Sri Lanka has angrily rejected Britain's appointment of Des Browne, the former Defence Minister, as a special envoy to focus on the humanitarian situation in the war-torn Indian Ocean Island.

Rohitha Bogollagama, the Foreign Minister, said last night that the move was "extremely unhelpful" and warned of "major repercussions" for relations between Sri Lanka and its former colonial ruler.

"It is tantamount to an intrusion into Sri Lanka's internal affairs and is disrespectful to the country's statehood," he said – just a few hours after Downing Street announced Mr Browne's appointment to the newly created post.

"There is no further discussion with London on the matter."

The decision came amid mounting tension between Sri Lanka and the international community over its campaign to bring an end to a 25-year civil war with the Tamil Tiger rebels.

Sri Lankan officials were angered last week when Britain joined the United States in calling for a ceasefire between the army and the Tigers to allow an estimated 250,000 Tamil civilians to flee the conflict zone.

Sri Lanka's government says it is within days of defeating the Tigers – a listed terrorist organisation in the United States, the EU and India -- and accuses the rebels of using civilians as human shields.

Britain also expressed concerns last night about the Sri Lankan government's proposal to set up five camps to hold 200,000 mostly Tamil refugees from the northeastern conflict zone for up to three years.

"We do not believe current plans represent a sufficient solution by international humanitarian standards" a spokesperson for the Department For International Development told The Times.

"Prolonging the displacement of this very vulnerable group of people is not in anyone's interests. There is no UK Government money going into the camps."

Sri Lanka is calling the camps "welfare villages", but prominent Tamil critics have denounced them as "concentration camps".

Sri Lankan authorities have also accused Western rights groups, aid workers, diplomats and journalists, including those from the BBC, of being prejudiced towards the Tigers, and "sensationalising" civilian casualties.

Downing Street had said that Mr Browne would focus on "the immediate humanitarian situation in northern Sri Lanka and the government of Sri Lanka's work to set out a political solution to bring about a lasting end to the conflict".

It said in a statement yesterday: "As special envoy, he will work closely with the Sri Lankan government, leaders from all communities in Sri Lanka, international agencies and the wider international community."

There was no immediate comment on Mr Browne's rejection from Downing Street or the British High Commission in Sri Lanka.

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