xavier sledge

Saturday, January 8, 2005

Sri Lanka explosions kill 3, injures 37
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka -- Two hand grenades hurled in a clash between
Christians and Hindus killed at least three people and wounded 37
Saturday in a part of eastern Sri Lanka where international aid workers
are helping tsunami victims, police said. No aid workers were reported
injured or near the explosions at the time, officials said.

Two suspected assailants were arrested soon after the attack in a Tamil
rebel-controlled area late Saturday, said V.H. Anil, a policeman in the
eastern town of Valaichchenai.

He said Christians were angry that Hindus had demolished a church and
may have carried out the attack in retaliation.

Clashes between Hindus and Christians are rare since both groups
believe they are oppressed by the country's Buddhist-Sinhalese majority
government.