Australia's Immigration Minister Scott Morrison has denied that the government's asylum policy was the reason behind why a Tamil asylum seeker committed suicide earlier this week.

Leorsin Seemanpillai, a Tami asylum seeker who fled Sri Lanka self immolated and died from his injuries on Saturday night. He had spent 18 months in Australia, but was yet to be granted refugee status.

The Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa, called on the Indian government to table a resolution at the UN that condemned the genocide in Sri Lanka and looked to hold those responsible accountable for their actions whilst facilitating a referendum for Tamils to decide on the formation of a separate state in Sri Lanka, reports the Times of India.

The Sri Lankan government will not assist the United Nations investigation into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during Sri Lanka’s ethnic conflict, reports the Daily FT.

A government spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, speaking at a press conference over the weekend, said that the Sri Lankan government rejected the UN resolution that mandated such an investigation and would not cooperate with any proceedings related to the resolution.

Sri Lankan government Minister Wimal Weerawansa has warned that newly elected Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi poses a threat to Sri Lanka’s stability, according to the Colombo Gazette.
 
The leader of the National Freedom Front said, “it is only the Sri Lankan people who can decide on the 13th Amendment and what’s best for Sri Lanka”, with reference to the Indian Prime Minister.

His comments come after Prime Minister Modi told the Sri Lankan President that he must go “beyond” the 13th amendment, when they met in Delhi.

Police powers will not be devolved to the provinces even if the 13th Amendment to the constitution is implemented said the Sri Lankan government today.

Cabinet spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella, speaking at a press conference in the southern city of Kandy, said that the government had already decided that police powers will not be distributed and remain with the central government, reports Colombo Gazette.