Buddhist monks at Sri Lanka’s ‘Temple of the Tooth’ blessed a series of Sri Lankan army flags, as commanders lined up to obtain blessings to celebrate the upcoming 67th anniversary of the Sri Lankan army.

Various politicians, including the Governor of the Central Province, were present at the ceremony, which saw the commander of the army donate money to the Buddhist monks, and offered alms.

Sri Lanka’s prime minster admitted to parliament that the government still does not know much debt it owes, in an address earlier this month as government debt continues to grow under the current Sri Lankan regime.

“We still don’t know the exact total debt number,” Ranil Wickremesinghe confessed to parliament, reports Forbes.

Official estimates number at $64.9 billion, of which $8 billion is owed solely to China. The massive loans taken out by Colombo mean that 95.4% of all government revenue is currently going towards debt repayment.

The All Ceylon Hindu Congress joined the Northern Province's chief minister, C V Wigneswaran in calling for a federal solution to the ethnic conflict as a means to ensure harmony. 

Defending Mr Wigneswaran over his speech at the mass Tamil rally last weekend, which has been condemned by Sinhala nationalists who have issued death threats against him, the ACHC said, " federalism is not a division of the country. Federalism will pave way, by way of devolution of power for the people of all the communities to live in harmony with equal rights within one country."

Sri Lanka's prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe pledged on Sunday that a draft counter-terrorism bill designed to replace the existing Prevention of Terrorism Act would be ready for discussion by next week. 

"I think by next week the first draft of the counter-terrorism law, which will be placed in the Prevention of Terrorism Act, will be available for discussion," he was quoted by New Zealand local media as saying. 

Mr Wickremesinghe is currently on an official visit of the country. 

Sri Lanka’s governor of the Northern Province pledged to give compensation to vendors affected by a fire at Kilinochichi market last week.

Reginald Cooray told affected business owners that they would each receive Rs. 25,000 in compensation for their losses, at a meeting in the Kilinochchi Divisional Secretariat Auditorium.

Locals have criticised the inadequacy of equipment available to the fire services, who had to call in the military to help tackle the blaze.

It is not yet known how the fire started.

The Ezhuga Tamil rally which drew thousands of Tamils in Jaffna last week, is “the expression of Tamil frustration witnessing the bases of their political power being compromised in favour of perpetuating Sinhala hegemony,” said exiled journalist J S Tissainayagam in the Asian Correspondent this week.

The New Zealand prime minister, John Key was urged to raise ongoing human rights concerns with the visiting Sri Lankan prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, who lands in Auckland on Saturday evening. 

Amnesty International's New Zealand director, Grant Bayldon was quoted by AFP as saying that whilst it was true progress had been made, much more needed to be done. 

Five Buddhist groups have filed a petition against the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and its member organisation, Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK) accusing the organisations of advocating secession in their manifesto, reported FT.lk. 

The petition was filed at court this week and a date set for November 21. 

The petitioners are representatives from five groups including, the Patriotic National Movement, Patriotic Buddhist Front Secretary, Swarna Hansa Foundation, Buddha Maha Sanvithanaya and the Jaffna Buddhist Association. 

See more here. 

The deputy chairman of the Northern Provincial Council passed away on Saturday morning after suffering an acciden whilst riding his motorcycle to Mullaitivu.  

He is believed to have suffered a heart attack following an accident and was pronounced dead at Mancholai hospital. 
 

Photographs have emerged of Sinhala Buddhist protesters brandishing death threats to the Northern Province Chief Minister during a demonstration in Vavuniya this week.

“We all need to live in peace or you rest in peace,” threatened one placard held by a protester.

Another read “Bin Ladan. Prabakaran. Now Vignashwaram (sic)." 

“Last episode will be televised soon,” it warned.