Madonna's visit causes chaos

2007-04-17 16:54

Mchinji - Chaos erupted in a small village in rural Malawi on Tuesday when Madonna and the one-year-old boy she hopes to adopt arrived at the orphanage where she found him.

Scores of international and local journalists tried to force their way into the orphanage to get closer to Madonna, and were confronted by some 500 angry orphans who threw stones at them.

Orphanage officials attempted to calm the children down, and called two police officers who evicted journalists from the "Home of Hope" at the foot of Mchinji mountain.

The US pop star, who is in the country for a three-day trip, was visiting projects she had funded around the country, and was expected to re-unite her prospective son with his biological father.

Orphans chanted slogans

Hundreds of villagers swarmed to the orphanage to witness the chaotic scene, as Madonna and Malawi-born David were safely ensconced inside the building, hidden from reporters.

Orphans aged up to 22 chanted slogans encouraging police to chase journalists away.

"I didn't expect that this would come from the orphanage. I thought they would have handled it better rather than mobilise the orphans to throw stones at international journalists," said local reporter Vitima Ndovi.

- AFP