Sinhala mob stones ICRC office in Colombo

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 February 2009, 10:03 GMT]
Unruly mobs surrounded and stoned the main office of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in the capital Colombo on Friday afternoon. The attack comes hours after a pro-government politician called for the expulsion of the ICRC chief Paul Castella following recent statements made by him on the ongoing conflict in the north between the Sri Lankan military and the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE).

Several glass panes were damaged in the attack, according to a spokesperson for the ICRC.

The mob was later dispersed by armed police who rushed to the scene.

The attack comes a few hours after Wimal Weerawansa, the leader of the National Freedom Front, had accused the ICRC and its head in Colombo of gathering evidence to suggest that war crimes were being committed by the Sri Lankan armed forces in the ongoing war in Mullaiththeevu.

The ICRC office is situated in a highly guarded area in close proximity to the private residence of paramilitary leader and a minister in the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) Douglas Devananda.