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Tamil demonstrators block streets | Tamil demonstrators block streets |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Tamils staging an ongoing demonstration in central London have broken through police lines and are blocking roads around Parliament. | Tamils staging an ongoing demonstration in central London have broken through police lines and are blocking roads around Parliament. |
The Metropolitan Police said about 3,500 people had gathered in Parliament Square as MPs returned after Easter. | |
Two weeks ago demonstrators began rallying over the conflict between the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tigers separatist group. | Two weeks ago demonstrators began rallying over the conflict between the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tigers separatist group. |
Protesters want the UK to end the war in Sri Lanka, which is a former colony. | Protesters want the UK to end the war in Sri Lanka, which is a former colony. |
But the Sri Lankan government has rejected calls for a ceasefire, arguing it would give the Tamil Tigers time to regroup. | But the Sri Lankan government has rejected calls for a ceasefire, arguing it would give the Tamil Tigers time to regroup. |
The Tigers - or Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam - are fighting for a separatist state in the north and east of the island. | The Tigers - or Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam - are fighting for a separatist state in the north and east of the island. |
The prime minister is deeply concerned by the current conflict and there should be an immediate ceasefire Gordon Brown's spokesman 'Thousands flee' Sri Lanka combat UK envoy in Sri Lanka peace talks Thousands on Tamil protest march | |
They are a proscribed terrorist group in many countries, including the UK. | They are a proscribed terrorist group in many countries, including the UK. |
The protesters include Prarameswaran Subramaniam, 28, who has lost several family members in the conflict and has gone on hunger strike. | |
A second man, Sivatharsan Sivakumaraval, 21, agreed to call off a fast last week. | |
Thousands flee | |
On Sunday, Gordon Brown sent a special envoy to the United Nations in New York for "urgent" talks on Sri Lanka. | |
Des Browne will work to try to secure a ceasefire between government forces and Tamil Tiger rebels fighting in the north of Sri Lanka. | Des Browne will work to try to secure a ceasefire between government forces and Tamil Tiger rebels fighting in the north of Sri Lanka. |
Some 100,000 civilians remained trapped in the area and Mr Brown's spokesman said the prime minister wanted them to be allowed to leave. | |
"The prime minister is deeply concerned by the current conflict and there should be an immediate ceasefire," he added. | |
Meanwhile, in Sri Lanka, the army said about 5,000 people had escaped from the conflict area. | |
The military said the people fled after the army broke through a fortification which had been blocking its advance into the Tigers' last stronghold. | The military said the people fled after the army broke through a fortification which had been blocking its advance into the Tigers' last stronghold. |