Tamil protesters march to embassies

About 300 members of Australia's Tamil community have marched on a number of
embassies in Canberra demanding an end to hostilities in Sri Lanka and to increase
medical aid for civilians.
The protesters claim the Sri Lankan government is deliberating bombing Tamil
civilians in the north, killing up to 150 people per day.
They rallied outside embassies carrying signs reading "Impose sanctions on Sri
Lanka", while a pro-government plane flew overhead trailing a banner stating "Save
Sri Lanka from the Tamil Tigers".
United Nations humanitarian chief John Holmes held talks with leaders in Sri Lanka
on Thursday over the fate of thousands of civilians trapped in the island nation's
war zone.
The Tamil Tiger rebels stand on the brink of defeat at the hands of government
troops after a bloody 37-year campaign for an independent Tamil homeland.
The UN has accused the Tigers of shooting civilians who try to escape from
rebel-held territory and is pleading with the military to avoid non-combatant
casualties.
Canberra rally organiser Mahendran Ratnam says the international community must
pressure Sri Lanka to agree to a ceasefire and increased medical aid.
"Every day for the last three weeks about 100 to 150 innocent people are killed and
up to 400 people are severely injured," Mr Ratnam said outside the German embassy.
The government had asked people to gather in "safe areas" and then bombed them, he
said.
Claims by either side cannot be verified as the government severely restricts
independent access to the war zone.
"No one knows about this genocide," Mr Ratnam said.
"We are here to take the message to each government.
"We want the international agencies to demand a ceasefire, to stop the killings and
bombings of civilians."
The protesters marched on the Norwegian, German, Japanese, European Union, Indian
and United States embassies.
Fellow organiser Sam Pari says peace is only possible if the Tamils are given their
own homeland.
The international community should impose sanctions on Sri Lanka immediately, she said.