Muslim ministers and governors who resigned from the front bences earlier this month today paid a visit to senior Buddhist clergy to explain their actions.
A police constable from Kokkadicholai, who was reported missing in 2008, is believed to have been murdered and buried, the force's spokesperson said today.
The discovery was made during a CID investigation into last year's police checkpoint killing at Vavuniyathivu by Islamist extremists.
Three suspects have been arrested by the CID over the constable's murder, who is understood to have been shot dead on July 27, 2008.
<p>Sri Lanka’s tourism sector, which remains badly impacted in the wake of the Easter Sunday attacks, has desperately tried to win back tourists by slashing prices reports Reuters.</p>
<p>Scrapping a rule on minimum rates for hotel stays, government promotions and special fares from the state-owned SriLankan Airlines are all part of tactics being employed to revive Sri Lanka’s “battered tourism industry” Reuters said.</p>
The Sri Lankan military unveiled the renovation of a memorial in Jaffna built for Sri Lankan army commander Denzil Kobbekaduwa, who is accused if overseeing a litany of human rights abuses as he oversaw military operations in the late 80’s and early 90’s.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will visit Sri Lanka later this month as part of a trip to the Indo-Pacific region, announced the US State Department.
“Secretary Pompeo will express America’s solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka as they stand united against the despicable Easter Sunday terrorist attacks,” State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said.
Sri Lanka has responded to the Easter Sunday attacks by “terrorising Muslims” said the Economist this week, stating that Sri Lankan leaders “stand disgraced”.
<p>One of Sri Lanka's ministers today claimed that Buddhism was the only pacifist religion that did not promote killings unlike Islamic Jihad. </p>
<p>Champika Ranawaka of the JHU said Buddhism did not try to propagate the religion, contrasting it with Jiha, which he said aimed to "exterminate all except those who follow Allah". </p>
United States Congressmen from both main parties discussed the threat of radical Sinhala nationalism in Sri Lanka and the country's lack of progress on transitional justice during the 'Congressional Caucus on Ethnic and Religious Freedom in Sri Lanka' held in Washington DC last month.
<p>Macau have pulled out of a football World Cup qualifier set to take place in Sri Lanka this week, citing security fears following the Easter Sunday bombings.</p>
<p>Although Sri Lankan football authorities insisted the country was safe for international matches, the Macau Football Association said it had decided not to send a team "due to the recent terrorist attack in Sri Lanka and for the sake of the team's personal safety".</p>
<p>A Sinhalese man was arrested on drugs charges in Vavuniya on Sunday.</p>
<p>The 45 year old was arrested after being found in possession of over 2 grammes of heroin, Vavuniya police said.</p>
<p>The arrest took place in the Thekavathai area of Vavuniya district.</p>
The Sri Lankan government yesterday took pains to defend its decision to sign an agreement with India and Japan to develop the East Container Terminal at Colombo Port.
Sri Lanka's chief of national intelligence, Sisira Mendis resigned today just days after he told the parliamentary select committee investigating the Easter Sunday bombings that the attacks could have been prevented.
The Indian premier, Narendra Modi today visited Sri Lanka for four hours, becoming the first foreign leader to do so since the Easter Sunday bombings by Islamist extremists.
