January 2

Colombo Magistrate Court ordered to further remand 55 former LTTE cadres suspected of committing serious crimes against the State during the war with the Government.

January 6

Dinesh Gunawardena, the Chief Government Whip and Water Supply and Drainage Minister, told the Parliament that the members of the LTTE possessed at least eight vessels and these ships are being used for illegal activities overseas, including human trafficking.

January 9

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Sri Lanka predicted that more refugees and displaced persons would return to their homes in north Sri Lanka in 2011.

January 12

Police in Switzerland arrested 10 suspected cadres of the LTTE from various locations in Switzerland.

January 14

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa said that he was ready to devolve powers and expressed his hope about the prospect of arriving at a solution in consensus with all political parties based on their proposals. The President, however, ruled out the possibility of devolving Police powers.

President Mahinda Rajapakse appointed a four-member committee to study the cases of detained LTTE suspects and recommend suitable action to expedite the cases against them.

January 28

A Sri Lankan court issued open arrest warrants against six prominent cadres of the LTTE believed to be living overseas. The court order will be implemented through the Interpol.

February 8

Prime Minister D. M. Jayaratne said that the Tamil Diaspora and LTTE sympathizers in Europe were trying to raise allegations of war crimes against the country.

February 22

Army Commander Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya said that despite the nations physical war with the LTTE militants being over resulting in their elimination from the land, the warfare has not come to an end as the 'cyber war', the war on information highway, is still continuing. Delivering the keynote address at the Galadari Hotel in Colombo on "Strategic Dimensions of Cyber Warfare", at the 'Cyber Warfare Workshop - 2011,' the Army Commander said the Cyber Warfare was an emerging threat to the entire world. The General also warned of activities of anti-Sri Lankan forces and pro-LTTE activists around the world.

February 25

The Canadian Government is mulling over the confiscation of all LTTE banking and fund raising activities in Canada. Minister for External Affairs G. L. Peiris said that Canada was already in the process of crafting the necessary legislation. The Minister said that Jason Kenny, a Canadian Minister had taken the lead in this respect.

February 26

President Mahinda Rajapakse said that he would neither allow a repetition of violence nor a division of the country and urged all to stand united sans differences to take Sri Lanka towards economic and social prosperity. He said that although people belong to different religious and ethnic backgrounds they were all children of Mother Lanka. "If we allow divisions to dominate we will not realise our true potential. We have had 30 years of division and conflict. We must now secure peace and harmony for all Sri Lankans" he added.

February 27

The Court of Appeal rejected preliminary objections and fixed appeal filed by Former Army Chief General (retd.) Sarath Fonseka against losing his seat in the Parliament to early May. The appeal of Fonseka against unseating him from Parliament will now be taken for hearing by the Appeal Court on May 4, 5 and 9. The appeal court rejected the Attorney General’s objection against the hearing of the appeal.

March 1

Sri Lanka noted that remnants of the LTTE international network continued its criminal activities and its secessionist agenda.

Government of Sri Lanka on its own must investigate the killing of thousands of civilians in the final months of its separatist war with LTTE or else may risk an international probe into the alleged war crimes, said Robert O. Blake, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of South, and Central Asian Affairs of the US State Department said in an interview to the AFP news agency.

March 2

Sri Lanka Commissioner General of Rehabilitation Brigadier Sudantha Ranasinghe said that 106 rehabilitated former Liberation LTTE cadres were released.

March 3

A Sri Lankan court on March 3 refused to grant bail to 17 suspected LTTE cadres who were arrested when they were trying to flee the country in February.

March 4

External Affairs Ministry in response to the United States Resolution S.RES.84 said in a statement issued said those who framed the text of the Resolution, have overlooked the capacity and strong track record of the LLRC as a domestic mechanism, to work for reconciliation and the further strengthening of national amity.

March 6

The groups working under the aegis of the LTTE is plotting again at the UN Human Rights Council sessions to destabilise Sri Lanka but their efforts will not succeed as it had failed during more difficult times earlier, said Plantations Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe who led the Sri Lankan delegation to Geneva.

March 7

A Sri Lankan court on March 7 ordered to send over 100 former LTTE cadres for rehabilitation.

Canada's Immigration and Refugee Board has ruled that the mere association with the LTTE is not enough to constitute its membership.

March 8

Plantation Industries Minister and Presidential nominee on Human Rights Affairs Mahinda Samarasinghe said that an Inter Agency Committee headed by the Attorney General has already been appointed to facilitate the implementation of the LLRC recommendations without delay and has made tremendous progress. Samarasinghe added that the members of pro LTTE elements in the countries where the LTTE has been banned are holding the pictures of LTTE leader V. Prabhakaran, LTTE flags and their emblem during demonstrations. The Minister also said that the UN had appointed an expert panel on Sri Lanka without any resolution being passed by the UN member countries nor by the Security Council.

March 9

Sri Lankan Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne said in Parliament that the LTTE cadres are being trained in secret training camps in Tamil Nadu in India.

March 11

Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa said that over 70 percent of former LTTE cadres were rehabilitated and integrated to society and the rest is being rehabilitated by the Government.

March 13

Sri Lankan Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said that the Government was still trying to use the LTTE to win votes.

March 14

Sri Lanka's TNA parliamentarians complained to the Supreme Court that the Government was continuing with the forcible registration of residents in the North despite having given an undertaking to the Supreme Court ensuring its suspension.

March 17

Canadian authorities ordered the deportation of a Sri Lankan Tamil migrant who had entered Vancouver in August 2010 aboard the Thai ship MV Sun Sea on the charge of being member of the militant outfit LTTE.

March 19

India’s Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad arrested a Sri Lankan drug peddler, with suspected links to the LTTE from a hideout in Navi Mumbai.

March 20

The Government and the TNA will continue their talks to discuss the appropriate constitutional arrangements to meet the political aspirations of people in Sri Lanka.

The CID and the Maldives’ National Central Bureau (NCB) are currently co-operating to crack down on terrorist suspects, who use Sri Lanka and the Maldives as transit hubs.

March 25

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa said the talks with the major Tamil party TNA are continuing and there will be several more rounds of talks in the future seeking a political solution to the ethnic issue.

Sri Lanka major Tamil party, TNA said that the aspirations of the Muslim community in the country needed to be addressed when presenting the solution to the ethnic issue.

March 26

Sri Lanka's Opposition and United National Party Leader, Ranil Wickremasinghe has decided not to testify before the Lessons LLRC.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa stated that initial talks have taken place with Tamil political parties on aspects of post-conflict reconciliation in Sri Lanka although no formal proposals have been made so far by them.

March 27

The Army denied an online pro-LTTE propaganda report of a ‘terrorist attack on a military convoy’ on March 24 as killing five personnel while injuring a senior officer. According to a pro-terrorist online portal, a military convoy had come under a possible ‘LTTE terrorist attack’ deep inside the Habarana jungle enclave. A spokesman for the Army said the story was a complete fabrication and no such incident had taken place.

March 28

Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the EU Ravinatha Aryasinha cautioned against those advocating mono-ethnic separatism in Sri Lanka while espousing the ideology of the LTTE, using its money and being manipulated by its surviving military leaders.

March 30

Sri Lanka's LLRC said that it has concluded its public sittings. LLRC Spokesperson Lakshman Wickremesinghe told the media that the LLRC public sittings were concluded with its visit to Ampara.

March 31

The Interpol issued an arrest warrant against a Sri Lankan national in the United Kingdom for his alleged involvement in human smuggling (Sri Lankan Tamils to Canada), trafficking, illegal immigration, and terrorism. The accused, identified as Shanmugasundaram Kanthaskaran, is originally a Sri Lankan Tamil from Silavathurai region.

April 4

The conference of the Police chiefs from the SAARC countries begins in Colombo. The conference will be held at Colombo Intercontinental Hotel under the patronage of the Secretary of the Ministry of Defense Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.

April 5

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, said that Sri Lanka under President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s leadership, direction and guidance succeeded in eliminating and defeating terrorism after nearly three decades of prolonged agony.

April 6

Assistant Secretary, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, Robert O. Blake (Jr.) said that Sri Lanka's worrisome record on human rights, weakening democracy and the accountability during the final months of war had limited United States' ability to fully engage with Sri Lanka.

April 7

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris called for his Government to be given "space'' to deal with the legacy of three decades of ethnic conflict and rejected allegations of "Triumphalism'' saying Colombo was engaged in rehabilitation and reconciliation.

Sri Lankan Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne informed Parliament that over 6,000 former members of the LTTE had been handed over to their families after rehabilitation.

The Sri Lankan Government and the major Tamil party, Tamil National Alliance (TNA), met for the fourth round of discussions on resolving issues faced by the Tamil community in the country.

Canada Border Service Agency (CBSA) asked the Canadian Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) to deport a Sri Lankan Tamil migrant for his role in the human smuggling operation that brought hundreds of Tamil refugees to Canada aboard the Thai cargo ship MV Sun Sea in August 2010.

April 8

The 2010 Human Rights Report released by the United State Department of State said that the Sri Lankan Government and its agents continued to be responsible for serious human rights problems in the country,

April 10

The LLRC appointed by the Sri Lankan Government said that it has received over 370 written submissions at the March 27 hearings in Kalmunai.

Sri Lankan Prime Minister D M Jayaratne said that the international network of the defeated LTTE militants was still active and was looking for opportunities to revive the outfit.

April 12

The Sri Lankan Governmentsaid that a majority of the displaced persons in the North and East have been resettled’

April 13

The Sri Lankan Government rejected the report that was handed over to the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on April 12 by the Panel of Experts appointed by him to inquire into Sri Lanka’s accountability issues during the final phase of the war against the LTTE militants.

April 15

The report of the Panel of Experts appointed by the United Nations Secretary-General to investigate accountability issues during the later stages of the Sri Lanka's war against the LTTE militants was leaked to the local media before its official publication.

April 17

Following the rejection of the report of the United Nations' Panel of Experts handed over to the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon by the Sri Lankan Government, President Mahinda Rajapaksa called for mass protests against it to show solidarity for the country's armed forces.

United Nations would make the report of the Panel of Experts on Sri Lanka public vey soon following finalizing its review by the Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon and his senior advisers, the UN spokesman for the Secretary-General said.

Rehabilitation Commissioner General Brigadier Sudantha Ranasinghe stated that 480 former LTTE cadres would be released on April 23. According to the Brigadier Ranasinghe over 7000 rehabilitated former-LTTE cadres have been released so far and some 4100 cadres are still in the rehabilitation centres.

The LLRC is targeting the completion of its report to be handed over to President Mahinda Rajapaksa by May 15.

When Sri Lanka is healing from the 30 years long armed conflict, the United Nations must render assistance, not complicate the reconciliation process, the Russian government said.

Canada Border Service Agency told the Canadian Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) to deport a Sri Lankan Tamil migrant, who arrived in the MV Sun Sea, for his role in the shooting of captured Sri Lankan soldiers.

Former TNA Member of Parliament S. Kanagaratnam alleged that over 600 innocent Tamil civilians were shot and killed like stray dogs from October 1, 2008 to May 18, 2009 in the Vanni region by the LTTE militants.

External Affairs Minister Professor G L Peiris said that the Government strongly objected to the publication of the report of the UN Secretary General's Panel of Experts on accountability in Sri Lanka and to the taking of measures based on the recommendations made by the said panel since the panel was not appointed by the UN system.

Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, Farhan Haq at the daily press briefing in New York said that the UN intends to publish the report in full without any amendment by April 28.

Sri Lanka's main opposition, UNP, suggested the Government to empower the LLRC to inquire into war crimes allegations mentioned in the report prepared by the Panel of Experts appointed by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

The opposition leader of India's Tamil Nadu Government and AIADMK chief J. Jayalalitha demanded the Indian government to take immediate measures to bring Sri Lankan President and his military to trial at the International Court for alleged war crimes.

The UN released a much-delayed Expert Panel report on Sri Lanka's accountability in the armed offensive against the LTTE militants that effectively ended the three-decade long terrorism from the country.

A UN panel said that though the Sri Lankan Army had killed most of the tens of thousands of civilian victims of a final offensive against LTTE militants in 2009, both sides were guilty of war crimes.

The European Police Office (Europol) accused the Tamil militant outfit LTTE of being involved in the trafficking of drugs and human beings to raise funds for their terrorism activities.

Reacting to the report by a UNSG appointed panel of experts, which has accused Colombo of committing war crimes, the Indian Government said it was willing to engage Sri Lanka on the contents of the report.

The UN panel report, which accused both the Sri Lankan Government and the LTTE militants of committing war crimes and ordered Colombo to conduct a "genuine" inquiry into the alleged killing of innocent civilians.

Welcoming the public release of the report by the United Nations Secretary-General's Panel of Experts on the Sri Lanka's accountability during the last phase of the armed conflict the High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on April 27 called for further international investigation on the alleged war crime.

The United Nations said that it was unable to provide an accurate count of fatalities during the last stages of Sri Lanka's armed offensive against the LTTE militants. Responding to questions during the daily press briefing at the UN headquarters in New York, Martin Nesirky, the spokesperson of the UN Secretary-General said that for security reasons, UN staff had to be withdrawn from parts of Sri Lanka during that period and were unable to make assessments as a result.

The Government of Sri Lanka said that the public release of the United nations Secretary-General's Expert Panel report at the present stage was divisive, disrupted Government's efforts to reinforce peace, security and stability in Sri Lanka and fed into the political agendas of interested parties.

The United Kingdom and the United States, welcomed the report submitted to the United Nations Secretary-General by the Panel of Experts appointed by him to probe Sri Lanka's accountability during the last stages of the armed conflict against the LTTE militants.

Commenting upon the report of the UN Panel of Experts (also known as the Darusman report) which was appointed by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to investigate accountability issues during the later stages of the Sri Lanka's war against the LTTE militants, Sri Lankan Media Minister and Cabinet Spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella that the Government would hold talks with all relevant local and foreign actors on the controversial report which had been rejected outright in Sri Lanka.

Representatives of the Sri Lankan Government and the major Tamil party, TNA participated in a discussion in Colombo to find a political solution to the ethnic issue.

A Sri Lankan Government minister said that that former LTTE international wing head and chief arms procurer Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP could be used by the Government to respond to international allegations.

The UN)Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon asked the member states to give serious consideration to the Expert Panel report on Sri Lanka (also known as Darusman report) and act accordingly.

Sri Lanka's External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris said that in response to the report of the Panel of Experts on Sri Lanka appointed by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon the Government would explain to the UN Secretary-General about the post war reconciliation and development work in North and East.

The Sri Lanka Government requested the UN to include the definition for the term 'terrorist' or 'terrorism' in its Charter and said that the absence of such a definition had led to contradictory positions adopted by the UN system.

Sri Lankan Government said that it would send a delegation including External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris to meet with the representatives of NAM during its Foreign Ministerial meeting in Bali, Indonesia, on May 26 and 27 to discuss the UN report.

A group of legislators from the main opposition UNPhanded over a motion to Speaker calling for a parliamentary select committee to inquire and report on the former LTTE international arms procurer Kumaran Pathmanatahan alias KP.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa said the report of the LLRC would be credible unlike the Darusman report (The report of panel of experts appointed by UN Secretary General Ban ki-Moon).

The members of the European parliament called for a full, impartial, and transparent investigation into the allegations of human right violations cited in the United Nations Expert Panel report on Sri Lanka.

Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten, reported that Norwegian authorities had helped dozens of suspected LTTE militants to flee Sri Lanka and had given them asylum in Norway.

Sri Lanka Government sources said that the next round of talks with the TNA regarding a political solution to the Tamil demands will take place on May 23, 2011.

In response to an allegation made on the basis of a newspaper report that Norwegian authorities had been secretly assisting cadres of the militant outfit LTTE out of the country, the Norwegian Embassy in Colombo said that the Norway had never indulged in such activities.

Sri Lanka's Justice Minister Rauf Hakeem said that the Government was looking into the delay in taking legal action against former LTTE cadres.

The Sri Lankan Government affirmed its commitment to work towards a genuine national reconciliation and produce a devolution package based on the 13th Amendment to the Constitution to create the necessary conditions for such reconciliation.

Police Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Sri Lanka arrested three persons under suspicion for the killing of coordinating secretary of Deputy Minister Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman.

Authorities discovered LTTE propaganda material inside a cargo container bound for Canada from the Tamil Nadu port of Chennai (India) through Colombo.

A Norway-based leader of the LTTE, Perinpanayagam Sivaparan alias Nediyawan, was arrested by the Netherlands Police and produced in a court in Oslo in Norway.

A top leader of the LTTE Kumaran Pathmanathan apologised to India for V. Prabakaran's (the slain LTTE chief) "mistake" of killing the former Indian Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi.

Dutch authorities investigating the financial network of the LTTE leaders in the Netherlands plan to interrogate former and current LTTE leaders in Sri Lanka and are in the process of seeking permission from the Sri Lankan authorities.

The name of former LTTE international wing head and chief arms procurer Tharmalingam Shanmugam Kumaran also known as Kumaran Pathmanathan (KP) has reportedly been re-included in the Interpol list of wanted persons.

Addressing the 17th Session of the United Nations Human Right Council in Geneva, the High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay called for an international mechanism to monitor Sri Lanka's own investigations into the accountability during the war against LTTE militants.

Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa said that one key factor that assured the success of the war against the LTTE militants that ended in May 2009 was "the success in managing…international pressures", particularly India.

The Sri Lankan Government disputed the report by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions Christof Heynes, on a video footage which allegedly documents members of the Sri Lanka army committing extrajudicial executions.

The Ministry of Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms announced that it would release another 800 former LTTE militants upon completion of their rehabilitation program at the Pompamadu and Punethottam rehabilitation camps in Vavuniya.

Sri Lanka Army Commander said that the Army was not evading the issue of accountability during the war against the LTTE militants and it would investigate if specific allegations of crimes were brought to its notice.

Addressing the plenary session of the 17th session of United Nations Human Right Council on Protection and promotion of Women in Geneva on June 3, Sri Lanka's envoy Sugeeshwara Gunaratna said that the Sri Lankan Government had successfully rehabilitated and reintegrated ex-combatants of the defeated terror organization LTTE.

The Assembly of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu passed a special resolution demanding that the Indian Government take action to get all those responsible for large-scale civilian deaths, during the Sri Lankan civil war, declared as 'war criminals' by the United Nations.

Dismissing the unanimous resolution of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly that called upon the Government of India to impose economic sanctions against Sri Lanka and declare its President Mahinda Rajapaksa a war criminal, Sri Lanka Cabinet spokesperson and Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said that Sri Lanka dealt with India and not with individual States.

The LLRC said that plans are underway to release its final report before November 15, 2011.

Sri Lankan Government intends to use the detained leader of LTTE, Kumaran Pathmanathan, alias KP, as a State witness to discover more information about the LTTE's overseas operations.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) arrested four Sri Lankan Tamils in the Toronto area.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa accused the Sri Lankan Government of seeking to "exterminate" Tamils in the island nation.

Following the broadcasting of a documentary on Sri Lanka's war with the LTTE militants by the Channel 4 TV, the United Kingdom pressed Sri Lanka to investigate the alleged war crimes or face an international inquiry.

A team of Dutch officials investigating the financial network of the LTTE leaders in the Netherlands arrived in Sri Lanka to interrogate former and current LTTE leaders in the country.

In the wake of a documentary aired by Britain's Channel 4 on Sri Lanka's war, the United Nations renewed its call for Sri Lanka to investigate the alleged violations of human rights during the last phase of the three-decade long conflict with the LTTE militants.

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa requested all communities of Sri Lanka to stand up against elements attempting to revive the remnants of the defeated militant outfit LTTE who were involved in tarnishing the country's image in the aftermath of the Government's victory over terrorism.

In separate bilateral meetings between Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Presidents of Russia and China in St. Petersburg leaders of both the countries reassured Sri Lanka of their support in its struggle to defeat the forces of destabilisation working from outside the island nation.

Sri Lanka Rehabilitation Commissioner General, Major General Sudantha Ranasinghe said that 500 more rehabilitated ex-cadres of the LTTE will be released by the end of June.

David Miliband and Bernard Kouchner, the former Foreign Ministers of Britain and France respectively, called for action on the basis of the report by the United Nations Secretary-General's Expert Panel appointed to probe the accountability of Sri Lanka during the war with LTTE militants.

The Defence Ministry said that Issipriya the lady who is alleged to have been a journalist and a news presenter in the Channel 4 documentary (which allegedly showed a footage of Sri Lankan soldiers massacring Tamil prisoners of war), was a LTTE cadre. The Ministry also released a photograph of the identity card issued by the LTTE to Issipriya, in which she was clad in combat attire, confirming her military involvement with the LTTE. According to the reports Issipriya was born in 1982 in Jaffna and was subsequently recruited by the LTTE and underwent military training in the Vanni.

June 22

Resettlement Minister Gunaratne Weerakoon who visited the Kadirgamar relief camp in Mullaitivu District said that President Mahinda Rajapaksa instructed to expedite and complete the resettlement programme before the end of the year. He said that all IDPs will be resettled before the end of the year as the Government by then expects to complete the demining operations in the North.

June 23

The Sri Lankan Government is to respond within a week to the power devolution proposal presented by the major Tamil party, TNA, Representatives of the Government and the TNA met on June 23 to discuss a political solution to the ethnic issue. TNA parliamentarian Suresh Premachandran said that the government is expected to respond within a week and that the next round of talks are scheduled for July 9.

June 26

The Sri Lanka Government plans to hand in the written submissions regarding the proposals of the major Tamil party, TNA in relation to power sharing on June 29. The written submissions are to be discussed at the next round of talks between the Government and the TNA.

The detained senior leader of LTTE Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP said that he knew where the money of LTTE was kept after their defeat in May 2009 by the Sri Lankan Government. "I know who is having the large sums of money belonging to the LTTE. I know this will be a difficult job but I will try to find that money in order to help Tamil people," a PTI report said quoting a statement made by KP to the BBC.

SFs are investigating a terrorist style killing of a 30-year-old man, identified as, Balachandran Sathkunaraja, an ex-militant of (LTTE), who was found hanging on a goal post of a football court in Puttur in Jaffna District on June 26. Investigations revealed that he was hanged after beaten to death.

Commissioner General of Rehabilitation in Sri Lanka, Major General Sudantha Ranasinghe said that 108 former members of the LTTE are preparing to take the GCE Advanced Level examination in August this year. Ranasinghe has observed that all former LTTE members currently undergoing rehabilitation will be re-integrated to society by the end of the year.

The Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa announced that Government will hold provincial council elections in the war-torn Northern Province next year. The President stressed the need to hold the NPC election to further democratize the process in the North. Northern Province includes Jaffna, Mannar, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Vavuniya Districts.

JVP charged the Government with setting up military rule in the Northern Province. Addressing a press briefing in Colombo, JVP parliamentarian Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that the people of Northern Province had to take permission from the military to hold meetings.

The Commander of Sri Lanka Army Eastern Command Major General Boniface Perera in a discussion warned the armed groups in the Eastern Province to suffer unless they surrender their weapons. He said that military had identified the persons carrying weapons in the area and warned them to surrender cautioning that they would be followed otherwise. Paramilitary groups that surrendered their weapons earlier were called for this discussion participated by the senior defence officials of the area.

Another 1,200 people from 339 families from Ananda Coomaraswamy and Kadirgamar IDP camps were resettled, said Resettlement Minister Gunaratne Weerakoon. "So far 255,238 people have been resettled in the Northern Province and the rest will be resettled by year's end," he said, adding, "President Mahinda Rajapaksa has instructed the authorities to expedite the resettlement process."

Former international wing leader and chief arms procurer of the LTTE, Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP said on July 2 that his main aim was to help the war affected Tamil community in the North and that an Eelam State was not the need of the hour. Pathmanathan said that priority would be given to helping the war affected Tamils through his new humanitarian agency and that he would not discuss politics or think about it at present.

Government was preparing to bring a resolution to set up a PSC to find a political solution to the ethnic issue on July 5. Leader of the House and Minister of Irrigation and Water Resource Management Nimal Siripala de Silva will table the resolution. Meanwhile, the final stage of the resettlement process of IDPs in Jaffna peninsula was completed on July 3 under the patronage of Economic Development Minister, Basil Rajapaksa. The resettlement of 863 displaced families took place in Kevil village in Jaffna at a function head with the participation of Minister Rajapaksa as the chief guest.

The MoD lifted the imposed pre-travel approval to the North, exclusively for foreign passport holders with effect from July 4. According to military liaison officials, foreign passport holders are no longer required to produce a MoD travel approval document at Omanthai entry/exist point in Vavuniya District.

The Prime Minister D. M. Jayaratna said that some LTTE cadres, who fled during the final stages of the war, are still at large and search operations are underway to locate them. Jayaratna told the parliament that even though the war against the LTTE was over there are attempts by some groups to revive the conflict once again. The Prime Minister also expressed fear that separatist groups may attempt to convince the rehabilitated ex-combatants to take up arms again.

The Government will hold another round of talks with the TNA on July 7. Government sources said that the written response to the TNA proposals on solving the ethnic problem would be submitted to the discussion. The Government delegation was also to talk about the power devolution units.

Rajiva Wijesinha, Member of Parliament and Adviser to the Sri Lankan President on Reconciliation, accused the British media of conducting a hostile campaign against the Sri Lanka Government singling out The Times and Channel 4 for what he described as their attempts to falsify facts, reports The Hindu.

A Tamil Minister in the Sri Lankan Government said that the political solution to the ethnic issue would be based on the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, reports. Traditional Industries and Small Enterprises Minister Douglas Devananda told parliament that there would be devolution of power under the 13th Amendment.

The Sri Lankan government called on the opposition political parties to render their support to find a political solution to the ethnic issue. Leader of the House and Minister of Irrigation and Water Resource Management Nimal Siripala de Silva observed that the government was committed to finding a political solution. The Minister said that the political solution would not be based on a federal system but the Government was for a sustainable negotiated solution by talking to all parties and seeking their views.

SFs discovered a boat manufacturing centre in the Kilinochchi District, suspected to be operated by the LTTE.

Sri Lanka Ministry of Prison Reforms and Rehabilitation said that 302 former LTTE will sit for the G.C.E. Advanced Level examination in August from the places where they are detained now.

The Secretary of State for Defence of the United Kingdom and British Conservative Party parliamentarian Dr. Liam Fox met Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa on July 9 at the Temple Trees in Colombo. The British Defence Minister arrived in Sri Lanka to deliver the annual Lakshman Kadirgamar memorial lecture in memory of the Sri Lankan foreign minister who was assassinated by the LTTE in 2005. Dr. Fox and President Rajapaksa discussed the post-war developments in the country including concerns raised in Britain over alleged human rights allegations committed by Sri Lankan forces during the last stage of the war against Tamil Tigers.

Sri Lanka's main opposition UNP leader, Ranil Wickremasinghe said that his party would participate in the PSC proposed by the Government to find a solution to the ethnic issue.

Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa officially handed back land to 247 families in Thanankilappu area in Jaffana District on the Chavakachcheri-Pooneryn road after it was cleared of landmines by the Army. The minister said that the Government gave top priority to uplift the living conditions of the people who were badly affected by the 30 year war. "The displaced people have now been fully resettled in the Jaffna District. Once the mine clearing in certain places in Mullaitivu is completed, they too would be resettled soon," he said.

The former Sri Lanka Army Commander Sarath Fonseka, who is serving a jail term, was brought to court regarding the Hicorp arms deal. The Colombo High Court Judge Deepali Wijesundara heard a case filed against the ex-Army Commander. The Judge postponed the hearing for November 14. Fonseka and his private Secretary Senaka de Silva are accused of employing a group of deserted Army soldiers to rally against the government.

Chief Minister of Sri Lanka's Eastern Province Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan said that the Northern and the Eastern Provinces should not be re-merged under any circumstance,. Chandrakanthan commented this during a visit to the Southern Provincial Council. However, Provincial Councils should be vested with powers outlined in the 13th Amendment to Constitution.

The Sri Lanka Army demining unit recovered a large haul of weapons in a toilet pit of a makeshift hospital building marked with a Red Cross logo in Northern Sri Lanka,. The Army troops engaged in demining operations recovered 21 60-mm mortar bombs, 10 60-mm Para mortar bombs, 954 81-mm mortar bombs, 1,555 120-mm mortar bombs, 3,000 86-pounder bombs, 50 130-mm projectiles, 3 claymore mines, 10 boxes of 7.62x59 mm ammunition, 20 boxes of T-56 ammunition, 26 boxes of 12.7 mm ammunition, 10 air bombs weighing about 250 kg each, one torpedo, 100 152-mm artillery shell and 2,000 rounds of Multi-Purpose Machine Gun (MPMG) ammunition.

Sri Lanka's (JVP) accused the Government of using Security Forces personnel to carry out undemocratic activities in the North during the local Government election period. JVP Central Committee member Ramalingam Chandrasekar told a press conference in Jaffna District that the party activists who were engaged in election campaign work were constantly targeted and that they are unable to carry out their campaign work as a result.

Northern Province is preparing to restore democracy as local government elections, to elect members for 23 local bodies, are scheduled to be held on July 23 after a lapse of three decades. Elections will be held for 16 Pradeshiya Sabhas and three Urban Councils in the Jaffna District, three Pradeshiya Sabhas in the Kilinochchi District and one Pradeshiya Sabha in the Mullaitivu District. All major political parties, ruling UFPA, major opposition party UNP and major Tamil party TNA are contesting for all local bodies.

A website close to the Government coalition party National Freedom Front reported on July 18 that major opposition UNP was likely to offer a party deputy leader post to the former Army Commander Genera (retired) Sarath Fonseka who is now in jail.

Sri Lanka Police CID produced the leader of the women's political wing of the (LTTE), Subramaniam Shivathai alias Thamilini, before Colombo Magistrate Court on July 18 and informed that the investigations regarding Subramaniam Shivathai are still underway.

Former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka withdrew an application against the appointments of the judges into the second military tribunal against him. The counsels appearing for the ex-Army Commander informed the Supreme Court that another case was filed in a lower court on the same matter.

The detained LTTE cadres who started a hunger strike in Vavuniya prison in Vavuniya District demanding their legal procedures quickened, suspended their hunger strike.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa arrived in Kayts Island in the Jaffna peninsula as a part of his tour to the North to inspect the progress of ongoing development projects in the region and boost the ruling party's campaign for the upcoming local Government polls in the Northern Province.

The newly-appointed Head of the United Nations in Sri Lanka made his first visit to the conflict-affected Northern Province. The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Subinay Nandy arrived in Vavuniya District on a two-day mission to get a first-hand look on the post-war progress in the region.

Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa who is touring the conflict-affected Northern Province pledged to rebuild everything the public in the North lost during the three-decade long war with the separatist LTTE. The President said he was ready to serve for everyone in the country as their President without any discrimination.

President Mahinda Rajapakse handed over 100 new houses built entirely by the SLA in Keeramalai in Jaffna District to the needy families.

The TNA said that the party was working at building a political solution within the framework of a united and undivided country.

The United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that the United States was looking at some innovative and creative ideas to enable the Sri Lankan Tamils in camps to get back to their own homes.

Prison Reforms and Rehabilitation Minister Chandrasiri Gajadeera said that the Rehabilitation Authority has taken steps to integrate former LTTE cadres into society with immediate effect.

Minister of Human Resources D.E.W. Gunasekera said that international groups looked at the situation in the country from the viewpoint of the LTTE. He said that since the international groups view the situation in Sri Lanka like the LTTE, their viewpoints would be different from the real situation.

Sri Lankan voters will go to polls again on July 23 to elect members to 65 local government institutions across the country but the main focus will be on the Northern Province where the elections are held after a lapse of 20 years.

Security arrangements in the Northern Province were beefed up to ensure a free and fair. Around 1,500 Police personnel together with the STF have been deployed in the Jaffna District for election duties and two police personnel will escort each ballot box.

SLA Media Spokesman Major General Ubhaya Medawela denied media reports that the Army lost a training opportunity in an Indian military academy in Tamil Nadu due to protests of Tamil groups supporting Sri Lankan Tamils' issues.

UPFA secured a comfortable victory at the election held on July 23 for 65 Local Government bodies. In the Northern Province out of the 20 local bodies the ruling UPFA won only the Kayts, Velanai and Delft Pradeshiya Sabhas in Jaffna district and the (ITAK), a constituent party of TNA won the rest.

Former President of Sri Lanka Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga said that although the war has been won, the country has not even begun to win the battle for peace.

The (JVP), affiliated SYU) of Sri Lanka, said that it would compile a list of Tamil youth who disappeared in the North and those who were arrested. Head of the SYU Bimal Ratnayake told a press conference that the union would compile the list and release it to the parliament shortly through the party's parliamentarians.

Radio Netherlands claimed that Rehabilitated (LTTE) cadres are ready to fight again if life doesn't improve. A (RNW) team who visited Sri Lanka recently interviewed a group of nine rehabilitated combatants, six men and three women, in a walled-compound of an unnamed NGO in the Eastern city of Batticaloa. The group complained to the RNW team about lack of freedom referring to many military checkpoints they have to go through in the North. The ex-fighters told that they have to sign a monthly 'good behavior report' and the Police are suspicious of them.

Former parliamentarian of Sri Lanka Marxist party (JVP) Bimal Ratnayake said at a media briefing that the JVP would hold a protest demonstration in Colombo to demand the release of Tamil political prisoners.

The major Tamil political party in Sri Lanka, the TNA said the decision of the Elections Department to reduce the number of parliamentary seats allocated to the Jaffna District, from ten to six, was unfair. TNA parliamentarian Suresh Premachandran told the media that the decision to reduce the parliamentary seats was not a fair decision.

A Canadian court released on bail four Tamil Sri Lankan asylum seekers accused of smuggling refugees on a ship to British Columbia shores. British Columbia Supreme Court Justice Gregory Bowden ordered the release of four men on bail pending their trial, Canadian media reports said.

Quoting the Attorney General's Department Colombo Page reported that the Sri Lankan Government had resettled over 11,000 families in Thelippalai just outside the Palali (HSZ) in the North. The Attorney General's Department has informed the Supreme Court that 11,879 families consisting of 38,637 members have been re-settled in ValiKamam North, when only 6,928 families consisting of 25,114 members were to be re-settled there.

The United Nations called for a speedy investigation and prosecution into the murder of a Sri Lankan human right activist whose body was found 17 months after his abduction in the East.

The Sri Lankan Government updated a request to the EU to list front organizations of the LTTE as terrorist entities.

Secretary of Sri Lanka Defence Ministry Gotabhaya Rajapaksa denied the allegation that the Sri Lanka Army killed LTTE cadres when they tried to surrender.

Sri Lanka's main opposition UNP expressed doubts on reaching a positive outcome from the dialogue between the major Tamil party, TNA and the Government.

A Strike was held in North Western town of Puttalam against the death of Human Rights activist Pattani Razeek whose body was found 17 months after his abduction in the East.

The TNA announced a suspension of talks with the Government on arriving at a political solution to the Tamil question by calling upon the Sri Lankan Government to "meaningfully define and state" its stand on devolution to the Northern Province, and citing the lack of progress in its talks with the Government.

The Sri Lankan Government rejecting the ultimatum set by the major TNA during the talks held with the Government on August 4, said a solution for power devolution should be acceptable for all Sri Lankans and therefore it cannot make decisions on crucial issues hastily.

Sri Lanka's former Prime Minister and Senior Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake said a political solution granted to the North should be a one that could be marketed in the South.

An organization in Sri Lanka, affiliated with the Marxist party JVP and working for the welfare of the IDPs alleged that certain IDP camps lacked basic facilities. The WASL organization said that the electricity supply to the Poonthottam camp in Vavuniya District has been disconnected for the past three days.

Justice Minister Rauf Hakeem said that the Muslim community should be included in the process to seek solutions to the ethnic issue.Hakeem made these comments during a meeting with a group of diplomats from the British High Commission in Colombo.

Sri Lankan authorities are making arrangements to release another batch of 150 rehabilitated LTTE cadres on August 12 in Vavuniya District upon their completion of the rehabilitation program.

Prime Minister of Sri Lanka D.M. Jayaratne said that the Government was considering abolishing the emergency regulations soon following consultations with the National Security Council.

An organization in Sri Lanka affiliated with the Marxist party JVP and working for the welfare of the IDPs alleged that certain IDP camps lacked basic facilities. The WASL organization said that the electricity supply to the Poonthottam camp in Vavuniya District has been disconnected for the past three days.

Sri Lanka's main opposition, UNP said that the party has no intention of forming alliances with other political parties to contest the remaining local Government bodies at the elections scheduled for October. UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake said that the UNP would contest on its own as it did in the previous local Government elections.

Pottuvil Police fired tear gas to contain a volatile situation erupted following a demonstration in Pottuvil town in Ampara District. The demonstration was held in the town demanding the release of four persons arrested by Police by the Security Forces in connection with an incident where two Police officers were assaulted and a jeep was damaged.

Another protest was held in Vavuniya town of Northern Province against the construction of a mosque, under the patronage of Minister of Rehabilitation Rishad Bathiyutheen, as alleged by the protesters. Some of the shops and offices were closed in the town this morning.

FMM and other media organizations of Sri Lanka are to hold a protest campaign in Jaffna. A group of 40 journalists from Colombo left for Jaffna on August 15 to express their solidarity with embattled journalist community in Jaffna, said FMM secretary Sunil Jayasekara.

Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Ashok K. Kantha said that India hoped that the vision and leadership that resulted in an end to armed conflict will now be employed in the quest for a genuine Political Settlement resulting in national reconciliation among all the communities of Sri Lanka.

UNP Working Committee decided that Ranil Wickremasinghe will continue to hold the leadership of UNP despite the objections by the pro-reformist group led by deputy leader Sajith Premadasa.

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa giving evidence before the Mount Lavinia District Judge MCBS Moraes said that the Government succeeded in eradicating Terrorism in the Country due to the close co-operation between Sri Lanka and India.

LLRC of Sri Lanka said that its final report would be submitted on November 15 and not before the set date due to any kind of pressure.

The overseas cadres of LTTE continued to procure weapons while the LTTE Diaspora continued to support the organization financially, a report released by the US Department of State on August 18 said.

The 'Country Reports on Terrorism', a US state department report on terrorism released said that Sri Lanka showed a high level of commitment to counter terrorist financing and money laundering.

Sri Lanka's Ambassador to the US Jaliya Wickremasuriya said that the US State Department was given a copy of the report prepared by the Defence Ministry on the military operation to defeat the LTTE.

A Sri Lankan woman facing deportation from UK reportedly stabbed herself with a knife when Border Agency staff turned up on the doorstep of her home. The woman's missing husband was said to be wanted by Sri Lankan authorities on suspicion of smuggling arms for the LTTE.

The People's Front of Liberation Tigers (PFLT), the political party formed by the LTTE in 1989 when it began peace talks with the then Government of late President R. Premadasa, will be removed from the electoral register in terms of the new procedure introduced for the recognition and registration of political parties in Sri Lanka.

Professor Rohan Gunaratne, a specialist in terrorism research while addressing the fifth annual symposium of the Sir John Kotalawela Defence University said that despite LTTE being wiped out in Sri Lanka, their international presence still posed a threat to the country.

Sri Lanka's main opposition UNP)said that the Government failed to reduce defence spending even two years after the war ended in the country.

Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapakse declared an end to strict wartime emergency regulations imposed in 2005, noting there was not any terror attacks since the end of war against LTTE in May 2009.

Sri Lanka's Ambassador to the European Union (EU) Ravinatha Aryasinha said that the EU was yet to respond to a request from Sri Lanka on listing LTTE front organizations in Europe as terrorist entities.

The Sri Lankan Government claimed to have either resettled or released over 270,000 IDPs and that only 7,422 were remaining in the camps.

The Sri Lankan Government's proposed Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) aimed at finding a permanent solution to resolve the ethnic issue is yet to be entered in the House Order Book and then tabled in parliament.

About 1,200 alleged cadres of the LTTE in Sri Lanka will be released, with the end of emergency rule imposed 28 years ago to deal with the separatist movement.

Sri Lanka is considering enacting new laws under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) to handle possible future and past terrorist activities by the defunct terror group LTTE as the emergency regulations that were imposed on and off for the past 30 years cease to be in operation from August 31.

The US said that it was studying the implications of the new legislation that came into effect in Sri Lanka to handle the terrorism related issues as the emergency regulations existed for three decades in the country lapsed at the end of last month.

Leader of Sri Lanka's National Freedom Front (NFF) and Housing and Common Amenities Minister Wimal Weerawansa said that it was the Government, and not the Tamil Diaspora or even some Tamil political parties that addressed the real needs of the war affected Tamil people.

Sri Lanka media sources reported that an attempt was underway to impose travel bans on Sri Lankan media persons who supported the war against the, LTTE militants on the grounds of alleged war crime charges.

Sri Lankan Parliamentarian and Adviser on Reconciliation to the President Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha denied a report from the Indian newchannel NDTV which said he had admitted that some army personnel might have been guilty of alleged war crimes during the last phase of the war with the LTTE militants.

Sri Lanka stood proud as a nation that eradicated terrorism from the country and in doing so made South Asia too safer from terrorism, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa said.

The Sri Lankan Government was asked to ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance by the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID).

The Government said that Welfare camps in the Eastern and Northern provinces had been closed with over 95 percent of the quarter million IDPs in them having returned to their homes.

The Sri Lanka Government reiterated its commitment to reply queries raised in any quarter in the international arena in respect of the humanitarian operation launched by the Security Forces to free over 300,000 people who were held hostage by the LTTE militants.

The Sri Lankan Government said that 27,000 personnel from the three Armed Forces currently stationed in the North were assisting the de-mining work in the area.

The Sri Lankan Government strongly condemned the international human rights group Amnesty International (AI) for prejudging the country''s own investigative mechanism that looked into the last seven years of war against militants of the LTTE.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay that Sri Lanka was an example of a state that disregarded the human rights when adopting countermeasures to combat terrorism.

The Sri Lankan Government recalled the Deputy Ambassador to Germany, Switzerland and Vatican, former Major General Jagath Dias who was under scrutiny for alleged war crimes.

Terrorist Investigation Department (TID) officials said that six cadres of the militant outfit LTTE were among the 44 suspects who were arrested by the Navy in the Kalmunai high seas while attempting to leave Sri Lanka illegally for Australia during early September, 2011.

Representatives of the Sri Lankan Government and the major Tamil political party, TNA are likely to re-commence talks on finding a political solution to the ethnic issue.

A domestic Dutch criminal court, trying five Sri Lankan Tamils for supporting Sri Lanka's defeated Tamil Tiger terrorist outfit LTTE, will screen Britain's Channel 4 documentary "Sri Lanka's Killing Fields" on a request made by the defence counsel.

The Government is taking accelerated measures to close the last of the camps that housed over 200,000 IDPs at the conclusion of the civil war in May 2009.

Head of a demining group said that post-war Sri Lanka will need another decade to clear the half million landmines which lie buried under swathes of agricultural and forest land and around villages in the north.

Scores of cadres of the militant outfit LTTE are likely to be prosecuted for crimes committed during the three decade conflict that ended in 2009.

A senior American counter-terrorism official warned Canadian authorities that two Sri Lankan migrants who arrived off the British Columbia Coast in 2009 aboard a smuggling ship were suspected cadres of LTTE.

Dutch prosecutors trying five Sri Lankan Tamil nationals, (who are all naturalized Dutch citizens now) accused of extorting money from other Dutch Tamils in the Netherlands are seeking long prison terms.

Sri Lankan-born American hedge fund founder Raj Rajaratnam, who was found guilty on all counts in the high-profile insider trading trial and awaiting sentencing in the United states, also financed the Tamil militant outfit LTTE, in its decades-long war of the Sri Lankan Government.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa vowed that former LTTE combatants who were rehabilitated by the Government would be integrated into the development process of the country.

Sri Lankan Government released 1,800 former cadres of the LTTE after their completion of a two-year rehabilitation program following the end of the war in May 2009.

Army troops on their search and clear operations in the general areas of Oddankulam, Kokkutoduvai, Mulankavil and Mankulam recovered 49 anti-personnel mines and one RPG.

Sri Lanka's elite STF Police recovered a huge arm cache hidden by the LTTE rebels in Mullaitivu area.

Front organizations of the defeated Tamil militant outfit LTTE are running private Saturday schools in the Netherlands, Radio Netherlands reported citing a recent report by the Dutch national Police.

Ivo Opstelten, the Minister of Security and Justice of the Netherlands Government said that the National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security (NCTV) was considering to take action against the Saturday schools run by the front organizations of the militant outfit LTTE in the country.

Sri Lanka's ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the EU Ravinatha Aryasinha, alleged that Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the International Crisis Group were intent on pre-judging and discrediting the LLRC report even before it is released.

A Sri Lankan Government Minister urged the Norwegian Government to ban Sri Lanka's defeated militant outfit LTTE.

Sri Lanka's main Tamil party TNA staged a protest in northern Vavunya town to highlight alleged new Sinhala majority settlements being pushed by the government in the country's northern and eastern regions.

The US Government said that the US will not have any kind of judgment on the report of Sri Lanka's LLRC until its release that is expected to be in mid-November, 2011.

A Dutch court convicted and sentenced five Dutch citizens of Sri Lankan Tamil origin accused of extorting money from other Dutch Tamils to fund the terrorist activities of Sri Lanka's terror outfit LTTE.

Sri Lanka's major Tamil political party, the TNA is to file a Fundamental Rights petition before the Supreme Court against the Government's move to register the lands in the North and East.

Ahead of Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Perth in Australia a Sri Lankan man, who had migrated to Australia, filed war crimes charges against Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa in a city court in Melbourne

Sri Lanka's ruling UPFA parliamentarian Thilanga Sumathipala, said that there was no ethnic cleansing in the country.

Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa categorically denied allegations raised in certain quarters that the Government is in the process of colonizing areas in the North which are inhabited by members of both the Tamil and Sinhala communities.

The LLRC appointed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to study Sri Lanka's three-decade long war is getting ready to present its final report to the President during the second week of November, 2011.

Sri Lanka's External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris said that President Mahinda Rajapaksa will make the much-awaited report of the LLRC available for public following its release within a fortnight.

The Royal Norwegian Government has provided assistance to the International Organization for Migration to contribute to the Sri Lankan government's efforts to rehabilitate and reintegrate former cadres of the militant outfit LTTE.

The LLRC said that its final report will be ready by November 10 to be submitted to the President.

Even as it publicly advocated peace when the Sri Lankan conflict was raging, India quietly informed Norway that the LTTE must be "put in its place", a Norwegian Government sponsored study titled, "Pawns of Peace: Evaluation of Norwegian Peace Efforts in Sri Lanka, 1997-2009" revealed.

Sri Lanka's LLRC announced that the report of the committee will be handed over to the President Mahinda Rajapaksa on November 20.

Parliamentarian Prabha Ganeshan claimed that Indian origin Tamils in Sri Lanka needed a bigger share of representation in a proposed solution.

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa called for a coordinated international effort to uphold maritime security in the Indian Ocean region and greater cooperation between the maritime powers.

A three-member trial-at-bar of the Colombo High Court that heard the controversial 'White Flag' case against the former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka, found him guilty of the charges and sentenced to 3 years in prison along with a fine of 5000 LKR imposed upon him.

The Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), appointed by the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa to probe the three-decade long armed conflict with the Tamil Tiger terrorists, handed over its final report to the President.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa will submit the report of the LLRC to the Parliament in December 2011, President's Media Director General, Bandula Jayasekera told the local media.

Sri Lanka parliament passed a motion to set up a parliamentary select committee (PSC) to formulate a political solution to the country's ethnic issue.

Defence and Urban Development Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said that Sri Lanka as a sovereign nation did not need external guidance to achieve post conflict reconciliation which would be achieved through an organic, local effort consistent with national values, and not based on external ideals imposed by others.

A clash took place in the premises of the Anuradhapura Prison following an attempt by several incarcerated LTTE suspects to celebrate the Maveerar Day (Heroes Day) inside the prison.

Sri Lanka's major Tamil political party, the TNA is yet to hand in names of the party representatives who would be appointed to the parliamentary select committee (PSC) on finding a solution to the ethnic issue.

The Union Cabinet of the Government of India approved the Central Government's proposal to reconstruct and repair 49,000 houses for IDPs in Northern and Eastern Provinces and for Indian Origin Tamils (IOTs) in Sri Lanka under grant assistance from the Government of India. Indian High Commission in Colombo said in a statement that the project will be under full grant assistance of the Government of India with a total outlay of INR 29.4 billion (approximately US $ 260 million or INR 13.19 billion).

The Union Cabinet of the Government of India approved the Central Government's proposal to reconstruct and repair 49,000 houses for IDPs in Northern and Eastern Provinces and for Indian Origin Tamils in Sri Lanka under grant assistance from the Government of India.

The TNA says it would name representatives to the proposed PSC to find a political solution to the ethnic issue only after reaching an agreement with the Government. TNA parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran told Colombo Page that the TNA would put forward names of party members to the PSC after reaching a consensus on a solution, which in turn would be presented to the PSC for further discussion.

The Terrorism Investigations Department (TID) of Sri Lanka has arrested two local government members from North on December 6 for having links with LTTE militants. The TID said that the two local government members were arrested following information received of their alleged links with the LTTE organization during the period of the war.

The TNA says it would further discuss three key issues of the 10-12 proposals presented by the party to resolve the ethnic issue with the Government. TNA parliamentarian and Attorney M.A. Sumanthiran said that three issues related to the re-merger of the North and East Provinces, the implementation of the 13th Amendment and giving land and police powers to the provinces would be further discussed at the next round of talks scheduled to be held on December 14.

Media Minister and Cabinet Spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said that Sri Lanka is not in a hurry to make the report of the LLRC public and the report will be presented in the parliament after the President carefully reviews it. He said the LLRC compiled its report to serve the domestic requirement and not to appease the foreign elements.

The TNA asked the Government to reveal the list of ex-LTTE cadres and supporters who are detained or in custody. The TNA parliamentarian Suresh Premachandran said, "The government needs to give details about the people being detained.

According to Premachandran, persons like Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP who were directly involved in the LTTE's decision making and fighting machinery are being entertained by the Government while the poor people who followed their orders are being detained since the end of the war.

The Government has repeatedly said that during and immediately after the final phase of the war in May 2009, 11,664 LTTE cadres surrendered to the Government Security Forces.

Authorities expect to release all remaining former LTTE by the middle of 2012 following the completion of their training program. The last remaining group of 700 former LTTE cadres will be released by mid-2012 after providing them the mandatory 12 months training, Secretary for the Ministry of Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms, A. Dissanayaka said on December 9.

The Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Minister and EPDP leader Douglas Devananda said the ethnic issue could be solved only if all Tamil political parties unite. He added that the Tamil political parties needed to participate in the proposed Parliamentary Select Committee to find a solution to the ethnic issue and all parties needed to put forward their proposals.

National Languages and Social Integration Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara said that persons who are fluent in the Tamil language would be employed to the Sri Lanka Police as constables to serve in the country's North and East. He said the Government was looking at employing 350 such constables to be assigned to the Northern and Eastern Provinces.

External Affairs Minister G L Peiris stated in Parliament that Sri Lanka does not need an international Policeman to solve its internal matters. He also stated that Sri Lanka is a sovereign nation and can solve its internal issues on its own.

Language policymakers and institutional leaders at state level are rapidly taking measures to elevate the status of bilingualism at public institutions, sequel to a call by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to ensure 100 percent implementation of the country's national language policy. Rajapaksa had reportedly told officials involved in the implementation of the national language policy, that all Sri Lankans should be able to receive services from Government departments and institutions in the official language of their choice.

The LLRC, while admitting that there were civilian casualties due to crossfire, has concluded that Sri Lankan Security Forces had not deliberately targeted civilians in the NFZs established by the Government. "On consideration of all facts and circumstances before it, the Commission concludes that the Security Forces had not deliberately targeted the civilians in the NFZs, although civilian casualties had in fact occurred in the cause of crossfire," the report said.

Ruling UPFA Parliamentarian Sajin Vass Gunawardena on December 18 emphasized that any final solution to the Tamil question will only be through the PSC process. Issuing a statement Vass Gunawardena said: "Any final solution will only be through the PSC process, the Tamil national Alliance (TNA) should refrain from undermining this process and in the least respect the supremacy of Parliament and be genuine in participating in the process so as to reach the objectives of the PSC acceptable to all political parties represented in Parliament fulfilling the aspirations of all communities in Sri Lanka."

TNA parliamentarian and Attorney M. A. Sumanthiran has said that the LLRC has severely contradicted itself in its report and has a shortcoming as well. He explained that the Commission has severely contradicted itself by concluding that civilians had not been deliberately targeted by the Security Forces in the final stages of the war and has commended the conduct of the armed forces after claiming the LLRC did not have a mandate to investigate into any incident.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa said he never hesitated in taking decisions for the good and well-being of the country, like he did when he took a firm decision to end the 30-year old war and protect the sovereignty of the nation. "We had to decide if we are going to see this country divided or liberated from the clutches of murderous terrorists. The benefit of that decision is being reaped by the people today".

External Affairs Minister G L Peiris stated in Parliament that the LLRC report is prepared with transparency whereas the Darusman Report is not. He also stated that the Darusman Report had many flaws but the LLRC report has been prepared with responsibility.

United States urged the Sri Lankan Government not only to fulfill all of the recommendations made by the LLRC but also to address the accountability issues that the LLRC did not cover in its report. Deputy spokesperson of the US State Department Ms. Victoria Nuland said the US has concerns that the report prepared by the LLRC does not fully address all the allegations of serious human rights violations that occurred in the final phase of the conflict.

The Government has completed the resettlement of 88,666 displaced families in the North to-date. This was revealed by Industry and Commerce Minister Rishard Bathiutheen and Northern Province Governor Major General G. A. Chandrasiri on December 19. Minister Bathiutheen said the number of families resettled district wise in the North is Mannar - 18,273, Mullaitivu - 4,373, Vavuniya - 11,291, Killinochchi - 4,859 and Jaffna 49,870.

The Government is to activate the National Police Commission by appointing members to the defunct body in January 2012. Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunga said the appointments would be made in the first week of January. The Commission was established in 2002 under the 17th Amendment to the Constitution.

President Mahinda Rajapakse said that the TNA has been requested to name their nominees for the PSC, which will be entrusted with formulating a solution to the grievances of communities. However, the TNA has so far not obliged.

External Affairs Minister G. L. Peiris said that the TNA has called for an international investigation into the issues raised by the. "The TNA is the only party to do so and it should be evident that this could pave way for international interference in Sri Lanka's issues" he added. "That the TNA is calling for an international probe is a matter for profound regret" he added.

President Mahinda Rajapakse said that the Army camps set up at District level are of national importance, and these camps which have been established with the intention of promoting national security will not be removed. He noted that this was a policy maintained by every Government after achieving independence. He also asserted that those Army camps set up for the national security would not be removed.

Cabinet spokesman and Mass Media and Information Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said that the TNA should appoint members to the PSC to look into the issues of the Tamil community, reports Daily News. The opposition parties, including TNA, so far have failed to appoint their members to this PSC even though the Government has already appointed its members.

An ally of Sri Lanka's governing UPFA, the SLMC has opposed the Government's decision not to allocate land and Police powers to the Provinces. SLMC Deputy Secretary Nizam Kariyappar observed that the Tamil speaking people in the North and East Provinces were hopeful of power being devolved to the Provinces as promised by President Mahinda Rajapakse at the All Party Representative meeting in 2006.

Mahinda Rajapakse recently told a media meeting that the Government will not grant land and police powers to provincial councils as sought by the TNA in accordance with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.