The General Secretary of the Nava Sama Samaja Party has been attacked at the airport by Aviation authority officials while the police were looking on.

MTV Katunayaka correspondant Prema Lal and Lanka enews journalist Shantha Wijesuriya who went to cover Dr. Vickramabahu Karunaratna’s arrival have also been assaulted.

A group of officials who were in uniform and on duty mobbed Dr. Vickramabahu Karunaratne when he stepped out of the airport to be welcomed by NSSP officials, party members, trade union leaders, lawyers and human rights activists.Dozens of aviation officials who surrounded him called him a ’traitor who wants to divide the country united by Mr. Mahinda,’ and attacked. several well wishers including females who came to his rescue were injured.

The port and aviation authority comes under President Rajapaksa. Before that the president’s Brother Chamal Rajapaksa was the minister in charge. It is a well known that government ministers employ their political supporters for positions in their ministry.

Dr. Vickramabahu Karunaratna was returning to Sri Lanka after a visit to the UK on a personal invitation. He was in the UK to attend the 88^th birthday celebrations of his dean at Cambridge Professor Reg Goodwin. He was invited and his passage was paid for by the son of Prof. Goodwin, Mark.

While in London Bahu was invited to address several public meetings the Tamil remembrence day 2010 held at the Excel auditorium attended by tens of thousands in addition to a meeting at the house of commons. The following week President Rajapaksa who arrived in the UK had to abandon a scheduled talk at the Oxford Union due to protests by Tamils who accused him of war crimes.

The government of Sri Lanka has accused Dr. Karunaratne and opposition parliamentarian Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena of organising the protests in London in collusion with Tamil Tiger supporters.

NSSP

Political activists and journalists attacked at airport

Supporters of the General Secretary of the Nava Sama Samaja Party (NSSP), Vickramabahu Karunaratne and some journalists were attacked at the Colombo airport by a mob while the police were looking on.

MTV Katunayaka correspondant Prema Lal and Lankaenews journalist Shantha Wijesuriya who went to cover Dr. Vickramabahu Karunaratna’s arrival from the UK have been assaulted.

Activists attacked

NSSP party members, Journalists, trade union leaders, lawyers and human rights activists were among the victims of the attack.

Dr. Vickramabahu Karunaratna who returned to Sri Lanka after a visit to the UK accuse deputy minister for ports and aviation Sarath Kumara Gunaratne for organising the attack.

During his visit, the NSSP General Secretary addressed several public meetings. He was one of the main speakers at the Tamil remembrance day 2010 held on 27^th of November.

Bahu to be investigated

The government of Sri Lanka has accused Dr. Karunaratne and opposition parliamentarian Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena of organising the protests in London in collusion with Tamil Tiger supporters.

Lakshman Hullugalle, the Director General of Media Centre for National Security who said that it is too early to name suspects alleged that the attack was instigated by people who were discontented by Dr. Karunaratne’s anti government activities in the United Kingdom.

“Dr. Jayalath Jayawardhana and Vickramabahu, both will be investigated and will be taken in to custody if necessary for their anti government activities abroad”, said Lakshman Hullugalle.

* From BBC Sinhala.com:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sinhala/news/story/2010/12/101207_bahu.shtml