Wednesday, September 28, 2005

Mob attacks World Vision office by Shezna Shums

A group of Buddhist clergy suspected to be from the Sihala Urumaya Thursday stormed the World Vision (WV) office in Borella verbally and physically attacking the employees.

A Buddhist monk who accompanied the group attacked the media officer of World Vision while the officer tried to take a photograph of the group.

The monk had allegedly grabbed the digital camera the media officer was holding, had taken out the chip of the camera and thrown the camera on the floor.

Head of the mission U. Wong Lee said; "last Wednesday about 20 Buddhist clergymen came into the World Vision Lanka office for a meeting. Several of them spoke to me in an aggressive tone and hearing this, some of my staff members came to see what was going on."

Lee further stated that after his staff saw these visitors carrying cameras his staff too took their cameras and started taking photographs.

He said the Buddhist monks were calling themselves 'Weediya Bandara Balakaya.' A complaint has been lodged at the Borella Police.

(Sunday Leader - November 16, 2003)