The Higher Education Minister of Sri Lanka, SB Dissanayake, has said in an interview to the Daily News that the TNA has not given up on the Eelam ideology taken by “terrorist” groups and should realise that the country had been united under one flag.

Sri Lanka's Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa outlined his thoughts on a number of issues in a recent interview. See here for full interview. Extracts reproduced below:

Q: Don’t you think all these leaders, including your brother always felt that the LTTE was a result of a political problem, caused by an issue the Tamil people faced in the North? Do you not think that this problem should be addressed?

GR: It is not a political problem, in many countries including so-called advanced societies which have minorities there are issues relating to the minorities. One has to then understand these issues and address them, whether in the US, the UK or any other country, these  issues exist when there are minorities.

Q: But still don’t you believe in devolution or decentralisation of power?

GR: No I don’t believe in devolution because of the above points I mentioned. If devolution is for administrative purposes that is of course legitimate. But if one thinks that devolution would provide an answer to the national problem that is something that I don’t agree with.

Tamil Eelam in the pre-match lineup

Tamil Eelam made a great start to their Tynwald Hill international  Football tournament campaign today, in a thrilling match, which saw the

According to the MCNS director, Lakshman Hulugalla, the Indian National  Security Advisor will call on President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Defence Secretary Gotabhaya.  

Speaking to the Island the Global Tamil Forum said it was not possible to comment on whether South Africa could be a facilitator in talks between the TNA-GTF and the Sri Lankan government. 

GTF spokesperson Suren Surendiran said: 

Human rights activists that helped set up the screening of the ‘No Fire Zone’ documentary were detained by the Home Ministry in Malaysia today.

The event was organised by the human rights group Pusat Komas, in an attempt to raise awareness about the war crimes and atrocities that happened at the end of 2009 in Sri Lanka.

The Sri Lankan government has called upon the US to lift warnings about travelling to the island, after an update to the travel advisory by the State Department.

The US ambassador to Colombo, Michelle Sison, was summoned to a meeting with the Ministry of External Affairs, where they requested the US to withdraw the advisory.