Protestors blockade India House; Mission serves demarche

Tamil protestors on Tuesday staged a protest in front of the Indian High Commission here, prompting the Mission to serve a demarche to the British Foreign Office asking for adequate security to prevent demonstrators from paralysing its operations.

Tamil protestors on Tuesday staged a protest in front of the Indian High Commission here, prompting the Mission to serve a demarche to the British Foreign Office asking for adequate security to prevent demonstrators from paralysing its operations.

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The Indian High Commission lodged a complaint after about 200 to 300 demonstrators, carrying banned LTTE flags and placards shouted slogans, while blockading the entrance of the mission at Aldwych on Tuesday morning.

Under the Vienna Convention, UK is obliged to provide adequate protection to the Indian Mission here and ensure its normal functioning. Britain, one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council is also duty-bound to provide adequate security to the Missions of the UN member-countries.

The demarche was sent to the South Asia Directorate of the British Foreign Office. It asked UK to stop supporters of the banned Tamil Tigers from blockading the High Commission here and paralysing its operation, an official said.

Supporters of the LTTE, demanding a ceasefire in the country's battered north, had a fortnight ago launched a violent protest at the High Commission, smashing glass windows at the building.