the blood stains are being cleaned. At St Antony's Church in Colombo restoration work is all set to start. On Monday, the top echelons of the government met Arch Bishop Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith to discuss restoration plans.
"Sri Lanka is safe. Life is getting back to normal. From Monday schools will reopen and the country will be back to work as usual," Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe told THE WEEK.
Meanwhile, the security appartus in the country, as told by President Maithiripala Sirisena, has been restructured. Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando has been replaced by Shantha Kottegoda, while IGP Pujith Jayasundara has been asked to go on compulsory leave. Senior DIG Chandana Wickramaratne has been appointed acting IGP. Another gazette notification has been issued against religious preachings that glorifies, promotes, encourages or espouses terrorism.
