Sydney acid attack link to Tamils
A man is expected to lose his eyesight after he and a friend were splashed with acid during a violent home invasion in Sydney's west overnight.
Jayasri, a 22-year-old student from Sri Lanka, was today in an induced coma in Concord Hospital's burns unit after the attack, which friends say was carried out by local Tamils targeting supporters of the Sri Lankan Government.
The other man in the house - Chathurika, 27 - also suffered acid burns, was stabbed in the stomach and broke his ankle in the attack. He is in a serious but stable condition at Westmead Hospital.
Neither of the men was involved in politics or in yesterday's brawl between Tamils and Sinhalese, and they were probably only targeted because it was known that Sinhalese - the Buddhist ethnic majority in Sri Lanka - lived in their house, a friend said.
"This house has always been famous for Sri Lankans ... they are always having parties and stuff, so they know [there are Sinhalese here]," said the friend, who did not wish to be named.
It also emerged that Chathurika was only recently married. He arrived back in Sydney last week after his wedding three weeks ago, but his wife remained in Sri Lanka.
He worked in a fast-food restaurant.
Today Sri Lanka's consul-general, Gothami Indikadahena, visited the house and appealed for calm.
"This is a very tragic incident - these boys were just sleeping," she said. "We want to contain these incidents because we are a united country.
"I am really very disturbed. These are innocent boys," she said. "I feel like they are my brothers or my sons. I feel very, very sad."
She said a witness to the attack was being protected.
The attack occurred just before midnight, and left walls splattered with blood and debris scattered through the house. Police said five men broke into the house and threw acid at the victims.
source:www.smh.com.au
A man is expected to lose his eyesight after he and a friend were splashed with acid during a violent home invasion in Sydney's west overnight.
Jayasri, a 22-year-old student from Sri Lanka, was today in an induced coma in Concord Hospital's burns unit after the attack, which friends say was carried out by local Tamils targeting supporters of the Sri Lankan Government.
The other man in the house - Chathurika, 27 - also suffered acid burns, was stabbed in the stomach and broke his ankle in the attack. He is in a serious but stable condition at Westmead Hospital.
Neither of the men was involved in politics or in yesterday's brawl between Tamils and Sinhalese, and they were probably only targeted because it was known that Sinhalese - the Buddhist ethnic majority in Sri Lanka - lived in their house, a friend said.
"This house has always been famous for Sri Lankans ... they are always having parties and stuff, so they know [there are Sinhalese here]," said the friend, who did not wish to be named.
It also emerged that Chathurika was only recently married. He arrived back in Sydney last week after his wedding three weeks ago, but his wife remained in Sri Lanka.
He worked in a fast-food restaurant.
Today Sri Lanka's consul-general, Gothami Indikadahena, visited the house and appealed for calm.
"This is a very tragic incident - these boys were just sleeping," she said. "We want to contain these incidents because we are a united country.
"I am really very disturbed. These are innocent boys," she said. "I feel like they are my brothers or my sons. I feel very, very sad."
She said a witness to the attack was being protected.
The attack occurred just before midnight, and left walls splattered with blood and debris scattered through the house. Police said five men broke into the house and threw acid at the victims.
source:www.smh.com.au
