Sri Lanka's SAARC statue in Maldives vandalized

16 November 2011: The lion statue designed and gifted to Maldives by Sri Lanka to mark the 17th SAARC Summit in Addu City has been vandalized, Minivan News reported. The lion statue, representing the national symbol of Sri Lanka, has been doused with crude oil Tuesday night by protesters who claim the importing 'idols' to the country is illegal. Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa on November 09 declared open the lion monument built to commemorate Sri Lanka's participation in the 17th SAARC Heads of States Summit in Addu City. Eight monuments have been erected to commemorate the eight SAARC countries particapted in the Summit.

Source: Colombopage