Hazaras stage Kabul demonstration

Hundreds of riot police were out to control the angry crowd

Thousands of ethnic Hazaras have demonstrated in the Afghan capital, Kabul, calling on the government to do more to protect their land.

They want the government to stop nomadic tribesmen from grazing livestock on land the Hazaras claim.

A large number of police were deployed to keep order, while some of the demonstrators called on President Hamid Karzai to resign.

A smaller demonstration by Hazaras also took place in the town of Bamiyan.

Grazing rights

The Hazaras accuse the nomadic Kuchis of killing a number of Hazaras recently in the Behsud district of Wardak province, while the Kuchis say Hazaras attacked their camps, killing several nomads.

The Kuchis say they have historic grazing rights over the land in Wardak province, south-west of Kabul.

The Hazaras say that they have suffered years of discrimination

President Karzai set up a commission to deal with the dispute last year after several people died in clashes between the Kuchis and the Hazaras.

Correspondents say that tension between the two communities are another worry for President Karzai in addition to the difficulties created by the Taleban insurgency and soaring corruption.

The tensions date back decades, but have resurfaced this year in part because low rainfall has meant that nomads and farmers are competing for scarce pasture land.

The demonstrators who gathered in central Kabul on Tuesday chanted slogans urging the president to resign.

Some smeared mud on pictures of the president while displaying posters which said "Hazara people want justice!"

Correspondents say that crowds of mostly young men were stopped by police wearing riot gear in front of Kabul zoo.

The protesters dispersed peacefully after about five hours.