The Sri Lankan military has called for increased participation in peacekeeping missions with the United Nations, with the commander stating the forces were a “professional army”.

Lt. Gen. Crisanthe De Silva called for further participation, despite the controversy over Sri Lankan troops sexually abusing Haitian minors whilst on a previous peacekeeping mission. 111 soldiers and 3 officers were repatriated back to Sri Lanka after being part of UN mission in Haiti and were accused of a string of sexual assaults, including rape of children as young as 7 years old.

No one has yet been charged with any offences.

Speaking to the Sunday Island, Lt. De Silva claimed,

"Within a short span of time, we were able to make a significant positive impact on UN’s peacekeeping efforts… The Sri Lankan armed forces have been recognized for their commitment, competence and abilities in all UN assignments".

Tamil families affected by enforced disappearances rejected proposals for a domestic inquiry at a vigil for the disappeared in Mannar.

Emphasising the need for an international investigations into disappearances and abductions during the war and its aftermath, hundreds of relatives of missing persons marked the International Day of the Disappeared with an emotional vigil in Mannar on Sunday.

photograph IBCTamil.com

The vigil was organised by the Organisation for the Families of Forcibly Disappeared Persons - North and East Provinces, with the Mannar Citizens Committee.

The event’s chief guest, Reverend Father Elil Rajan, representing the Tamil Civil Society Forum, emphasised the Tamil people’s disappointment in the international push for domestic investigations.

Sri Lanka will look to borrow $4 billion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to help tackle a widening balance of payment deficit, reports Sundaytimes.lk.

A senior government official, who wished to remain anonymous said that there was a proposal to borrow US $4 billion to support reducing the increasing deficit in Sri Lanka’s balance of payments.