Sri Lanka is using Beltway Government Strategies to "retain and manage firms to engage in government relations activities" on its behalf, according to its federal filing.

The Los Angeles-based firm also may "participate in lobbying or other political activity" on behalf of the island nation's Ministry of External Affairs' monitoring unit.

Specific issues have yet been ironed out.

Sri Lanka is engulfed in a wave of Buddhist-organized mob violence against its minority Muslim population, which accounts for 10 percent of its 20M population.

The Economist (June 21) faulted Sri Lanka’s government and press for downplaying the rampage of "Buddhist mobs" engaged in "burning and attacking Muslim business and homes."

Sri Lanka's external affairs ministry today assured Muslim nations of its actions to deal with the uprising.

MEA's GL Peiris also railed against a "vicious campaign being carried out to malign the government with the goal of alienating the Muslim community against the government."

Beltway's agreement is for six months. Fees/expenses have not been set.