Hundreds of protesters, led by a government minister, laid siege to the U.N. compound in Colombo on Tuesday, refusing to let the workers out until the world body canceled its investigation of alleged abuses committed during Sri Lanka's civil war.
Police tried to break up the protest in the evening and escorted some of the trapped workers out of the compound, but quickly pulled back after Housing Minister Wimal Weerawansa — who led the protest — ordered them to stop, leaving some U.N. staff trapped inside.
Foreign Secretary Romesh Jayasinghe arrived outside the UN office in Colombo a short while ago and was seen being escorted by two representatives of the National Freedom Front (NFF) inside the UN building to hold discussions with the UN