Sri Lanka's former military general, Jagath Jayasuriya on Friday rejected allegations of war crimes as "baseless" and denied that he had fled Brazil after law suits were filed against him.

Earlier this week human rights groups filed lawsuits in Brazil, Colombia, Peru and Chile over his role in the military in 2009 where he oversaw Sri Lankan units that bombed hospitals, as well as the execution and torture of surrendees and disappeared civilians. 

India's external affairs minister, Sushma Swaraj raised the issue of a "perceived delay" in Indian backed projects with Sri Lanka's president on Friday, as she met him for discussions at the sidelines of the Indian Ocean Conference taking place in Colombo. 

According to The Hindu, Ms Swaraj met with Mr Sirisena at his resident, where she "assured President Sirisena that New Delhi appreciated the domestic political challenges facing his government, she urged Colombo to expedite decision-making on the terms of the projects". 

Former army commander Sarath Fonseka, with then commander Jagath Jayasuriya

Sri Lanka's former army commander, Sarath Fonseka on Friday said he was ready to testify against the former military commander, Jagath Jayasuriya who has been accused of war crimes. 

The next round of talks on India’s Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) with Sri Lanka is due to be held in October reports the Dailymirror.lk.

A source close to the ETCA negotiation team said,

“progress is likely after the next round of talks in October. Service liberalisation is a difficult point coming up for discussions.”
Speaking at the inauguration of the Indian Ocean Conference organised by the India Foudnation in Colombo, India’s Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj said a revitalised maritime economy in the iNdian

An eyewitness in the case of the 2011 murder of a Tamil youth by Sri Lankan police received death threats prior to testifying at the Kayts Magistrates Court, the court heard.

The witness, a detainee at Welikada prison, received death threats by unidentified individuals while being held at Anuradhapura prison on Wednesday night, en route to the Kayts court.

Five police officers charged with the murder were also being detained at Anuradhapura prison.

Appearing in court on Thursday, the witness complained to the magistrate judge, A. M. M. Riyaal about the threats.

The judge has ordered prison staff to look into the threats and take action.

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena claimed his government had “defused” the issue of accountability for war crimes since coming in to power and avoided an international criminal tribunal.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror, Mr Sirisena reiterated his opposition to foreign judges or lawyers participating in an accountability mechanism and went on to state that it “is premature to talk about a domestic inquiry now”.

Sri Lanka's former president, Mahinda Rajapaksa called on the government to support Jagath Jayasuriya, the former military general who has been accused of war crimes. 

"The government should take a strong stance in support of former Army Commander Jagath Jayasuriya in his defence against the allegations of war crimes levied against him by a South American Human Rights Organisation," Mr Rajapaksa was quoted by Ada Derana as saying. 

Cabinet minister Patali Champika Ranawaka and JHU general secretary urged the government to protect the former military general, Jagath Jayasuriya who has been accused of war crimes. 

"The government should represent him and deny allegations," Mr Champika said at a press conference. 

"Former president Mahinda Rajapaksa released around 12,000 LTTE cadres without proper investigations. If plans are made to hunt down Sri Lanka's tri-forces personnel we have to keep aside the good governance policies and press for proper investigations on released LTTE cadres," he added. 

Sri Lanka's prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe on Thursday assured delegates of the Indian Ocean conference taking place at Colombo that the country would not enter any military alliance with any country. 

“Let me refer to Sri Lanka’s decision to develop its major sea ports, especially the Hambantota Port, which some claim to be a military base. I say this with responsibility. This government does not enter into military alliances with any country. Neither do we intend to make our bases available to foreign countries,” he was quoted by the Daily Mirror as saying. 

Sri Lanka's new justice minister, Thalatha Athukorala pledged that no former military personnel, who she described as 'war heroes who saved this country' would be sent to international courts. 

"The President and the Prime Minister have placed an enormous trust in me and I have been entrusted with this responsibility. I will carry out my responsibility with the best of my ability," Ms Athukorala was quoted by Colombo Page as saying. 

"However, I will not give any room to anybody to prosecute our war heroes who have protected this country in a foreign court or punish them."