A large number of British Tamils protested outside No 10, Downing Street in London to commemorate Sencholai incident where 53 girls were killed by air strikes.

The demonstrators, according to Tamil Guardian, held placards calling for an end to what they termed as “the Sri Lankan state sponsored genocide of the Tamil people” and demanded an internationally monitored referendum on an independent Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka.

Shencholai bombing took place on August 14, 2006 when the Sri Lankan Air Force bombed what they stated was a rebel LTTE training camp killing. Those who were killed in the attack were girls, aged between 16 and 18.

 The LTTE, UNICEF, SLMM and UTHR stated that those in the compound were not LTTE cadres, but orphans of war.

The Sri Lankan government claimed to be monitoring the site since 2004 and claimed that it was a training camp, adding that it was not mistaken or wrong target