Violence at Sri Lanka protest

Police are alleged to have used excessive force

By Frances Harrison in Colombo

Police in the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo, have fired tear gas and water cannons at thousands of demonstrators protesting against rising prices.

At least 12 people have been injured including a local politician.

The demonstration was organised by the JVP, the Marxist party which won 10 seats in last year's elections.

Reports say more than 2,000 people took part in the demonstration in central Colombo organised by the JVP (Peoples' Liberation Organisation).

Live ammunition

According to an MP from the party, Bimal Rathnayake, the police tried to stop the demonstrators from gathering near the Fort Railway station.

Food prices are up by 20%

There has been no word from the police about the incident but JVP says when the protestors refused to disburse, police officers first fired water cannon and tear gas and then live ammunition at the crowd.

Several people were sent to hospital with eye injuries and one man, a local JVP politician, is in intensive care with a neck injury.

Mr Rathnayake called the action by the police most unfair and unfortunate because he said they were not trying to enter the high security zone around the President's office.

He said all the JVP parliamentarians wanted was to hand over a petition protesting against the rising cost of living and also against foreign intervention in the war against Tamil Tiger rebels in the north of the island.

Inflation

Prices of basic foodstuffs are estimated to have risen by at least 20% in the last two months because of increases in fuel prices set by the government and also the devaluation of the Sri Lankan rupee.

The JVP says the government has created the largest number of cabinet ministers in the world and is making the people pay for it.

They also believe neither the government nor the rebel side have a genuine interest in solving Sri Lanka's ethnic problem and say the Norwegian mediators are just interfering.

The Norwegian peace envoy, Erik Solheim, is due to visit Sri Lanka later this week for another round of meetings with the government.