Sri Lanka criticized for quashing protests

Police used teargas and live ammunition to quell protests in the captial Colombo

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka -- Human rights watchdog Amnesty International has accused the Sri Lankan government of using excessive force to disperse a protest in the capital.

The demonstration, one of the biggest in recent years, left two people dead and 80 wounded and was held by opposition parties protesting the president's move to suspend parliament for two months.

Amnesty International said the deaths, due to live fire by the police against "a predominantly peaceful demonstration," constituted the "use of excessive force."

Sri Lankan police, with heavy use of teargas and rubber bullets, managed to disperse the crowd that was attempting to converge in the city center ignoring a police ban on rallies.

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A state newspaper reported the Colombo magistrate had ordered the arrest of police officers who had been involved in the shooting.

The initial response of the police on Friday to the use of live ammunition was that they had no choice in the matter.

"We used live bullets. They were asked not to come and they did not listen so we had no choice," said police spokesman Rienzie Perera.

Amnesty International condemned the government's ban on rallies running up to the referendum scheduled for August 21.

"People of all political persuasions must recognize and respect each other's right to gather peacefully..." a news release said.

President Chandrika Kumaratunga suspended parliament just before a no-confidence vote after her coalition lost a majority in parliament and called an August referendum on whether the country needs a new constitution.

On Thursday the main opposition United National Party called more than 100,000 supporters onto the streets in a move designed to cripple the capital in a protest against President Chandrika Kumaratunga's suspension of parliament last week.

The president's action was intended to thwart a no-confidence vote after a key Muslim ally defected and plunged the war-wracked country into political uncertainty.

"This is a political attempt to suppress opinion opposite to that of the government," said Karu Jayasuriya, deputy leader of the main opposition UNP, one of the groups involved in the protest.

While Sri Lanka has been beset by civil war for nearly 18 years, with more than 63,000 people dying in the drawn-out battle with Tamil rebels, the deepening political crisis has added fuel to the fire.

Reuters contributed to this report.