Geneva - A man of Tamil origin committed suicide outside the United Nations' Geneva office by setting himself on fire, this was confirmed by UN officials and the police.
The suicide took place the night before, the officials said, adding that there was no security threat to the UN.
Members of the Tamil community in Switzerland said the man came from abroad to commit the act.
'The man's name is Murukathasan. He came here from the UK,' said Shan, who lives in Bern the Swiss Capital and was in Geneva to take part in the protest. Many Tamils use only one name.
Shan added that the man left a note, now in police custody, and sent a notice to Tamil media networks saying he was protesting the plight of his people, for which he blamed the Sri Lankan government and military.
The Tamils said several people in Asia have committed similar acts in recent days, in signs of solidarity with the rebel Tigers, but that this was the first one they knew of in Europe.
Last week, thousands of Tamils gathered outside the UN to protest the ongoing conflict in Sri Lanka and asking the world body for humanitarian assistance.
Tamil rebels have been pushed into an area of less than 150 square kilometres in what is seen as the last phase of a long military battle against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).