Trincomalee’s Urban Council member, S Nanthakumar, has urged the government to allow international and local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to support the resettlement of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Sampur.

The Sri Lankan government has vowed to streamline processes to obtain investment permits, in order to lure more investments from Asia and Africa, according to The Jakarta Post.

Over 60 MPs in Sri Lanka staged a protest against the summoning of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa by the bribery commission in parliament today.

The MPs, including Mr Rajapaksa's son Namal Rajapaksa, sat on floor and disrupted proceedings, causing the adjournment of parliament until Tuesday.

They handed over a petition urging a written assurance from President Maithripala Sirisena that the former president will be safe.

The UPFA MPs objected to the bribery commission's summoning of Mr Rajapaksa to appear before it on April 24, on charges he promised a ministerial post to former UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake for his cross over.

The first planned transfer of asylum seekers on Nauru to Cambodia has been cancelled due to "logistical errors" Australian Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said.

However, activists say the refugees refused to sign the transfer documents.

Under a $40mn deal, refugees rejected by Australia, who are being detained on the island of Nauru, are being offered between AU$10,000 to AU$15,000 to accept a transfer to Cambodia.

Only 5 refugees, three Tamils, one Rohingya and one Iranian, are said to have agreed to the transfer.

The Tamil National Alliance MP MA Sumanthiran says the party has no allegiance to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and is not committed to their ideology, adding the TNA is not in favour of "terrorism".

Speaking to the Sunday Leader, Mr Sumanthiran said:

"[W]e do not have any allegiance to the LTTE nor are we committed to their ideology. We stand up for the rights of the Tamil people but we are not in favour of terrorism nor do we encourage it and everyone knows this."

Mr Sumanthiran also said there is no truth in rumours that the LTTE may return, saying the people are steadfast in not allowing "terrorism" to return.

"This is just an attempt by certain parties to create fear among the people. There is absolutely no truth in the claims that the LTTE is attempting to regroup. But even if there is such a move the people will not allow it or support it as it is they who have suffered the most during the war. Therefore the people are quite steadfast in not allowing such terrorism to begin again as they know that they will be the ones that are worst affected," he said.

The TNA, formed in 2001, officially backed the LTTE until 2009. Since the end of the armed conflict, the party leadership has offered contradicting views on its support for the organisation.

The Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence has issued over 3,000 licenses to individuals to bear firearms in the country and training on the use of weaponry, reports the Sunday Leader.

“Politicians, security force personnel and leading businessmen” were amongst those who received the licenses, with around 200 of those people reportedly receiving training at the Special Task Force (STF) camp in Katukurunda.