The Sri Lankan government hired two new hangmen last week, after calls for the abolition of the death penalty on the island.

Though the role has been described as “light administrative work”, Prisons Commissioner General Rohana Pushpakumara said "in the event the government wants to carry out executions, we should be prepared".

One of the 14 applicants interviewed last week as a former Sri Lankan soldier. "I'm angry at drug traffickers, murderers and those who rape children, so I will not hesitate a moment if I am asked to execute them," he said. "If they are not implementing the death penalty then I will quit."

Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said a “Compassionate Council”, composed of Buddhist monks and other religious leaders, will decide on whether those accused of international humanitarian law violations would be granted amnesty.

Sri Lanka’s Security Forces Commander-West, Major General Ubaya Medawela has been appointed as the Military Adviser at the Office of the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in New York.

The commander is set to join the mission by the end of this month reports Daily Mirror.

He has previously commanded 554 Infantry Brigade in Jaffna and was the General Officer Commanding of Sri Lanka's infamous 53 Division.

The 53 Division is accused of the summary execution of prisoners on May 18 2009, during the final hours of the armed conflict. Amongst those thought to have been killed by the troops include Tamil journalist Isaipriya (See more from Channel 4 here and Human Rights Watch here).

The former military spokesperson has staunchly denied accusations of human rights abuses by Sri Lankan troops, having previously declared "the Sri Lankan military did not commit any war crimes".

He has also rejected video footage shown by Channel 4 News of summary executions of Tamils committed by Sri Lankan soldiers, stating that there were “malicious intentions behind the doctored documentary of Channel 4".

A police station in Jaffna has been surrounded by military forces who are demanding the release of Sri Lankan military soldiers recently arrested for stealing materials belonging to locally owned businesses.

The Sri Lankan government is cracking down on illegal practices by local fishermen, ahead of a EU inspection in November, in the hope that the ban on EU imports will be lifted.

Fisheries Minister Mahinda Amaraweera told the Sunday Times that the government had taken action to ensure that the fishermen adhered to the conditions set by the EU.

“The two vessels which had been found violating the conditions should have been fined Rs. 2.5 million each, but the Government had fined them only Rs. 1 million each, because it was their first offence,” he said.

The minister said the EU had put forward 57 conditions and the government was ensuring these were all complied with.

"I took up the issue with EU officials during a recent visit to Spain. I also briefed them on how Sri Lanka was fast tracking the implementation process. We are waiting for the inspection by an EU delegation due on November 13,” Minister Amaraweera said.

The report on the president's commission on missing people, also known as the Paranagama Commission, was given to parliamentarians on Friday.

The commission was widely discredited, with Tamil victims groups boycotting it and the recent OISL report also criticising it. Nevertheless, there have been widespread calls for the release of its final report.

The Nation reported that the government released the report to MPs in order to give them adequate time to study it ahead of the upcoming Parliamentary debate into the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution passed at the beginning of this month.

Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen was supporting the illegal clearance of pristine forest in the Mullaithivu area, with his supporters using the cleared land to build settlements, Northern Provincial Councillor Thurairajah Ravikaran charged.