The National Freedom Front claimed that measures taken by the new government, including appointing the Tamil National Alliance leader R Sampanthan as leader of the opposition, posed a threat to national security.

NFF spokesman Mohammed Muzammi told a press conference at party headquarters that "the national government has removed the check point at Omanthai and the High Security Zone as well as the Sampur army camp while releasing the LTTE suspects who were in remand".

Mr Muzammi went on to single out Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Patali Champika Ranwaka for remaining silent on issues of “national security” and warned that the present government was “paving the way for separatism”.

The US Embassy in Colombo is organising a public lecture on the right to information, in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Press Institute, Colombo Page reported.

Senior advisor for open government to the U.S. Chief Technology Officer at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, Corinna Zarek, will deliver the lecture entitled "Right to Information-A responsibility for all" at the Sri Lanka Press Institute Auditorium in Colombo on Tuesday.

Update 2300 GMT

Approximately 50,000 Indian fishermen have launched an indefinite strike today demanding the Sri Lankan government release their arrested colleagues.

Fishermen from Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu, three days after the Sri Lankan Navy arrested 16 fishermen and detained 3 of their boats.

Leaders from 11 different fishing associations met and announced the strike, as well as appealing to the Indian government to take steps to ensure that the fishermen are protected from the Sri Lankan navy.

Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will visit India and meet with Indian premier Narendra Modi.

The prime minister will be in New Delhi from September 14-16.

President Maithripala Sirisena will also visit India in October. The visit is linked to promoting Buddhism as a link between Asian countries according to Ada Derana.