| Bodyguards whisked Sri Lanka's prime minister away from a meeting with ethnic-Tamil tsunami quake victims Thursday after some victims hit journalists and a soldier with wooden poles. Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse, four Cabinet ministers, military officials and a media contingent flew to the island's northern coast to inspect the devastation and speak to residents close to Valvedditturai, the home town of the leader of the Tamil rebels, Vellupillai Prabhakaran. The people were telling the prime minister their problems and what aid they needed when an announcement was made over a loudspeaker urging people not to interact with the prime minister, said an official with the group. After hearing the call, the public got agitated and shouted "Get out ... We don't want your help." Some members of the crowd then picked up wooden poles and bashed some journalists and a soldier. Rajapakse and the other ministers were rushed to a nearby military base, the official said. |