Tuesday, 27 December 2011, 21:39

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5gjdHZGfQuiYJxHmyj6TVUzjZrVQw?docId=N0655281324954532951A

Tributes have been paid to a "committed" Red Cross worker who died after being attacked on Christmas Day while on holiday in Sri Lanka.

Khuram Shaikh, 32, from Manchester, a physiotherapist working for the International Red Cross in the Middle East, was killed in the tourist resort of Tangalle, about 100 miles south of the capital Colombo.

Unmarried Mr Shaikh was the manager of the Red Cross’s physical rehabilitation programme in Gaza, providing prosthetics for people who have lost limbs, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said.

A spokeswoman for the Jerusalem office of the ICRC said: "We do confirm he was a work colleague in Gaza. He was a physiotherapist and the manager of our physical rehabilitation project. He went on holiday to Sri Lanka with a colleague and unfortunately this has happened.

"We are deeply shocked and the International Committee of the Red Cross is grieved by the loss. He was a very committed member of the Red Cross team in Gaza, the West Bank and Jerusalem."

Reports claimed Mr Shaikh and Russian colleague Victoria Alexandrovna, 23, were attacked following an argument with a man at a hotel. A post-mortem examination showed he had been attacked with a sharp weapon and shot, according to reports.

Four men have been arrested in connection with the incident, including Sampath Chandra Pushpa Vidanapathirana, 24, the chairman of Tangalle village council, Sri Lankan police told the BBC.

The ICRC spokeswoman added: "We cannot give any specific details of the circumstances of what happened because the criminal investigation is taking place. We are in contact with the local authorities and will follow it up with them."

She added that the organisation is making efforts to support Mr Shaikh’s parents in Manchester and his colleagues in Gaza. There are also efforts under way to assist the family of Ms Alexandrovna, who remains in intensive care in Sri Lanka after suffering "serious injuries".

The Foreign Office said: "Next of kin have been informed and we are providing consular assistance."

British man killed in Sri Lanka

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/dec/27/british-man-killed-sri-lanka?newsfeed=true

Britain confident SL govt. will bring perpetrators to justice ‪

http://www.dailymirror.lk/news/15719-britain-confident-sl-govt-will-bring-perpetrators-to-justice-.html

Briton killed in Sir Lankan resort

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/srilanka/8978417/Briton-killed-in-Sir-Lankan-resort.html

Briton killed in Sri Lanka Christmas Day attack

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2011/12/27/briton-killed-in-sri-lanka-christmas-day-attack-115875-23662325/

Contrast to these articles in the media

The Russians just say :

One tourist killed, one injured in Sri Lanka

http://english.ruvr.ru/2011/12/27/63001354.html

A British tourist has been killed by local residents at a health resort in Sri Lanka and his Russian girlfriend has been injured, the British media report.

The tragic incident occurred in the small hours of the 25th of December but the information about it was circulated only on Tuesday.

The deceased worked for a humanitarian mission of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent in the Gaza Strip. According to the media, Russian Viktoria Tkacheva is in hospital.

Four people have been arrested on suspicion of murder, among them one policeman and one representative of the local administration.