A Sinhala Buddhist monk blocked and threatened a group of Tamils from accessing land which is being encroached upon by a Buddhist vihara in Mayilaththamadu, Batticaloa.
A group of Tamil multi-faith leaders, farmers and journalists went to Mathavanai in Batticaloa today to visit a farmer who's land is being encroached on by the construction of a vihara. However, upon their arrival a Sinhala Buddhist monk and a group of people associated with him, blocked the Tamils from leaving their vehicles. The group also threatened to set fire to all of the Tamils who were in the vehicle.
Tamil journalists who also went to the area to report on the news, had their cameras and equipment taken off them and their files were destroyed.
This incident follows similar incidents of Sinhalisation across the North-East, where Tamil-owned land has been taken over by Sinhala Buddhists often aided by Sri Lanka's archeology department and the military.
