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Tinsel town to protest alleged killings of Tamils in Sri Lanka

NAT41National/Rights/Cinema/DefenceTinsel town to protest alleged killings of Tamils in Sri LankaChennai, Oct 13 IANS The Tamil film industry has joined Tamil Nadu's political leadership in protesting against Sri Lanka for alleged killings of the minority Tamils in the island, and has announced a massive demonstration in Rameshwaram next week.Ace film director Bharathi Raja, considered close to the ruling DMK, told IANS that all people in the industry including actors would shun work Oct 18-20 to be present in the port city to hold a massive demonstration Oct 19 expressing their angst at Sri Lanka's alleged attacks on the Tamil minority in the island across the Palk Strait.On the first day, they would undertake the 600 km journey from here to Rameshwaram and the demonstration would be held the next day. Film Employees' Federation of South India, South Indian Artistes' Association, South Indian Cine Artistes' and Dubbing Union as well as all other trade unions of technicians would join the protest, Raja said Monday.Since a large number of leading artists would be present, the organisers of the protest expect a huge turnout of people and hence have applied for appropriate police protection, an FEFSI statement said.Meanwhile, workers of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi burnt effigies of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa to express their anger at the alleged killings of innocent Tamils in the island. The Tamil film world's overseas market is virtually controlled by expatriate Sri Lankan Tamils who also pay large sums towards making of films here.Karunamoorthy, a Sri Lankan Tamil who divides his time between India and London, heads one of the top film production houses in Chennai, Ayngaran International.--Indo-Asian News Serviceap/tsv/am/dg288 Words13101757