Amnesty International, International Crisis Group and Human Rights Watch, along with five MEP’s have organised the screening of Channel 4’s documentary “Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields” at the EU Parliament next Wednesday (12.10.11).

A letter was sent out by the organisations inviting delegates to the screening.

The letter further states:

Sri Lanka is developing a system to track and monitor foreign nationals as they enter and travel around the country, after a new online travel approval system is fully operational, LBO reports.

Sri Lanka is starting at electronic travel authorization program from January 01, and is to scrap free visa-on-arrival to 78 countries.

In an effort to relieve some of the international pressure being exerted upon Sri Lanka regarding allegations of war crimes, the country's human rights envoy, Mahinda Samarasinghe, proclaimed a five-year action plan for human rights protection.

The plan is to be presented at the UN Human Rights Council session in March next year.

The Ministry of Rehabilitation and Prisons Reforms plans to advertise for two hangmen, to execute upto 800 inmates on death row.

Desanayake, the Ministry's secretary, explained,

"There are two vacancies for the hangman position after one person who held the position got a promotion, and the other retired,"

"We are planing to advertise the vacancy calling for applications by next week as we cannot keep the position vacant."

"At least 800 people convicted of murder and drugs offences could potentially be executed" 

The president must sign off on any judicial execution.

The last execution occurred in 1976, following which death sentences were invariably commuted to life imprisonment.

Amidst increasing international criticism of Sri Lanka and allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity against Tamils, the country's Deputy Minister of External Affairs, Neomal Perara, has been dispatched to Central and South America on a very important mission. 

“ministers have made it clear to the Sri Lankan government that if the LLRC does turn out to be a whitewash and finds no real culpability at the top, you can be absolutely sure we will push hard for a formal UN report.”