The inauguration of a China-backed SEZ in Sri Lanka&#39;s southern port of Hambantota was today marred by a protest by supporters of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa over what they said was encroachment of private land, in an embarrassment to the government.

Defying a court order obtained against any form of public protests for 14 days from today, the Rajapaksa backers made their way into the inauguration site where Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Chinese Ambassador Xi Xianliang were present with other senior government ministers.

Police used tear gas and water cannon to quell the protest, during which the protesters hurled stones at the site, eyewitnesses said. At least 10 people, including three policemen, were injured and admitted in the Hambantota hospital.

Hambantota, some 240 kms from here, is former strongman Rajapaksa&#39;s hometown as well his electoral district.

The protesters said they were defying court orders due to &quot;people&#39;s rights&quot; over the land.

&quot;We are against this move to give our lands to the Chinese,&quot; Omare Kassapa, a leading Buddhist monk among the protestors, said.

&quot;We are going ahead with the protest despite the court order to ban it because our people&#39;s rights are important to us,&quot; said Ranjith Soyza, a joint opposition legislator and Rajapaksa backer.

In a last-minute move to appease the Buddhist monk protest, Wickremesinghe rushed to Hambantota last night to have talks with the monks.

He said only 1,235 acres of land will be taken from Hambantota while the rest of the land needed for the project would be taken from the neighbouring districts of Moneragala, Matara and Galle.

The protest was based on the reported move to hand over 15,000 acres from Hambantota for the industrial park.

The agreement is to give the Chinese an 80 per cent stake in the Special Economic Zone (SEZ).

Speaking at the opening, China&#39;s Ambassador to Sri Lanka Yi Xianliang said China hopes to invest 5 billion dollars during the next 3-5 years in the Hambantota SEZ to create 100,000 jobs for the Sri Lankans.

(PTI) 
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Sri Lankan nationalists, monks and local residents are protesting the creation of an industrial zone for Chinese investments on the island

The inauguration of a China-backed SEZ in Sri Lanka's southern port of Hambantota was today marred by a protest by supporters of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa over what they said was encroachment of private land, in an embarrassment to the government. Defying a court order obtained against any form of public protests for 14 days from today, the Rajapaksa backers made their way into the inauguration site where Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Chinese Ambassador Xi Xianliang were present with other senior government ministers. Police used tear gas and water cannon to quell the protest, during which the protesters hurled stones at the site, eyewitnesses said. At least 10 people, including three policemen, were injured and admitted in the Hambantota hospital. Hambantota, some 240 kms from here, is former strongman Rajapaksa's hometown as well his electoral district. The protesters said they were defying court orders due to "people's rights" over the land. "We are against this move to give our lands to the Chinese," Omare Kassapa, a leading Buddhist monk among the protestors, said. "We are going ahead with the protest despite the court order to ban it because our people's rights are important to us," said Ranjith Soyza, a joint opposition legislator and Rajapaksa backer. In a last-minute move to appease the Buddhist monk protest, Wickremesinghe rushed to Hambantota last night to have talks with the monks. He said only 1,235 acres of land will be taken from Hambantota while the rest of the land needed for the project would be taken from the neighbouring districts of Moneragala, Matara and Galle. The protest was based on the reported move to hand over 15,000 acres from Hambantota for the industrial park. The agreement is to give the Chinese an 80 per cent stake in the Special Economic Zone (SEZ). Speaking at the opening, China's Ambassador to Sri Lanka Yi Xianliang said China hopes to invest 5 billion dollars during the next 3-5 years in the Hambantota SEZ to create 100,000 jobs for the Sri Lankans. (PTI)

Protests in Sri Lanka against opening of Chinese SEZ in port town

Students of Jaffna University in Sri Lanka staged a protest today over the killing of two Tamil students&nbsp;in police firing.

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The students held a march and blocked the main A9 highway to demand justice for the two fellow students who were killed last week.&nbsp;

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The students held placards and sat outside the Jaffna District Secretariat, Sri Lankan daily, the ColomboPage reported.&nbsp;

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The protesters were demanding the filing of murder charges against the policemen responsible for the firing and adequate compensation for the families of the slain&nbsp;students.

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They handed over a petition to the district secretaries of Jaffna and Kilinochchi urging the government to take action against the firing.&nbsp;

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Six Tamil political parties will stage a similar protest tomorrow, Indian news agency Press Trust of India reported.&nbsp;

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The two students,&nbsp;23-year-old Nadarasa Kajan and 24-year-old Pavunraja Sulaxan were killed in the wee hours of Friday when they were traveling on a motorcycle in Kankasanthurai, the ColomboPage reported.

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Police said the students had defied the order to halt their motorcycle at a roadblock checkpoint.

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Five policemen have been remanded until&nbsp;November 4 following the shooting incident.&nbsp;

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(WION with inputs from PTI)

The students blocked the main A9 highway and handed over a petition urging the government to take action against police firing last week

Students of Jaffna University in Sri Lanka staged a protest today over the killing of two Tamil students in police firing. The students held a march and blocked the main A9 highway to demand justice for the two fellow students who were killed last week. The students held placards and sat outside the Jaffna District Secretariat, Sri Lankan daily, the ColomboPage reported. The protesters were demanding the filing of murder charges against the policemen responsible for the firing and adequate compensation for the families of the slain students. They handed over a petition to the district secretaries of Jaffna and Kilinochchi urging the government to take action against the firing. Six Tamil political parties will stage a similar protest tomorrow, Indian news agency Press Trust of India reported. The two students, 23-year-old Nadarasa Kajan and 24-year-old Pavunraja Sulaxan were killed in the wee hours of Friday when they were traveling on a motorcycle in Kankasanthurai, the ColomboPage reported. Police said the students had defied the order to halt their motorcycle at a roadblock checkpoint. Five policemen have been remanded until November 4 following the shooting incident. (WION with inputs from PTI)

Sri Lanka: Students protest over killing of two Tamil students in police firing

Tens of thousands of supporters of Sri Lanka&#39;s former president have held a protest march accusing the government of betraying the nation by agreeing with the United Nations to investigate allegations of war crimes during the country&#39;s civil war. 
 
The protesters reached the capital, Colombo, today after marching for several days from the central town of Kandy. 
 
They also accused the government of wanting to divide the country by granting more powers to ethnic minority Tamils. 
 
The protest was the largest show of strength by former strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa since he lost a re-election bid last year. He is currently a lawmaker. 
 
The government says the protest is part of pressure tactics aimed at blocking investigations into alleged corruption and misrule by the former government. 
 
(PTI) 
 
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The protestors are accusing the government of betraying the country by agreeing with the UN to investigate war crimes during their civil war

Tens of thousands of supporters of Sri Lanka's former president have held a protest march accusing the government of betraying the nation by agreeing with the United Nations to investigate allegations of war crimes during the country's civil war. The protesters reached the capital, Colombo, today after marching for several days from the central town of Kandy. They also accused the government of wanting to divide the country by granting more powers to ethnic minority Tamils. The protest was the largest show of strength by former strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa since he lost a re-election bid last year. He is currently a lawmaker. The government says the protest is part of pressure tactics aimed at blocking investigations into alleged corruption and misrule by the former government. (PTI)

Sri Lanka: Former strongman's supporters oppose war crimes probe