Some 1,500 supporters of a radical Marxist party took to the streets of Colombo on Monday to protest against the Sri Lankan government's efforts to push ahead a peace process with Tamil Tiger separatists.
The peaceful demonstration by the Marxist People's Liberation Front, which included Buddhist monks, was watched by police and came days after Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe made a landmark visit to northern Jaffna peninsula, the spiritual capital of the country's Tamil minority.
The protesters blocked traffic for about 30 minutes and waved placards which read "The government is giving away the north and east".
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have been battling for nearly two decades for a separate Tamil state in the north and east of the island and the lastest peace moves are considered the best chance yet to end the fighting.
The Marxists and the powerful Buddhist clergy successfully stopped previous peace bids by taking to the streets.
The peace process has surged ahead since Wickremesinghe was elected in December, with a ceasefire in place and the both sides saying they are ready for "talks about talks".
Wickremesinghe, who drew large crowds of admirers on his Jaffna trip, the first by a prime minister since 1982, has said he thinks direct talks could start by the end of May. Bureau Report