Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said his government would not allow Rohingya Muslims fleeing violence into the island, as Sinhala Buddhists continued to rally in support of Myanmar’s military offensive in the Rakhine state.

The Island reported Mr Wickremesinghe as stating Rohingya refugees “could easily seek refuge in neighbouring Bangladesh or Thailand”.

He reportedly told a Sri Lankan parliamentary group that his government “would not permit” any asylum seekers.

The Sri Lankan Air Force held a military exhibition in Vavuniya earlier this month, showcasing aircraft and weapons used during the island’s armed conflict.

The Sri Lankan government is in talks with two Chinese companies over the building of a new refinery at the Chinese controlled Hambantota port. 

The refinery is said to cost $3 billion. 

"The investment is large and we are discussing with the two companies on that basis," Mangala Yapa, director at Sri Lanka's Board of Investment told Reuters. 

"The refinery needs around 500 acres (200ha) of land and we can't reserve the land. Many people try to get the land first and then look for investors."

A Sri Lankan soldier has been arrested over allegations he sexually abused a 15 year old girl in Wanathawilluwa. 

The 40 year old soldier was attached to the Mihintale military garrison and was arrested by police officers fro the Wanathawilluwa police station.  

The alleged abuse is said to have taken place on Septemeber 18 when the soldier returned to Wanathawilluwa on holiday, Adaderana reported. 
 

Sri Lanka's minister of industry and commerce, Rishad Bathiudeen has lodged a complaint with the Criminal Investigation Division over social media posts that allege he is resettling Rohingya Muslims into the country. 

Mr Bathiudeen, the former Sri Lankan Muslim Congress member, vehemently denied the reports and asserted he "has never spoken about the Rohingya refugees". 

He said the social media posts were being published by "an organised group" intending to create false reports about him, the Colombo Page reported. 

The UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres urged Sri Lanka to secure a long term political settlement through constitutional reforms. 

Mr Guterres made these comments whilst meeting the Sri Lankan president at the sidelines UN General Assembly in New York on Saturday. 

Stating the UN was ready to provide Sri Lanka with any assistance necessary in order to build the country and strengthen reconciliation, Mr Guterres also encouraged Sri Lanka to establish transitional justice mechanisms. 

The Hindu said that Sri Lanka’s interim report by the steering committee established to work towards drafting a new constitution can only be welcomed “with a great degree of caution and circumspection,” in an editorial published today.

It stated that whilst the proposals were “forward-looking”, “there have been several such reports in the past” and that “none of them found broad acceptance within Sri Lanka’s polity”.

“There is room for both hope and fear,” said The Hindu.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein met with Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena in New York on Friday to discuss progress on human rights on the island.

The victims of the Nagarkovil school massacre were remembered by students and staff at the school on Friday.

Vessels from the Sri Lankan navy returned to Trincomalee this week after completing a set of military exercises in India earlier this month.