A senior Sri Lankan economist has claimed that the government will soon face difficulties in borrowing from abroad, due to austerity measures in other countries affecting the global economy, coupled with the Sri Lankan Central Bank’s planned, “less accommodative”, monetary policy, reported the DailyMirror.

Speaking to the Guardian on Tuesday, Segal said that Sharma had concealed legal advice on the illegality of the impeachment of Sri Lanka’s chief justice.

The British Tamil Forum, in collaboration with the All Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils, held a forum on genocide at Porticullis House today.

Following opening remarks from conservative MP, Lee Scott, the event proceeded with presentations from 4 panel members ending with a short question and answer session, which was chaired by Redbridge Councillor Alan Weinberg.

The first panelist, Rajganna from Tamils Against Genocide (TAG) drew upon events that pointed towards genocide and highlighted the intent behind the government’s shelling of the no fire zone,  prevalent altering of demographics in the North-East and examples of hate speech by several members of the government.

Dr Andrew Higgingbottom , a lecturer at the University of Kingston, next took the floor  and argued that Navi Pilllay’s findings of land grab and militarisation illustrated that structural genocide was occurring in the North-East.

The Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has confirmed that he will not be attending the forthcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Colombo in a statement released by his office.

Harper said that Canada hoped that the opportunity to improve human rights conditions and to take steps towards accountability and reconciliation, presented to Sri Lanka by awarding the summit to the country, was not taken and that Canada remained concerned over ongoing human rights violations.

The leader of the Bodu Bala Sena, a Buddhist organisation, has said that a crusade would be launched in Sri Lanka, blaming the government for letting the TNA engage in politics.

Galagodaaththe Gnanasare, a Buddhist monk, said that the TNA was the political front of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and the government must be held responsible for the TNA winning the Northern Provincial Council elections.