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| Protest over Tamil leader's death | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Thousands of people have marched in the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo, in protest at the killing of a leading pro-Tamil Tiger politician. | Thousands of people have marched in the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo, in protest at the killing of a leading pro-Tamil Tiger politician. |
| Security was tight as crowds paraded the coffin of Nadarajah Raviraj through the city, demanding an end to killings. | Security was tight as crowds paraded the coffin of Nadarajah Raviraj through the city, demanding an end to killings. |
| Mr Raviraj died after being shot in Colombo on Friday. His funeral is to take place in Jaffna on Wednesday. | Mr Raviraj died after being shot in Colombo on Friday. His funeral is to take place in Jaffna on Wednesday. |
| Some 3,000 people - civilians, soldiers and rebels - have been killed in Sri Lanka this year, the government says. | Some 3,000 people - civilians, soldiers and rebels - have been killed in Sri Lanka this year, the government says. |
| Communicator | Communicator |
| The BBC's Priyath Liyanage says Mr Raviraj's death is a setback for moderates in Sri Lanka. | The BBC's Priyath Liyanage says Mr Raviraj's death is a setback for moderates in Sri Lanka. |
| The country has seen worsening violence since late last year as a threadbare truce between troops and rebels has unravelled. | The country has seen worsening violence since late last year as a threadbare truce between troops and rebels has unravelled. |
| Mr Raviraj was seen as a key communicator of Tamil issues | |
| The MP - who was fluent in Tamil, Sinhala and English - acted as a bridge between communities and spoke out against extreme nationalists, our correspondent says. | The MP - who was fluent in Tamil, Sinhala and English - acted as a bridge between communities and spoke out against extreme nationalists, our correspondent says. |
| He was able to explain the plight of the Tamils to Sri Lanka's Sinhalese majority in their own language and to the rest of the world in English, our correspondent adds. | He was able to explain the plight of the Tamils to Sri Lanka's Sinhalese majority in their own language and to the rest of the world in English, our correspondent adds. |
| Mr Raviraj was shot as he left his house in Colombo for work last Friday. One of his guards was also killed. | Mr Raviraj was shot as he left his house in Colombo for work last Friday. One of his guards was also killed. |
| The MP represented Jaffna district for the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) coalition in the national parliament and was a former mayor of Jaffna. | The MP represented Jaffna district for the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) coalition in the national parliament and was a former mayor of Jaffna. |
| TNA members say the government is refusing to allow his cortege to travel to Jaffna by road for Wednesday's planned funeral. | TNA members say the government is refusing to allow his cortege to travel to Jaffna by road for Wednesday's planned funeral. |
| No group has said it carried out Friday's killing. Mr Raviraj's colleagues have blamed the government. | No group has said it carried out Friday's killing. Mr Raviraj's colleagues have blamed the government. |
| President Mahinda Rajapakse condemned the attack, calling it a "heinous act" by "those opposed to dissent and political pluralism in a democratic society". | President Mahinda Rajapakse condemned the attack, calling it a "heinous act" by "those opposed to dissent and political pluralism in a democratic society". |