American Marconi Wireless News - Clashes at living cost protests in Suriname

The government, in a statement, cited reports that the National Assembly had been "forcibly entered, causing destruction," though it did not provide details.

The protesters chanted slogans against rising prices for food, petrol and electricity, and accused the government of corruption.

"Chan, out!" they shouted, referring to President Chan Santokhi whom they blame for galloping inflation and an enormous foreign debt.

Some threw bottles and stones at police, who replied with tear gas and fired rubber bullets.

With a weak currency and ever-worsening economic crisis, the South American nation's 600,000 people are finding it more and more difficult to make ends meet.

The government, meanwhile, has plans to eliminate subsidies for electricity, gas and other essentials in line with IMF-required spending cuts.

In January, it replaced a 12-percent sales tax with a value-added tax of 10 percent, saying prices would not increase though consumers report that they have.

"I left work early to join the protest. I do not even make it to the middle of the month," said Agnes, who did not want to give her last name.

"I have three children to feed and two jobs," she told AFP.

In the statement, the government said "condemns the destruction committed today in the most serious terms" and promised "vigorous action" against those involved.

"The government has set up a special task force whose task it is to locate, apprehend and hand over to the judicial authorities as soon as possible those responsible for these actions," it added.

F.Bennett--AMWN