The British Minister for Asia and the Pacific met with TNA and Opposition leader R. Sampanthan in Colombo on Thursday.

In the meeting with minister Mark Field, Mr Sampanthan discussed the TNA’s efforts in the constitution making process.

“We cannot fail in this process,” Mr Sampanthan said of creating a new constitution that would bring about a political solution to the island’s ethnic conflict.

“If we fail, that will pave the way for renewed violence,” he said.

The Sri Lankan navy issued a gazette notification last month to acquire 672 acres in Mullivaikkaal. 

The acquisition comes despite ongoing calls on the Sri Lankan military to release occupied land across the North-East. 

Last month the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights called on the Sri Lankan government to "to move faster on other essential confidence building measures, such as release of land occupied by the military."
 

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A Sri Lankan court has issued a restraining order banning a planned protest in Hambantota this week by Joint Opposition MPs. 

The protest was planned to demonstrate against the government signing agreements with foreign countries regarding the development of Hambantota port and Mattala airport. 

The order prevents MPs Namal Rajapaksa and D.V. Upul from being in the areas surrounding Hambantota Port, the Indian Consulate and any roads leading to the Port tomorrow.

See more here. 

Sri Lanka has rejected a bid by a Chinese firm to build an oil refinery and sell fuel locally, over fears it would be a threat to domestic companies, Reuters reported. 

“The Chinese companies asked permission (to supply local markets), but we did not give them permission. We asked them to participate in tenders of local suppliers, if they want to sell locally,” government spokesperson Rajitha Senaratne told Reuters.

China Huanqiu Contracting & Engineering Corp, part of the state owned China National Petroleum Corp, together with Shandong Dongming Petrochemical Group submitted the proposal to build the island's largest refinery near Hambantota port. 

The UK’s Foreign Office Minister for Asia and the Pacific met with families of the disappeared in Colombo today.

A British Foreign Office Minister has said that the UK is committed to supporting Sri Lanka achieve its commitments on reconciliation and human rights.

The Sri Lankan government is set to receive a loan of US$75 million from the World Bank in order to address “challenges in the financial sector”.

Sri Lanka’s Secretary to the Treasury, Ministry of Finance and Media met with World Bank Country Director for Sri Lanka and the Maldives Idah Pswarayi-Riddihough to sign the agreement from the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA).

“A strong financial sector can help Sri Lanka sustain its developmental returns. Efficient financial markets can boost the competitiveness of Sri Lankan firms and overall job creation,” said Ms Pswarayi-Riddihough.

Photograph: ColomboPage

Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister repeated his assurance that whilst all religions will be treated equally in Sri Lanka, Buddhism would continue to hold the foremost place on the island.

There is an “obvious gap” between the Tamil National Alliance’s (TNA) manifesto promises to the Tamil people in 2015 and the Steering Committee proposals it has accepted in 2017, said journalist J S Tissainayagam, in a piece for Asian Correspondent on Wednesday .

The TNA has “asked voters to support its demand for a constitution based on shared sovereignty” said Mr Tissainayagam, whilst “the UNP and UPFA manifestoes unequivocally rejected a federal constitution”.

Families of Tamil political prisoners have called for the TNA to pressure the Sri Lankan government and secure the rapid release of the political prisoners.