Police charge student demo in Colombo

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 July 2002, 19:57 GMT]
Four students were wounded when riot Police baton charged a large demonstration in downtown Colombo Thursday against World Bank/IMF recommended privatisation of university education and the slashing of higher education subsidies in Sri Lanka.

Police stopped students who attempted break through a barrier to hand in a petition to Sri Lanka's Finance Minister Mr. K. N Choksy.

Angered students and young Buddhist Monks sat in the road in protest against the Police action. Police said that the students were backed by the militant Janata Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP).

Student protest in Colombo, Thursday. Photo:TamilNet