India can’t cut off ties with Lanka, PM tells Vaiko

[samv]

‘Tiger -flag -carrying goons removed our T- shirts and burnt them’

Lankan pilgrims’ attacked in Chennai

By Chandrasiri Gunasekera

A pilgrimage to Buddhist places of worship in India turned into a bitter experience for a group of Sri Lankans last week when they were confronted by a group who threatened and attacked them in the Southern Indian city of Chennai.

Eighty four Sri Lankan pilgrims, mostly elderly females and males came under attack by a group identifying themselves as members of ‘Nan Thamilan’(I am Tamil) and burnt the T-shirts with Sinhala words imprinted ‘Indunil Dambadiva Vandana’ worn by the pilgrims

The pilgrims had left for India on July 17 and after a brief stopover in Chennai had travelled to northern India by train. The group spent 15 days visiting Buddha Gaya and other places of worship. On August 2, they returned to Chennai with the hope of spending a day shopping before leaving for Sri Lanka the following day.

Sunil G. Kukulegama, one of the Lankan pilgrims said that on August 3 at 1.30 pm, attackers wearing clothes with the imprint of the tiger emblem of the LTTE, stormed their hotel and attacked some of the fellow pilgrims.

“Around afternoon the attackers came to the hotel in motorcycles and three wheelers that carried the tiger flag on them. They also showed us a picture of former LTTE leader Prabhakaran,” he said.

The gang had also threatened the hotel owner saying if the pilgrims were not sent back the next day, the hotel would be set alight.

FULL STORY: Tiger -flag -carrying goons removed our T- shirts and burnt them

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

these indian policy makers are quite the fools

what loss does this pose to Sri Lanka??? China is already increasing its ''footprint'' and presence known by cooperating closely with the Sri Lankans.

if this is some kind of war over 'ego' or ''war for influence'' then the indian are pretty bad at this fight and in fact are losing before it even began.


but then again, india has little choice since they have to somehow keep those tamil populations of theirs placated and 'under control' lest they rise against the center due to their grievences that the LTTE was crushed effectively.

instead of arresting those who beat down unarmed pilgrims, they ban Sri Lankan nationals in that city

 

[samv]

Catholic Church condemns attack on pilgrims in TN

August 9, 2011, 9:01 pm

By Noman Palihawadana

The Roman Catholic Church in Sri Lanka yesterday condemned the attack on a group of pilgrims, who were on their way to Vellankerny in South India last week, allegedly by a group of LTTE supporters.

"Over 100 Sri Lankans who were members of the Dehiyangatha Parish in Ja-Ela, accompanied by Rev Fr Terrence Bodiyabaduge and Rev Fr Patrick Perera, were the victims," the church said.

The Sri Lanka Catholic Church also made a request to its counterpart in India to make proper security arrangements for the pilgrims who are visiting the religious site and ensure their safety.

It is the first time that a group of Catholic pilgrims had been threatened in this manner, a senior member of the church said.

It was revealed that the South Indian police had tightened security in the area surrounding the Vellankerny church following the attack.

A large number of Catholic devotees visit the Vellamkerny church during this period.

The Island