A Sri Lankan government minister and his bodyguards rampaged through the offices of a state television station yesterday and assaulted its news director before furious employees fought back and took them hostage, officials and witnesses said.
The attack by Labor Minister Mervyn Silva, who has repeatedly been accused of threatening reporters, underscored accusations about endemic corruption on this island nation and the brazen behavior of senior officials who believe they are above the law.
"This is not the first time Minister Silva did this. The government should take strict measures against him," said Sunanda Deshapriya, an official with the Free Media Movement, a local media rights group.
Silva's alleged attack and the employees' retaliation captivated this war-torn country as it unfolded throughout the day.
The violence began yesterday morning, when Silva and a group of his bodyguards entered the offices of the Rupavahini Corporation and attacked news director T.M.G. Chandrasekara for not broadcasting one of Silva's speeches, said Kanchana Marasinghe, a station employee.
Angry staffers quickly chased the attackers into the chairman's office and refused to let them out for three hours as soldiers and police gathered outside to defuse the situation, a standoff that was broadcast live on the Rupavahini station.
Silva was eventually freed after issuing a public apology to the staff and left the office escorted by police amid hoots and jeers from station employees.
"I express my apology to the staff and Rupavahini for this incident," he told reporters.
Television footage showed the minister covered in red ink and staffers stoning his car.
Silva was admitted to Colombo hospital with a head injury, which was not critical, said hospital director Dr Hector Weerasinghe.
Police arrested one person on suspicion of assaulting Chandrasekara, the news director, a senior police officer said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
Silva is one of the government's 36 non-Cabinet ministers, who have less authority and fewer privileges than the 50 Cabinet ministers. Another 20 lawmakers are deputy ministers.
The minister had previously been accused of storming into the offices of the Upali group, a private-owned newspaper company and Sirasa, a private television channel, threatening journalists at both places.
The government condemned yesterday's incident.
"We will not approve this kind of behavior," Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, the non-Cabinet minister for media, told Rupavahini.
Source: China Daily/Agencies
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