The former Norwegian minister Eric Solheim has called on the international community to hold an investigation into the “tens of thousands” of deaths during the end of the armed conflict in Sri Lanka.

Solheim, who used to be heavily involved during the peace process between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan Government, said in an email to Xinhua, that the Tamil diaspora can play a key role in Sri Lanka.

The Sri Lankan police has imposed a curfew, for the second day running, to prevent religious clashes in the Grandpass area of Colombo, following anti-Muslim violence outside a mosque, sources reported.

The US embassy in Colombo has expressed concern at the attack on a mosque by a Buddhist mob on Saturday and called for the prosecution of the perpetrators.

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A Sri Lankan minister, Wimal Weerawansa, accused the US Embassy of issuing statements that would even condemn a 'common cold'.

Speaking at a meeting in Matale, he reiterated that infrastructure development would continue unabated, stating,

The Sri Lankan army has banned Saiva devotional songs produced by a well- known poet Puthuvai Ratnathurai from being played at Temples in Batticaloa, reported Tamilnet.

The whereabouts of the poet remain unknown after he was taken into military custody during the final stages of the 2009 onslaught.