News In Brief

Reagan praises Sri Lankan effort to retain unity

President Reagan defended efforts of the government of Sri Lanka to protect its national unity against attacks by members of the island nation's Tamil minority seeking a separate nation.

In White House welcoming ceremonies Monday for Sri Lankan President Junius R. Jayewardene, Mr. Reagan praised Sri Lanka's democratic institutions, called for a peaceful resolution of its political strife, and said there is ''no legitimate excuse for any group to resort to violence in Sri Lanka.''

In London, Amnesty International issued a report accusing Sri Lanka's security forces of killing scores of people in random shootings which it said had not been properly investigated by the government. The human rights organization appealed to the island's government to stop the extrajudicial killings.