Sri Lanka’s Finance Ministry, on Wednesday, announced that commodity levies on lentils would be reduced.

The Sri Lankan government has denied it is operating secret detention camps for Tamil political prisoners.

Speaking to The Island, foreign ministry spokesperson Mahishini Colonne asked for individuals with information on any such camps to come forward, so investigations can be made.

"[T]the Government has assured that there are no secret detention camps. However, since concerns continue to be raised, persons who may have information pertaining to such secret detention camps are urged to bring such information to the attention of the authorities or persons at high-level so that arrangements could be made to investigate and even arrange for unannounced visits," she said.

"The Government is committed to investigate and therefore, seek the support of all who may have any information to share such information," the spokesperson added.

The government already handed a list of all detainees to the families and the ICRC, she further said, adding that this list will not be made public.

A man who is being held on suspicion of having murdered Tamil National Alliance MP Nadarajah Raviraj, has filed a fundamental rights violation petition in Sri Lanka's Supreme Court.

MA Sampath Munasinghe, alleges illegal detention by the CID and cited the IGP and the CID as respondents in the case. He requested the court to declare the violation of his personal liberty, The Island reported.

Mr Raviraj was assassinated in Colombo in November 2006, at a time when the capital was heavily fortified by Sri Lanka's military. The government was accused of being behind the attacks by the TNA, diaspora organisations and the UNP. The US led international criticism of the government and urged it to conduct an investigation.

Parliamentarians from the Mahinda-faction of the UPFA claimed the former president had more support than ever and would be appointed the prime minister after the elections.

The Sri Lankan government has decided it will reconsider restarting the 'Port City' project, a Chinese-funded development.

Cabinet spokesperson Rajitha Senaratne said the government will consider an Environmental Impact Assessment report, before deciding whether to go ahead with the $1.5bn project.

The project was reviewed by the new government along with several others initiated by former president Mahinda Rajapaksa. Right after the election, the government announced it would cancel the project.

The clarification was made in light of comments by a United National Party (UNP) minister alleging that Mr Obama was expected to visit Sri Lanka before the end of the year.

The Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), referring to Sri Lanka’s reconciliation task force head Chandrika Kumarataunga as the sister of the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), urged the public to take action against a 'political project of reconciliation in the country.'

Sri Lanka's Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said the government will conduct a credible, domestic inquiry, in response to a statement by Human Rights Watch earlier this week, demanding an international process for accountability.

"I must say that our domestic inquiry would definitely be a credible mechanism acceptable to the international community. We are in constant touch with the relevant global agencies and organizations in constituting this panel for a credible investigation.

“Sri Lanka has also sought the advice of eminent persons like Sir Desmond De Silva of UK who has a thorough knowledge on International Humanitarian Law. The term of reference, formation and the composition of the inquiry panel would be known by before the UNHRC report releases in September," the minister told the Daily Mirror.