Angry demo as official tied to tree

Published on Thursday 5 August 2010 14:51

HUNDREDS of state government workers in Sri Lanka staged protests yesterday against a government minister who tied an official to a tree as a punishment for failing to attend a mosquito eradication programme.

The state workers, known as Samurdhi development officers, attempted to march along a main road as part of their demonstration but were blocked by police at Kiribathgoda on the outskirts of Colombo.

They staged a protest along the side of the road instead, demanding an investigation by the deputy minister of highways, Mervyn Silva, and a public apology from him.

"No-one has a right to exercise jungle laws," said Jagath Edirisinghe, a spokesman for the state workers. He added that the group would launch an island-wide protest campaign if its demands were not met.

Earlier this week, Mr Silva tied an unnamed Samurdhi officer to a tree for failing to attend a mosquito eradication programme in his electorate in Kelaniya.

Samurdhi officials are responsible for carrying out grass-roots development projects.

The incident was widely shown on television and was strongly criticised by trade unions and opposition politicians.

The government has launched a number of programmes to combat dengue fever, a mosquito-borne disease that has caused 160 deaths and made 21,000 people ill so far this year.