The Matara chief magistrate on Friday released nine suspects on bail who had been arrested for attempting to sexually assault a Dutch and British tourist at Mirissa beach in Weligama. 

The incident took place on April 8. 

The suspects were released on two personal sureties of Rs 200,000 each, the Colombo Page reported. 

The case will be heard again on October 8. 

The former army commander, Sarath Fonseka said it was a mistake to field Maithripala Sirisena, the current president, as the common candidate in 2015. 

"I told Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to contest the last presidential election but the party supported a common candidate instead. This was a blunder," Mr Fonseka told a May Day rally, the Daily Mirror reported. 

Mr Fonseka, who sough the law and order portfolio, was made the Sustainable Development, Wildlife and Regional Development Minister. 

“We have miserably failed in the last three years to fulfill the pledges given at two elections in 2015," Mr Fonseka told reporters. 

The chief minister of the Northern Province, C V Wigneswaran condemned the Sri Lankan military's ongoing occupation and civilian activites, warning that it would only take 10 years of occupation to make the Northern province into the East.

"Everyone needs to know about the military's activities which are taking place around us," Mr Wigneswaran wrote in article published on May 4. 

Tamil National Alliance MPs and NPC members met with families protesting against the navy's occupation of their lands in Iranaitivu on Saturday. 

MPs S Sritharan and Mavai Senathirajah as well as the NPC member, Kurukularajah were present, expressing their support to the protesters. 

On April 23 villagers from Iranaitivu staged a daring attempt to return to their homes, sailing to the island which continues to be occupied by the Sri Lankan military and marching to their homes, refusing to leave until they are guaranteed their land will be returned to them.

A Sri Lankan police officer was injured in a sword attack in Kayts yesterday. 

The officer, who has not been identified, was attacked on his way to work. 

The attack is believed to be involved in criminal activity, the police told reporters, adding that an investigation into the incident had been launched. 
 

Deepening the military's involvement in civilian activities, particularly within the school environment, the Sri Lankan army presented bicycles and funds to school children in Jaffna district today. 

More than 70 youth from Kilinochchi participated in a judo workshop organized by Security Forces Headquarters - Kilinochchi. 

Sinhala officials from the Wildlife Conservation Department attacked and burnt the huts of cattle herders in Mathavanai, Batticaloa. 

On the evening of April 20, five officials arrived in a vehicle and entered the homes of the cattle herders, villagers said, describing the officials as drunk. 

President Sirisena’s Chief of Staff, I.H.K. Mahanama, was arrested for taking a bribe from an Indian investor. 

Mahanama initially demanded that the investor – a businessperson investing in a sugar factory in Kantale, Trincomalee, pay approximately 540 million Sri Lanka rupees (3.5 million USD). However, upon negotiation the amount was reduced to 100 million. The investor contacted the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) subsequently.

Sri Lanka’s Embassy in the US filed a letter of objection to a Congressional Caucus on Religious and Ethnic Freedom in Sri Lanka which saw discussion on the link between Sinhala Buddhism and extremist violence.

Commenting on the event invitation, Sri Lanka’s Charge d’affaires to the US Priyanga Wickramasinghe said,

“To term the incidents of violence caused by the actions of a few as an ‘anti-Muslim pogrom’ is a gross misrepresentation of what transpired. Sri Lanka is not plagued by religious or ethnic violence. Religion was not a root cause for the conflict that ended in 2009.”

The letter added,