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Sri Lanka government comes under fire for suppression
( 2001-07-21 16:01 ) (7 )

Amnesty International on Saturday criticized President Chandrika Kumaratunga for using police to break up anti-government protests in which two people were killed.

"Police action against a predominantly peaceful demonstration ... constituted the use of excessive force on the part of police," the London-based human rights group said in a statement posted on its Web site.

Two people were killed and 70 others were injured Thursday in Colombo when police fired rubber bullets to block thousands of opposition-led demonstrators from marching into the center of the Sri Lanka capital to protest the suspension of Parliament by Kumaratunga after she lost majority support.

The protest was called by the main opposition United National Party, which is pressing for a no-confidence vote in Parliament against the government.

Kumaratunga has called a referendum next month to amend the constitution to offer wide autonomy to Tamil-dominated areas in an effort to end the 18-year civil war waged by Tamil separatists.

Amnesty International urged Kumaratunga to "ensure that Sri Lanka observes the right to freedom of expression and assembly."

Police and soldiers have wide powers of arrest in Sri Lanka, under laws aimed at curbing Tamil rebels who have been fighting since 1983 for a separate homeland in the north and east for the minority Tamils.

Relying on these laws and a 20-year-old law that bans demonstrations during the run-up to a referendum, police had said they would arrest anyone who tried to hold demonstrations in the capital.

Kumaratunga's suspension of Parliament for 60 days, though valid under the constitution, has been severely criticized by opposition parties, human rights groups and political analysts.

Her governing alliance lost its majority in the 225-member legislature in June after she fired Rauff Hakeem of the Muslim Congress from her Cabinet. He left Kumaratunga's coalition with six of his party colleagues.