Three men who were sentenced to death for their alleged involvement in the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, have had their sentences commuted by India’s Supreme Court.

Murugan, Santhan and Perarivalan have been imprisoned for more than 20 years and were sentenced to death by hanging in 1998. After submitting mercy pleas, they were kept in a state of limbo, until in 2011 when their pleas were rejected. Intervention by the Madras High Court saw their executions delayed, until today, when the decision was finally taken to remove the men from death row.

Media minister Keheliya Rambukwella has said that countries friendly to Sri Lanka are planning to submit a resolution supportive of the country.

Rambukwella told the Daily Mirror that the move was not initiated by the government.

The Northern Provincial Councillor, Aanthy Sasitharan, who received the second highest number of votes in the elections, commented on of her recent visit as a representative of the Northern Provincial Council to United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), in Sri Lankan press today.

Sasitharan, outlined that she had stressed the problems faced by war-affected women and children to international human rights organisations and diplomats during her visits, and also highlighted disingenuous presidential commissions.

Speaking on her visit she said,

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has had its budget increased by 20% from Rs117.39bn (£ 537.5mn) last year to Rs141.3bn (£646.9mn) in 2014-15, by Finance Minister P Chidambaram.

According to the figures in the Economic Times of India, Sri Lanka is the third highest recipient of Indian developmental funds, and saw an increase from Rs4.1bn (£18.8mn) to Rs5bn (£22.9mn).

Sri Lanka’s Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Management, Nimal Siripala de Silva has stated the government is not afraid of being subjected to economic sanctions over human rights abuses.

De Silva said the government had taken measures after the war to ensure economic stability, saying this will be continued, despite international pressure.

“We have brought peace to this country and we will not allow terrorism to raise its head again,” he said.

A total of 67 bodies have now been unearthed at the Mannar mass grave, with the number set to rise as more excavations being planned.

Tuesday saw the 25th excavation take place, since the site was discovered on the 20th of December 2013.

See the report from the Uthayan here.

The National Freedom Front, a party in the ruling government coalition has accused the Sri Lankan Muslim Congress of handing over a 'spy report' to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, warning them not to 'betray this country'.

Speaking at a press conference in Colombo,Media Spokesperson of the NFF, Mohammed Muzammil said,

The United States Political Action Council (USTPAC) welcomed conclusions from the UN Human Rights High Commissioner’s report that were leaked by Sri Lankan press on Sunday.

Speaking to Tamil Guardian the organisation urged the UNHRC to adopt a resolution that called for an international investigation into war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide,  stating,

Sri Lanka’s Permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Ravinatha Aryasinha alleged that negative narratives organised by pro-LTTE elements continue unabated in Geneva.

Speaking to the expatriate Sri Lankan community, Aryasinha, commended the efforts of Sri Lankans in Switzerland who had challenging ‘on-sided’ events held in Geneva and debunking falsehoods.

Addressing the event he said,

India’s Bharatiya Janata Party will not give any support to Sri Lanka militarily if they were to come into power in the upcoming general elections, stated MDMK Chief Vaiko earlier this week.

Talking to reporters after meeting Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi in Chennai, Vaiko stated,

“Mr. Modi has given an assurance that former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s decision of no military support would continue”.