UN commissioner on human rights, Navanethem Pillay, warned Theresa May that budget cuts threaten the EHRC's independence. Photograph: Salvatore di Nolfi/AP

The UN could strip Britain's statutory human rights body of its "A-list" status because of deep cuts by the coalition government, leaked documents disclose.

Letters between the home secretary, Theresa May, and senior UN officials show she has been warned that the Equality and Human Rights Commission would lose its financial autonomy - and consequently its UN rating - if cuts to its budget continued. This would mean the UK could no longer engage fully in the UN human rights council or work within the international co-ordinating committee. Countries with human rights organisations on the A-list include nearly all western European nations as well as Azerbaijan and Indonesia.

Those with "B-list" status include Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka and Congo-Brazzaville.

Any change in status within the UN would be deeply troubling to some senior Liberal Democrats who have voiced concerns over the way their coalition partners have slashed costs and undermined the influence of the commission. Last week, a bill passed through the Commons that will remove some of the commission's general duties including a commitment to support human rights and tackle discrimination.

In a letter sent on 28 June, the UN commissioner on human rights, Navanethem Pillay, warned May that the government's proposals should be reassessed because cuts threaten the independence of the body.

"I would like to call on your government to review some of the proposals with a view to preserving EHRC's independence and to ensuring its continued compliance with the principles relating to the status of national institutions," she said.

She went on the refer to the rules overseeing the commission's "A" rating and pointed out that Britain's statutory human rights body must retain financial autonomy.

If May was in any doubt over concerns within the UN, Dr Mousa Burayzat, chair of the international co-ordinating committee (ICC), sent her a second letter on 16 July, warning that the cuts raised serious concerns.

"While, if considered alone, the proposed legislative changes may not negatively impact on the Commission's 'A' accreditation, taken as a whole the package or proposals clearly constitutes a diminution of the EHRC�s role and responsibilities.

"Whether this amounts to a threat to the A accreditation is a matter that only the ICC's sub-committee on accreditation can authoritatively advise following a systematic review," he said.

Burayzat, whose committee co-ordinates human rights organisations from across the world with support from the UN, criticised the government's decision to reduce the chairmanship from a full-time job to the equivalent of two days a week.

The commission has appointed Lady O'Neill as a part-time chairman to replace Trevor Phillips, whose term ended last month. May defended her decisions in a letter to Pillay. She blamed the commission for not keeping within its budget and said that its accounts had been questioned by the National Audit Office. She claimed the cuts were part of general government policy to reduce spending and insisted they had not compromised the commission's independence. She said the new chair will be a "strong and experienced leader" who will "have knowledge or experience of discrimination or human rights."

May's letter did not address the case for strengthening its independence or the need for stronger legislation to underpin this, nor propose any changes to the proposed cuts.

The coalition has set the commission a budget of �26.8m for 2014-15, a 62% cut to its 2007 budget of �70m. Insiders fear that the budget is likely to be cut to �18m.

Commenting on the letters, Chuka Umunna, the shadow business secretary, called for the government to drop plans to weaken the commission before they go before the House of Lords. "The United Nations writing to ministers to raise concerns over the potential downgrading of the EHRC is a very serious matter and should ring alarm bells for a government which has been accused of abolishing the EHRC by stealth by its own supporters," he said.

Institutions accredited by the UN with "A-list" status enjoy much greater access to UN human rights treaty bodies and other organs.

They can participate fully in the international and regional work and meetings of national institutions, as voting members. They are also able to participate in sessions of the Human Rights Council and take the floor under any agenda item, submit documentation and take up separate seating.

If reduced to "B" status, they participate as observers. They may not take the floor under agenda items or submit documentation to the Human Rights Council.

Oversight of the commission has been moved from the Home Office to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. A DCMS spokeswoman said the government was reforming the commission because it had struggled to deliver across its wide remit, and hoped to retain its A rating. "That is why we are implementing a package of reforms to focus the EHRC on its core role as Great Britain's independent equality body and A-rated national human rights institution. Improvements have already been made," she said.

Following the case filed by the wife of the missing journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda, Homagama Magistrate today (19) released a notice ordering the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) parliamentarian Arundika Fernando to appear before court on June 16th. The notice has been released following the request made by the counsel appearing on behalf of the aggrieved party, Attorney-at-law Upul Kumarapperuma denoting that Arundika Fernando must be questioned regarding the statement he made to the media. In his statement he had stated that Eknaligoda is currently residing in France.

A tense situation erupted at the Open University in Nawala after a student had attacked a lecturer, sources told Ada Derana. The lecturer has been admitted to the Kalubowila Hospital with cut injuries. The student who attacked the lecturer is still within the university premises carrying the sharp object used in the attack, sources claimed. Despite police being notified not a single policemen has arrived at the scene, it is reported.

Democratic Party leader Gen. Sarath Fonseka yesterday vowed to make his party the second force in the local political arena, claiming that it had already taken third place. Addressing a gathering, after presenting appointment letter to his party's electoral organisers and candidates for the forthcoming provincial council elections, the former army commander said that more than the government, it was the Opposition which feared his party. Citing an example from Pakistan, Fonseka said that the present opposition, led by former cricketer Imran Khan, had started out with only one member in parliament and in a few years it had become the main Opposition. "Likewise, the DP also expects to go on its political journey with the support of the people," he said.

The government says administratively the 13th Amendment to the constitution is a "white elephant" and past experiences have proven this. In a live Twitter interview today, President's Secretary Lalith Weeratunga said that the 13th Amendment must be viewed from the angle of the citizen. "It's no secret that administratively it's a white elephant. Pres Rajapaksa will always honour the Constitution. 13 A has to be viewed from people's standpoint. Devolution must be to the village. Power must be devolved to the lowest possible level, the village - the Gramarajya or Panchayat. Sub nat'l level PCs haven't served purpose," he said. He also rejected the assertion that the actions of the government contravene the recommendations of the Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC).

MP Duminda Silva arrived in Parliament a short while ago for the first time in 18 months following the shooting incident in Kolonnawa that resulted in the death of former MP Baratha Lakshman Premachandra in 2011. The UPFA Parliamentarian was hospitalised with gunshot wounds to the head following the incident in Kolonnawa on October 8, 2011. MP Silva was further treated in Singapore where he made his recovery and returned to the island. Charge sheets were filed against 13 suspects including MP Duminda Silva over the murders of four persons including former Parliamentarian and Presidential Adviser Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra.

A group of young Sri Lankan cricket fans have reportedly assaulted a group of Tamil activists who were staging a peaceful protest against the Sri Lankan government at the entrance of Oval grounds in England. The incident has occurred after the Sri Lanka national cricket team gained victory over Australia in Champion Trophy. Over 100 Tamil activists including children have participated in the protest and they have been issuing leaflets, which indicated that people should boycott the matches played by the Sri Lankan cricket team as the Sri Lankan government is involved in the genocide of the Tamil ethnics. The fans who came out excited after victory of Sri Lanka over Australia has attacked the demonstrators, who were wearing yellow T shirts and holding LTTE flags, with bottles and stones. Several demonstrators have sustained injuries following the assault.

Sri Lanka Navy Wednesday intercepted and arrested 80 illegal migrants bound for Australia in the seas off the eastern coast. A fast Naval Patrol Craft attached to the Eastern Naval Command has intercepted a multi-day fishing vessel with the 80 people onboard in the seas off of Batticaloa this morning, the Navy said. The arrested migrants are being brought to the Trincomalee Harbor to be handed over to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) for further investigations. Despite Sri Lanka Navy's efforts and Australia's recent measure of returning the boat people back to home country, would-be asylum seekers continue attempting to migrate to Australia.

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said the Northern Province should be opened up for all communities to live in without further delay. That would be of pivotal importance to promote bonding among the people in the post-war era. The Defence Secretary emphasised that the Sinhalese shouldn't be deprived of their right to buy land in any part of the country, including the Northern Province comprising the administrative districts of Jaffna, Mannar, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Vavuniya. The outspoken official said that the Sinhalese and the Muslim public servants too, should be allowed to serve in the Northern Province as well as in the predominantly Tamil areas of the Eastern Province.

For the first time since the end of the military annihilation of the LTTE in May 2009, and a raging debate within Sri Lanka on the way to go about redressing the political and social grievances of the island nation's Tamils, India has expressed dismay over reports suggesting that Colombo is mulling over a review of the key issues related to devolution of powers to the provinces. At an interactive session with a delegation of the Tamil National Alliance, the legislative representative group of the Sri Lankan Tamils in the North-Eastern province, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is reported to have told them that reports of the Rajapaksa regime reneging on its commitment to New Delhi on a political package for resolution of the concerns of the Tamil community in the island nation are disturbing.

Sri Lanka's external affairs minister has pleaded with Tamil refugees in Australia who fled the nation's bloody civil war to come home - having quietly slipped into Canberra for talks on combating people smugglers. G.L. Peiris told Fairfax Media in an exclusive interview Sri Lanka is now perfectly stable, with an economic boom in the once devastated northern Tamil regions running at three-times the national average. But he warned smugglers sending record numbers of Sri Lankans by boat to Australia were making "unconscionable profits" and cared nothing for the people they put on unseaworthy vessels. "Sri Lanka is today a land at peace, it is a perfectly stable society. The northern province is developing at about 22 per cent, when the average population of the country is between 6 or 7 per cent," Professor Peiris said.

Two suspects have been arrested by the police rearding the warehouse fire which broke down at the Colombo harbor recently. They have been arrested by the Colombo Crime Division. The fire broke down on the 24th May around 1.00 am. Ports authority Fire brigate with the help of the military and the CMC was able to put out the fire.

DIG Vaas Gunawardena who is in remand over the alleged involvement in an abduction and murder of a businessman has been interdicted, the Police Spokesman stated. DIG Gunawardena, who is a suspect in the abduction and murder of a businessman in Dompe was taken from the Colombo National Hospital to the Prison Hospital on June 15 after falling ill while in custody. The DIG was further remanded until June 25 by the Colombo Additional Magistrate A.M. Shabdeen. Bambalapitiya-based businessman Mohamed Siyam was abducted and murdered in the Dompe area on May 22.

Tamil National Alliance MP C Yogeswaran on Sunday demanded that immediate steps be taken to stop the aggressive and meticulously planned sinhalicisation of Punaanai East, situated 52 km northwest of Batticaloa city. During the times of the LTTE, the presence of the Tiger forces from Kudumpimalai in the South to Vaakarai in the North had thwarted the earlier attempts of sinhalicisation. In the absence of LTTE, sinhalicisation is now rapidly taking place along Batticaloa and Polonnaruwa border, where Punaanai is situated. Besides occupation of Sinhalese families, Punaanai has also witnessed various instances of Sinhalicisation including the statue of the Chief deity of a Pi'l'laiyaar temple going missing and demolition of Saivite temples under the guise of archeological excavations.

The Principal of the Anuradhapura Niwanthaka Chetiya College had been allegedly assaulted by the son of the SLFP Pradeshiya Sabha member Anil Pushpananda today. The assailant, an Advanced Level student in the college had allegedly assaulted the Principal when he asked the students to attend additional classes during the holidays.

The Registration of Electors (special provisions) bill that ensures voting rights to displaces persons in the North passed in parliament with amendment a short while ago. The Supreme Court ruled that the special bill that gives voting rights to the displaced in the North is consistent with the constitution, Speaker announced in parliament on June 5. The issue of whether it is in accordance with the constitution that those who were internally displaced in the North could cast their votes according to the areas they resided in before being displaced was brought up to the Supreme Court for interpretation. Deputy Solicitor General Arjun Obeysekera who was present for the Attorney General pointed out that internally displaced persons can, with a certificate from the Grama Sevaka, cast his vote for the area of residence prior to being displaced.

The 13th Amendment to the Constitution has opened up a dialogue in the media and the public space. It is a characteristic of democracy. Some say the 13th Amendment is needed; some say it is not required. However, Police powers and Land powers referenced in the Amendment are not required at this juncture, Prime Minister and Buddhasasana and Religious Affairs Minister D.M. Jayaratne said. The Prime Minister made these comments at a meeting at the Prime Minister's Office yesterday. He said giving Police and Land powers will create needless issues in a small country like Sri Lanka. "This would lead to many problems in the future. The 30-year war in Sri Lanka was brought to an end under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Yashvardhan Kumar Sinha, the new High Commissioner of India to the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka arrived in Colombo today, the Indian High Commission said in a release. Mr. Y.K. Sinha is a seasoned diplomat and during his career of 32 years, has handled several important assignments at the Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi and in Indian diplomatic missions in the Middle East, Europe, South America and the Permanent Mission of India at the United Nations headquarters in New York. Before coming to Sri Lanka, he was Additional Secretary in the Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran division at the Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi. He was Ambassador of India to Venezuela from January 2007 to August 2009 and Consul General of India in Dubai from August 2003 to December 2006. Earlier, he served as Minister and Deputy Chief of Mission at the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi (UAE) from March 2002 to July 2003.

Democratic National Alliance (DNA) Leader Sarath Fonseka said today the fact that President Mahinda Rajapaksa himself had to call the victimised teacher to assure her that justice will be done goes to prove that there is no justice in Sri Lanka. Mr. Fonseka was referring to the incident where a UPFA member of the North Western Provincial Council had allegedly humiliated a female teacher for disciplining his daughter on Friday. At a ceremony to appoint DNA electoral organisers, Mr. Fonseka said the provincial councillor should have praised the teacher for advising his daughter.

Sources close to the main coalition party of ruling alliance, Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), say that the controversial Provincial Councilor of the North Western Provincial Council has submitted his resignation to the party. North Western Provincial Council member Ananda Sarath Kumara forced a female teacher in charge of discipline at the Navagattegama Navodya Vidyalaya to kneel down before him in her classroom as a punishment for warning his daughter that her school uniform is too short. The politician has been arrested and remanded until June 27th. He has sent his resignation from the remand prison, sources said.

Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella yesterday said that the UPFA would be very strict when nominating candidates for the Central and Wayamba Provincial Council elections. The two councils would be dissolved very soon, he said. Some of those elected at the previous Provincial Council elections on the UPFA ticket had been charged with murder, rape, assault robbery, arson and misconduct and party would be very careful as to whom nominations would be given, Rambukwella said. Such politicians, he said, had tarnished the good name of the party, which had won praise from the masses and was known as the party which could deliver. "We will not allow the aforementioned people to contest on the UPFA ticket and will carefully filter those who are seeking nominations," he said.