Sampath Chandrapushpa, who is accused of murdering a tourist last year, has been reinstated by the ruling party into his post as chairman of Tangalle’s Pradeshiya Sabha.

Photograph Uthayan

Speaking to mourners of the Tamil political prisoner, Dilrukshan, Father Sakthivel described seeing him in hospital in the days before his death - in a coma, but still with his feet chained together.

Apparently - according to Sri Lanka’s Human Rights Commission Chief Pratiba Mahanamathe who in turn quoted the presidential secretary - "most" of the LLRC recommendations had been addressed.

Kalyananda Godage, Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to Malaysia has been recalled abruptly by Colombo after he was accused of sympathetic involvement with Tamil organisations in Malaysia.

Mr. Godage came out of retirement at the age of 76 to take up this position.

His service will come to an end at the end of August after serving only eight months.

Sri Lanka’s External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris, took an exception to Godage’s request for answers, that were posed by Tamil groups during a meeting in Colombo.

An Australian report, ordered by the government, concluded that it was necessary to introduce disincentives for those seeking asylum in Australia, Canberra should introduce off-shore processing, but increase the overall intake of refugees to 20,000.

HSBC in London has “unreservedly” apologised after displaying the Sri Lankan flag in its New Malden branch, following protests from the local community.

The display drew objections from the Tamils in London, who remonstrated that the display brought back memories of rape, torture and massacres endured at the hands of a genocidal state.

Complaints from the local community, with the support of local parliamentarian Mr Edward Davey, have led to apologies from the bank and the removal of the flag.

The Minister for Power Champika Ranawaka is seeking approval from the Sri Lankan cabinet to raise the borrowing limit of the state owned Ceylon Electricity Board to Rs 74.2 billion, reported LBO.

He said the funds will be used to meet increasing fuel needs, settle debts and pay independent power producers.