Sri Lankan Defence Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapakse, currently on an official visit to Vietnam, used the opportunity to promote the incorporation of the army into civilian life and the country's wider development.

Gotabhaya met with President Truong Tan Sang and the Deputy Minister of National Defence, Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh, Monday.

Edward Mortimer, director of communications to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan from 1998 to 2006, writes in New World magazine's 2011 Autumn edition:

Sri Lanka's military spokesperson, Brig Nihal Hapuarachchi, claimed the civilian protests at the on-going 'grease devil' incidents were a 'terrorist act'.

He warned the army will take action against them under the infamous Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), adding:

"It is wrong for civilians to attack an army camp or police station. Those who do that are terrorists."

Over 120 Tamil civilians have been arrested after protesting at Jaffna's military camp.

"They attacked a joint army-police camp. It is a terrorist act," Brig Hapuarachchi, said about them.

Lulia Costea, press officer to Catherine Ashton, EU High Representative, stressed the European Union's belief in an 'independent process' to establish accountability for allegations of war crimes, during an interview with the Sunday Leader newspaper.

She warned the EU expected the government of Sri Lanka to 'respond positively' to the findings of the UN panel of experts at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) later this month. 

“As EU High Representative Catherine Ashton has recalled, the EU believes that an independent process to address the extremely serious allegations contained in the report of the UN Secretary-General’s Panel of Experts should contribute to strengthening the process of reconciliation and ensuring lasting peace and security in Sri Lanka.”

“Should this matter be discussed at the Human Rights Council, the EU will continue to encourage the Government of Sri Lanka to respond positively to the report and address the issue of accountability as an essential part of the process of national reconciliation and, in this context, to engage with the UNSG on the contents of the report.”

Sri Lanka's Prime Minister warned the country's citizens to be mindful of 'anti-government elements' and urged them to 'protect the government' against this danger.

It seems apparently no one in Sri Lanka - except the Tamils, of course - wants the regime’s mass killings of 2009 investigated.

This week four of the largest private sector associations in Sri Lanka joined the government in denouncing the report by the UN panel of experts on the final months of the war.

"On one hand, they abolished the emergency laws to satisfy the international community, while on the other hand, they bring in new regulations to the PTA, which itself is a draconian law. We oppose this move. We have always been calling to abolish the PTA, too."

A report by Sri Lankan bank Capital Alliance has said that India and China would likely be the source of the majority of tourist arrivals in the coming years.

In a written statement released today, the National President of the Sikh Students Federation of India, Parmjeet Singh Gazi, called for a cancellation of the death sentence issued to Murugan, Santhan and Perarivalan.

Sri Lanka’s trade deficit in the first half of 2011 widened 62.7 percent to $4.25 billion.

See The Island's report here.

Export earnings grew 35 percent to $ 5.06 billion, but imports grew faster at 46 percent to $9.3 billon.

The Madras High Court stayed the execution of the three Tamils sentenced to death for their alleged part in the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi on Tuesday.

The execution was due to take place on the 9th September.

Tamil Nadu chief minister, Jayalalithaa, stated Monday that India's President alone had the power to grant clemency to the 3 Tamils, sentenced to death for their alleged part in the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi.

Responding to the growing calls from across the political spectrum urging the chief minister to intervene, Jayalalithaa rejected the notion that Article 161 of the Indian constitution gave any such powers to the State government or chief minister.

"I don't have any power to alter the Presidential order rejecting the mercy petitions of the three -- Murugan, Perarivalan and Santhan, " she told the Tamil Nadu Assembly.

Quoting directly from a Home Ministry directive, Jayalalithaa stated:

"However, if there is a change of circumstances or if any new material is available, the condemned person himself or anyone on his behalf may make a fresh application to the President for reconsideration of the earlier order."

"Once the President has rejected a mercy petition, all future applications in this behalf should be addressed to and would be dealt with by the President."

Speaking at the JHU's 8th party convention, general secretary Champika Ranawaka urged the party to develop a Sri Lanka that will 'suit our culture [and] people'.

Referring to 'certain forces' attempting to take Sri Lanka into a 'dark future' through forceful constitutional changes and a 'mental operation' against the government, he rallied JHU members to 'protect the peace we gained'.