BBC
correspondent attacked in protest march
[06
Apr 2000]
A
BBC
radio journalist was assaulted in Colombo today during a march against Norwegian
attempts to bring the Sri Lankan government and Tamil rebels to the negotiating table.
Elmo Fernando,
a reporter for the BBC's Sinhala Sandesha service, was attacked
while recording the march, which was held in protest against
Norwegian involvement in what Buddhist clergy believe is a purely
internal Sri Lankan problem.
Fernando said the demonstrators,
led by Buddhist clergymen, had chanted slogans critical of the BBC
just before he was assaulted by demonstrators who were taking part in the
march.
"They shouted against the BBC and me and then someone hit me from behind," Mr
Fernando said.
Shortly afterwards, several protestors
set fire to a Norwegian flag outside the Norwegian embassy.
Security
at the Norwegian embassy
has recently been upgraded by police in response to a series of
similar protests against Norway's involvement in the island's peace process.
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