The Socialist Youth Organisation (SYO) that organised the protest against the 2012 budget proposals, says the government has ignored the country's tens of thousands of unemployed.

The youth were marching from the Technical Junction towards the Finance Ministry in Colombo to handover a petition that highlight their grievances when the police blocked their advance.

Tear Gas attack

They were blocked at the Lake House round about in Colombo where they came under an attack of tear gas and water canon.

SYO National Organiser Bimal Ratnayaka addressing protestors following the police attack said that there are 42,000 unemployed graduates alone in the country,

"It showed the inability of the President Rajapaksa's government to solve the ever increasing unemployment problem," he said.

Police too "seek help"

He said that police who prevented their march had come for help to JVP when they were in difficulties.

"They complain about unlawful appointments, promotions and other job related problems" he said.

Mr. Ratnayaka accused the government of compensating businessmen rather than giving relief to employees who lost their jobs as a result of closure of factories in the country.

"According to government statistics, there 300,000 who have lost jobs following closure of their work places. But government has given out 16 billion rupees as compensation to businessmen", he said.

Those businessmen, he said, have told the government that they could not find people for their jobs.

"Are we talking about Sri Lanka or another planet," exclaimed MP Bimal Ratnayaka