This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/south_asia/7161086.stm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Commandos free Sri Lanka minister | Commandos free Sri Lanka minister |
| (3 days later) | |
| Sri Lankan commandos have rescued a government minister from a television station where he was being held hostage after he apparently tried to storm it. | |
| Journalists locked up Labour Minister Mervyn Silva after one of his aides allegedly assaulted a news director. | |
| Furious journalists refused to let the minister leave until he had apologised. | Furious journalists refused to let the minister leave until he had apologised. |
| Mr Silva was splattered with red paint. He also needed treatment for a minor head wound apparently caused by a fall as he was escorted from the building. | Mr Silva was splattered with red paint. He also needed treatment for a minor head wound apparently caused by a fall as he was escorted from the building. |
| Mr Silva had gone to the state-run Rupavahini television to complain that it had not covered a speech he gave on Wednesday marking the re-opening of a bridge destroyed by the 2004 tsunami. | Mr Silva had gone to the state-run Rupavahini television to complain that it had not covered a speech he gave on Wednesday marking the re-opening of a bridge destroyed by the 2004 tsunami. |
| If my action is considered as a wrong act, I would like to apologise to the employees Mervin SilvaSri Lanka labour minister | If my action is considered as a wrong act, I would like to apologise to the employees Mervin SilvaSri Lanka labour minister |
| "A henchman of the minister forcefully pulled the news director and all employees are protesting demanding an apology," Rupavahini's director-general said. | "A henchman of the minister forcefully pulled the news director and all employees are protesting demanding an apology," Rupavahini's director-general said. |
| The news director's shirt was ripped open, reports said. | The news director's shirt was ripped open, reports said. |
| In a statement interrupting regular scheduling the TV said the minister was being held in an office by the staff - and pictures showed Mr Silva in a small room flanked by police. | In a statement interrupting regular scheduling the TV said the minister was being held in an office by the staff - and pictures showed Mr Silva in a small room flanked by police. |
| Dozens of staff could be seen protesting in the corridors, refusing to let him leave pending an apology. | Dozens of staff could be seen protesting in the corridors, refusing to let him leave pending an apology. |
| Commandos and police with tear-gas were deployed around the television station as the stand-off continued. | Commandos and police with tear-gas were deployed around the television station as the stand-off continued. |
| "If my action is considered as a wrong act, I would like to apologise to the employees," the minister said, in front of a battery of cameras. | "If my action is considered as a wrong act, I would like to apologise to the employees," the minister said, in front of a battery of cameras. |
| Journalists jeered as the security forces led him out of the building. | Journalists jeered as the security forces led him out of the building. |
| The Sri Lankan media minister, Lakshma Yapa, criticised Mr Silva's storming of the station, calling it "unfortunate". | The Sri Lankan media minister, Lakshma Yapa, criticised Mr Silva's storming of the station, calling it "unfortunate". |