Protest over Cancellation of Sri Lankan President's Speech

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Supporters of the Sri Lankan president held a protest in the capital city of Colombo Friday. They criticized the British government for failing to provide adequate security for their president to make a speech in the UK, which led to its cancellation.

Hundreds of government supporters demonstrated in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo on Friday.

One prestigious debating society in the UK cancelled a speech by Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa... after planned protests against his visit in the United Kingdom raised security concerns.

In a statement, the British High Commission in Colombo said Rajapaksa was on a private visit and that the government was not involved in making security arrangements.

Tamil groups in Britain and their supporters planned a big demonstration in Oxford on Thursday to coincide with Rajapaksa's talk at the famous Oxford Union.

They were due to protest alleged human rights abuses during Sri Lanka's three-decade war against Tamil Tiger rebels, won by the army last year.

The speech was to have been the centerpiece of Rajapaksa's visit to Britain which began on Monday.