The Royal Navy warship HMS Defender visited Sri Lanka, becoming the first British warship to do so in four years.

In a press release on Monday, the British government stated the UK had a “long military history” with Sri Lanka and the visit “ is a welcome signal of the closer defence relations the two countries are developing”.

The United National Party, led by the Sri Lankan prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, is considering fielding the former army commander, Sarath Fonseka, at the local government elections later this year.

General Fonseka was the army commander during the end of the armed conflict in 2009 where tens of thousands of Tamils were killed, raped and tortured by Sri Lankan state forces.

The UNP Central Committee will be holding a meeting on February 2nd regarding the nomination.

Sri Lanka will host a three-day Commonwealth regional seminar on Monday to improve the capabilities of parliamentarians to promote and protect human rights in Asia,

The seminar is to be held in collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat and Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) with the focus of ‘Strengthening the role of Parliamentarians in the promotion and protection of human rights,” reports Colombo Page.

Sri Lanka’s prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will deliver a keynote address to open the seminar.

The Tamil People’s Council called for the recognition that “Tamils constitute a distinct people with the inalienable right to self-determination” in a draft set of proposals, calling for a political agreement prior to a constitutional enactment in Sri Lanka.

A signature campaign was launched in Kandy on Saturday calling for the release of recently detained Bodu bala Sena General Secretary Galagodaatte Gnanasara.

The aim of the campaign was to collect 2.5 million signatures calling for his release, with organisers expecting a further 100,000 people across the country to shave their heads in protest, reports The Island.