January 2

Sri Lanka Police Department has removed the Police personnel who were deployed in and around the Jaffna University premises following the clash between the university students and SFs on November 27, 2012 when the university students tried to commemorate the LTTE Heroes' Day.

Higher Education Minister of Sri Lanka S.B. Dissanayake said that the Jaffna University would be closed if academic activities are not resumed this week. Jaffna University students and academic staff started to boycott classes demanding the release of four university students who were arrested on charges of supporting terrorist activities following the clash between university students and the SFs on November 27, 2012 when the students tried to commemorate the LTTE Heroes' Day.

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentarian Suresh Premachandran said that the party would vote against the amended Divi Neguma Bill (Enhancement of Life) when it is taken up for a vote in Parliament.

The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), an ally of the Government, also said that it is yet to reach a final decision on the party's stance on the Bill as some SLMC members have expressed concerns over the bill since it interfered with subjects vested with the provincial councils under the 13th Amendment.

Parliament passed the amended Divi Neguma (Enhancement of Life) Bill aimed at poverty alleviation in the country with a majority of 107 votes. 159 voted in favor while 42 voted against.

The Ministry of Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms has made arrangement to release another batch of former combatants of the defeated terror organization, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to the society. The Ministry will release another 313 rehabilitated cadres in Vavuniya District on January 13 to coincide with the upcoming Hindu harvest festival of Thai Pongal.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa said Sri Lanka's Security Forces (SFs) fought the separatist terrorists and liberated the country not for their personal gain but for the yet unborn future generation. He told that the Government is not prepared to reverse the massive development programme being implemented as a free and sovereign nation.

The Sri Lankan Government has increased the allocations for rehabilitating the former of LTTE cadres from SLR 300 million to SLR 500 million. Sri Lanka Minister of Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms Chandrasiri Gajadeera revealed this while releasing a batch of former cadres of LTTE. A group of 313 former LTTE rebels were reintegrated into the society to mark the Hindu cultural festival "Thai Pongal" that falls on January 14.

The official website of Sri Lanka's MCNS has been hacked and defaced by a hacker, known as Game Over. The hacker has not only defaced the site at nationalsecurity.lk, but redirected it to another site and gained access to the server, taking away and leaking hundreds of login information of the site users.

Media and Information Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said Sri Lanka will focus on the need to amend the Constitution to add a 19thAmendment due to the recent conflict raised between the judiciary and legislature. He said there is discussion in several Government circles on the need to amend the Constitution and the Government will have to make a decision. However, the country will be informed before such a decision is taken, the Minister told.

Construction, Engineering Services Housing and Common Amenities Minister and NFF Leader Wimal Weerawansa said the eradication of LTTE terrorism is the only reason for all foreign interferences in Sri Lanka's internal matters. The Minister said "Though the LTTE was defeated, we still have external and internal enemies. All Sri Lankans should recognize these enemies and support the government to defeat these enemies."

TNA leader R. Sampanthan said that the Government has failed to honor the pledges given to the UN on post war reconciliation. Sampanthan observed that the Government had made several pledges to the UN and the international community on reconciliation in the country, and one was the demilitarization of the Northern Province. He pointed out that there were concerns on the resettlement of the war displaced in their original homes. He also added that the delay in releasing or taking legal action against the Tamil political prisoners was also an issue that the Government has failed to address.

Sri Lanka Parliament passed the Code of Criminal Procedure (Special Provisions) Bill to extend the detention time for suspects arrested by the Police for 48 hours. The Bill received 110 votes in favor and 33 against and passed by the House with amendments. The main opposition UNP and the Marxist party JVP decided to vote against the bill.

Army Commander Jagath Jayasuriya said that the Army will hand over its first report on January 24 in response to observations and recommendations made by the LLRC with regards to the Sri Lanka Army.

Defence and Urban Development Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said no LTTE cadre that surrendered to the Security Forces during the final stage of the humanitarian mission went missing. The Defence Secretary said all allegations are baseless and ever since, LTTE cadres who have surrendered were rehabilitated and reintegrated to society.

A Board appointed by the Army Commander Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya to study the recommendations made by the LLRC asserted the Sri Lankan Government's "absolute "right to maintain its armed forces anywhere in the country. The Board recommended appointing special boards covering the five security forces headquarters in the North and East regions, namely Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Wanni and East Districts, to evaluate the land needs by those units in the region.

TNA requested the three US Assistant Secretaries of State - Deputy Assistant Secretary of State James Moore, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Vikram Singh, and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Jane Zimmerman - arrived in Sri Lanka on January 26 on a mission to mainly assess the progress on implementing measures recommended by the country's own LLRC. The TNA delegation led by R. Sampanthan and including parliamentarians M.A. Sumanthiran and S. Sridharan met the US officials at the residence of US Ambassador, Michele Sisson.

External Affairs Ministry Secretary Karunathilaka Amunugama said that he has briefed India about the progress it has achieved in the areas of post-war reconciliation and the implementation of the recommendations of the LLRC report during the eighth meeting of the India-Sri Lanka Joint Commission, which was held in Delihi last week.

US Deputy Assistant Secretary of the State Department James R. Moore said, "As a measure to force Sri Lanka to expedite the implementation of the pledges given on reconciliation, the United States will sponsor a new resolution against Sri Lanka at the upcoming UNHRC Sessions in Geneva in March. It is a straightforward resolution that will build on the resolution brought in March 2012." He added that the resolution will be to expedite reconciliation and implementation of the LLRC Report.

Two US Senators called for an independent investigation into the potential war crimes committed by the Sri Lankan Government and the LTTE during the civil war in Sri Lanka. In a letter addressed to the outgoing Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, Democratic Senator from Pennsylvania Bob Casey and Democratic Senator from Vermont Patrick Leahy said an independent investigation is needed because the Sri Lankan Government has not answered the legitimate concerns of the people. "During the years following the end of the war, the Sri Lankan people have waited for the Government to address these concerns, yet no tangible or substantial progress has been made," the Senators wrote.

HRW in its World Report 2013 said the Sri Lankan Government continued its assault on civil society and failed to take meaningful steps towards accountability for war crimes during the country's armed conflict that ended in 2009. There was no fundamental progress on key human rights issues in Sri Lanka over the past year, HRW said. Overly broad detention powers remained in place under various laws and regulations, leaving several thousand people detained without charge. State SFs committed arbitrary arrests and torture, including sexual assault, against ethnic minority Tamils. Repatriated Tamils allegedly linked to the defeated LTTE were at particular risk, HRW research found.

Sri Lanka Army facilitated a group of IDP of Sampur town in the Trincomalee District of the Eastern Province to revisit their village. The 224 brigade of Sri Lanka Army provided facilities to the villagers to revisit their homes in the High Security Zone and 138 families of the Navarathnapuram village visited their old houses which were in dilapidated conditions. Sampur town, located in close vicinity to the Trincomalee harbor was under the control of the LTTE until the Army recaptured the area in September 2006.

TNA called for further action by the UNHRC against the Sri Lanka Government. The party in a statement said that appropriate action at the UNHRC is absolutely necessary to persuade the Sri Lankan Government to adhere to the UN resolution adapted by the UNHRC and to discontinue with what it called 'harmful agenda' against the Tamil People of Sri Lanka. TNA accused the Government of refusing to consider the proposals offered by the TNA while the Government has repeatedly asked the TNA to join the PCS appointed to work out a solution for the ethnic issue.

TNA parliamentarian, S. Sritharan said that thousands of civilians in Sri Lanka's North will launch a hunger strike to protest against the lack of access to their lands. Over 20,000 civilians in the North are to participate in the hunger strike scheduled to be held at the Tellippalali Durga Devi temple premises on February 15. The protestors will demand the withdrawal of the SFs from lands owned by the civilians prior to the end of the war and will continue until the authorities address the civilians' demands.

Ruling out granting minority Tamils of the North any political autonomy as a solution to the three-decades-long ethnic conflict, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa said "It is not practical for this country to have different administrations based on ethnicity. The solution is to live together in this country with equal rights for all communities." The President said this in his address to the nation on the occasion of the Sri Lankan Independence Day from the eastern port town of Trincomalee the administrative capital of Eastern Province. Mr. Rajapaksa claimed that though nearly four years had passed since the LTTE were routed, Sri Lanka "had to face continued challenges to protect the freedom and independence of our motherland. For this very reason we have now come to a very strong situation. Similarly, facing up to these challenges have increased our desire to be committed to our freedom".

Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister for South Asia Alistair Burt confirmed that the British Government will support a United Nations resolution on Sri Lanka sponsored by the United States at the upcoming 22nd UNHRC session in Geneva later this month. Burt said UK will continue to urge the Sri Lankan Government and the major Tamil party, TNA to make serious progress towards a political settlement in the country.

Sri Lanka Parliament moved a draft revision bill to revise legislation on terrorist financing as the country needs a complete legal framework in order to suppress the financing of terrorism. The draft bill to amend the Convention on Suppression of Terrorist Financing Act No 25 of 2005 was presented to Parliament by Minister Nimal Siripala de Silval. The Sri Lankan Government, as a response to the threat from the LTTE, which is still active overseas, has launched legislative efforts focused on limiting financial support for the remnants of LTTE.

Parliament approved the draft bill to amend the Convention on Suppression of Terrorist Financing Act No 25 of 2005 without a vote after its Third Reading in Parliament.

Secretary of Defence and Urban Development Gotabhaya Rajapaksa while delivering a keynote address in Colombo said "The international pressure brought to bear on Sri Lanka especially by the Western nations misled by LTTE sympathizers can cause international investors and even tourists to stay away from the country." He further said the Government will not compromise when it comes to providing security to the nation as a part of LTTE remains active outside the country.

The report by human rights experts, which was submitted to the UNHRC, said that Sri Lanka has failed to honor promises to investigate serious rights abuses and allegations that thousands of civilians were killed in the final stages of its ethnic war. The document said grave human rights violations, including the killing of 17 aid workers of a French charity in August 2006 had not been probed despite Government promises swiftly to bring perpetrators to justice.

Speaking at the Special Development Committee meeting at Tilco City Hotel in Jaffna District, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said all countrymen have a responsibility to ensure no room is left for the re-emergence of terrorism which brought suffering to the people of all communities for over three decades.

Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Minister Douglas Devananda said TNA leaders are following in the footsteps of the LTTE in spreading falsehoods about the country. The minister said LTTE leaders were also in the habit of traveling in many countries and cities including Oslo and propagating falsehoods.

The Court of Inquiry appointed by Sri Lanka Army Commander Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya investigating into the controversial instances of shelling referred to the LLRC Report said that instances of shelling mentioned in the LLRC report were not caused by the Sri Lanka Army and the civilian casualties might have occurred due to unlawful acts by the LTTE.

The Government has decided to acquire the land that is now being used as High Security Zones permanently. The acquisition is to be done under the Land Acquisition Act and the Ministry of Defense had already made a request in this regard from the Ministry of Lands and Land Development. The Government is to acquire an extent of over 2000 acres of land.

A TNA spokesman said that they had received complaints from the family members of three rehabilitated cadres of the former rebel group LTTE in Batticaloa District of Eastern Province that they have been arrested by the Police again.

Sri Lanka Ministry of Land and Land Development said that it will resolve the dispute arisen due to the occupation of civilian lands for military establishments immediately. The Ministry has started a study on the land in the HSZ of Northern and Eastern Provinces. The civilians who resided in the lands now taken under HSZ have been asked to submit their proof to the ownership of lands to the Divisional Secretaries of the area. The Ministry said that the land that is needed to be retained will be acquired and the owners will be compensated.

International terrorism expert Rohan Gunaratna said that all three pro-LTTE factions have started lobbying ahead of the UNHCR sessions in Geneva in March. Gunaratna said the three factions are the Tamil Eelam People's Assembly led by Perinpanayagam Sivaparan alias Nediyawan in Norway, the Global Tamil Forum led by Father S J Emmanuel in London and the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam led by V Rudrakumaran in New York.

The EU decided to support the US sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka at the forthcoming UNHCR in Geneva. The document reads that, "the EU will also support efforts aimed at keeping the issues of accountability and reconciliation as well as the current human rights situation in Sri Lanka on the agenda of the Human Rights Council."

Fresh questions have been raised over Sri Lanka's armed forces conduct during the final stages of the operation against the LTTE rebels after new photographs emerged claiming that the 12-year-old Balachandran Prabhakaran son of the LTTE's leader Villupillai Prabhakaran was summarily executed.

Sri Lanka flatly rejected the latest documentary by a British channel that is featuring a new set of images of LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran's 12-year-old son in the final battle.

HRW in a letter to the UNHRC members said that at its March 2013 session, the UNHRC should authorize an independent, international investigation into war crimes committed during the final months of Sri Lanka's armed conflict.

Land and Land Development Minister Janaka Bandara Tennakoon said in Colombo that measures will be taken within the next two years to resolve disputes of the conflict in the Northern and Eastern Provinces arising from the requisition of civilian lands for military establishments.

External Affairs Ministry spokesman Rodney Perera said the Sri Lankan Government will seek the support of several countries including China to fend off a resolution to be brought against the country by the United States at the upcoming 22nd session of the UNHRC next month.

The ALRC, an independent regional NGO in a written statement suggested the UN Working Group on Enforced Disappearances to study the situation and conduct inquiries into to the remains of the 200 or more persons found in the grave in Matale town of Jaffna District.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay making the opening statement at the 22nd session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva said that 'massive' human rights violations have occurred in Sri Lanka during the war that ended in 2009.

Sri Lankan Information Department said that the Government under its NAP to implement the recommendations of LLRC prepares to conduct an island wide census on deaths and injuries to people and on damages to the properties during the three decades of ethnic conflict. The census, to be conducted jointly by the Ministry of Public Administration and Home Affairs and the Department of Census and Statistics, will cover the conflict period from 1983 up to the end of war in May 2009.

HRW in a report reveals that Sri Lankan SFs are accused of continuing to use rape and sexual assault nearly four years after the end of the war to torture Tamil detainees suspected of having links with the vanquished terrorist outfit LTTE. According to the HRW report, the military, military intelligence and the police, including specialized units such as the CID and TID took part in the alleged crimes.

Military spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya dismissed the HRW report that alleged the country's SFs continued to use sexual violence on suspected LTTEs in detention. Wanigasooriya said that the Army is ready to investigate if there are proper complaints filed.

Plantations Minister and President's Special Envoy on Human Rights Mahinda Samarasinghe addressing the 22nd UNHRC sessions in Geneva said "Undue pressure exerted by external parties on the issue of 'retributive justice and accountability', is not helpful in the resolution of these issues."

Sarath Fonseka, Sri Lanka's former Army Commander and the leader of unregistered Democratic Party said in a press conference in Colombo that he was ready to answer any alleged war crime charges brought by international investigators.

Patrick Ventrell, acting deputy spokesperson of U.S. Department of State said at the daily press briefing that the Government of Sri Lanka to date has not initiated any kind of investigation into the alleged rights violations yet.

Voice Against Corruption called on the Government to reveal details of the wealth and assets that were seized from the LTTE during the war. Co-convener of Voice Against Corruption Wasantha Samarasinghe said that the Government had taken into custody large stocks of gold, vast amounts of money and ships belonging to the LTTE during the war.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa denied that the Army killed LTTE chief Prabakaran's 12-year-old son Balachandran. He SAID "Had it happened, I would have known it. It is obvious that if somebody from the armed forces had done that, I must take responsibility. We completely deny it. It can't be."

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Ms. Navi Pillay, addressing the UNHRC general debate on thematic reports by Secretary-General and High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva at the 22nd session of UNHRC, said she remained concerned about the lack of meaningful progress in terms of accountability and reconciliation in Sri Lanka, and welcomed the Council's engagement in monitoring domestic processes regarding accountability.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in reply to a question on Sri Lanka during a press briefing said "I recognised the important steps taken by the government of Sri Lanka since the end of the conflict."

A group of about 1,500 representatives of the organization called 'Dead and Missing Persons Front' representing the family members killed by the LTTE handed over a petition to the UN over their loved ones killed in LTTE attacks. The organization holds TNA, the proxy party of LTTE before the end of the war, as equally responsible as the LTTE for the deaths of their family members and injustices claimed to have been committed to them.

The Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration in Colombo said that Sri Lanka will conduct a census on people died and injured during the civil war with the LTTE and the Marxist insurrection in the 80's. The census will cover the period of the terrorist war since 1983 including the unrest prevailed in the country in 1983 and the insurrection of the Marxist party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna in the years of 1988 and 89.

Minister of Investment Promotion Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena addressing a public meeting in Colombo said the groups supporting LTTE who could not defeat Sri Lanka through war are now trying to attack the country by creating conflicts using international forces. The Minister alleged that international forces envious of Sri Lanka's rapid development process are exerting pressure on Sri Lanka and hatching conspiracies to make a regime change in the country.

Canada reiterated its call for an independent investigation into Sri Lanka's human right violations at the UNHRC sessions at Geneva and urged the Sri Lankan Government to implement without delay the recommendations of the LLRC through its NAP.

Land and Land Development Minister Janaka Bandara Thennakoon said that the Government will vest around 21,000 acres of land in the Jaffna Peninsula, taken over for military purposes during the war, among their original owners. He said all problems related to lands in those areas are to be solved within next two years.

Addressing a media briefing in Colombo, the convener of the 'Dead and Missing Persons Front' Ananda Perera questioned why the UNHRC is silent about the atrocities committed by the LTTE during the three decades of terror. He further said the UNHRC should also focus its attention on TNA, which was the proxy party of the LTTE during the war and assisted the terrorist organization.

Vavuniya prison authorities said that no LTTE suspects were located in the Vavuniya prison due to security reasons. The Vavuniya prison was opened on March 12 after being refurbished and the relocating of prisoners would be carried out gradually.

Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Dr. Palitha Kohona said that Sri Lanka undertook a task never undertaken by any country that faced terrorism, by even rehabilitating suicide bombers of the LTTE and releasing them to the Sri Lankan community. He said, "LTTE suicide bombers struck over 230 times, killing thousands of civilians. They targeted men, women and children indiscriminately and left thousands dead and maimed. They created a massive wave of terror in the country."

The UNHRC adopted the outcome of the UPR on Sri Lanka in Geneva. Sri Lanka's Special Envoy of the President on Human Rights and Minister of Plantation Industries Mahinda Samarasinghe briefed the Council that the Government is actively engaged in removing military involvement in civil administration, demining, and rehabilitation, and had launched national reconciliation and peace-building initiatives. Sri Lanka had accepted 113 out of 204 recommendations received, and had also made 19 voluntary commitments. Sri Lanka was currently evaluating the implementation of the NAP for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights.

Mahinda Samarasinghe answering a question during the sessions at the 22nd Session of the UNHRC also asked the International Community as to why "it keeps silent on the atrocities committed by the LTTE."

US Ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Eileen Chamberlain Donahoe said the U.S. is disappointed that Sri Lankan Government rejected all UPR recommendations from States that called upon it to implement the LLRC recommendations and called on the government to expeditiously implement both the UPR and LLRC recommendations.

TNA leader R. Sampanthan accused the Government of changing demographics in north east. He said, "Most regrettably, the time and space that the Government seeks is not to fulfill its commitments and obligations but rather to fulfill its own agenda, which is to change the demographic composition of the North and East Provinces further and dilute and alter the cultural and linguistic identity of those areas."

Tamil activists in Tamil Nadu supporting Sri Lanka's defeated Tamil Tiger terrorist outfit LTTE have assaulted Sri Lankan Buddhist monk identified as Bandara, who was part of a group of Sri Lankan pilgrims at the Central Railway Station in Chennai.

Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India Prasada Kariyawasam said, "Resolution on Sri Lanka in UN is uncalled for. We don't think there is a need for international community to get involved in Sri Lanka at this point."

United States presented the revised version of its resolution 'Promoting reconciliation and accountability in Sri Lanka' at the 22nd session of the UNHRC in Geneva co-sponsored by 32 countries. The final draft welcomes and acknowledges the progress made by the Government of Sri Lanka in rebuilding infrastructure, demining, resettling the majority of internally displaced persons, while noting that considerable work need to be done in the areas of justice, reconciliation and resumption of livelihoods. It welcomed the announcement by the Sri Lankan government to hold elections to the Provincial Council in the Northern Province in September 2013.

In letters addressed to Foreign Ministers of Council member countries, Sri Lanka's External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris rejecting the new resolution wrote "Just as the Government of Sri Lanka did not recognize the last HRC resolution, it rejects the new resolution. Sri Lanka intends to request a vote when the draft resolution is taken up at the Human Rights Council on 21st March 2013."

Sri Lanka expressed 'strongest' reservations on the content of the report prepared by the United Nations High Commissioner of Human Rights Navanetham Pillay on Sri Lanka following a technical mission to the country at the 22nd session of the UNHRC in Geneva.

Tens of thousands of Tamils from the North joined a rally in Jaffna city of the Northern Province to condemn a US sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka at the UNHRC in Geneva.

UNHRC adopted the resolution sponsored by the United States with 25 votes in favor, 13 against and 8 abstentions. Adopting the resolution, the 47-member UNHRC reiterated its call made in the resolution adopted last year for Sri Lanka to effectively implement the constructive recommendations made in the report of the LLRC and to take all necessary measures to initiate credible and independent actions to ensure justice, equity, accountability and reconciliation for all Sri Lankans.

In a rejection of the resolution on Sri Lanka at the UNHRC, President's Special Envoy on Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said that the resolution was clearly unacceptable due to its inherent flaws. The minister pointed out that preambular part of the text is 'intrusive, bears misinterpretations and focuses disproportionately on the negative and eliminates or is dismissive of the positive.'

President Mahinda Rajapaksa, at the presentation of Presidential Colours to the Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment in Boyagane town of Kurunegala District in the North Western Province said that the Government has made the LTTE aspiration of an Eelam state a dream.

Minister for Youth Affairs Dallas Alahapperuma while addressing a media briefing held in at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute in Colombo said "The UNHRC has become an institution that implements a new 'colonial policy' of ruling by creating divisions in international community.

Environment Minister Susil Premajayantha said that preparations are being made to hold the Northern Provincial Council elections in 2013. He explained that holding elections to the Northern Provincial Council was delayed until the completion of the de-mining and resettlement programs. Elections could now be held in the North since the de-mining of most of the areas has been completed.

Human Rights Commissioner, Prathibha Mahanamahewa said that the resolution passed by the UNHRC could be described as a soft but dangerous one. He said when the text was analysed it was very 'soft' as terms such as "urge", "note", "welcome" and "request" were used, which implied that they were not a must. A dangerous fact is that it urges Sri Lanka to allow an opportunity to the UN rapporteur to make observations in the following areas - the freedom of expression and the independence of the judiciary, the independence of the judges, the independence of the lawyers, abductions, disappearances and women's rights.

Secretary of the External Affairs Ministry Karunatilaka Amunugama said that Sri Lankan Government expects to meet the deadline set by the United Nations resolution to implement the remaining recommendations made by the LLRC. He told that most of the recommendations have already been implemented and the rest will be implemented by March 2014.

Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya said that elections in the Northern Province could not be held as the Northern Provincial Council was yet to be constituted by the President.

Plantation Industries Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said that the resolutions adopted at the UNHRC in Geneva in 2012 and 2013 are not indicative of an agenda to promote and protect Human Rights.

Defence and Urban Development Ministry Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa while delivering a talk in Galle District said "Certain politicians who are slavishly devoted to the service of LTTE terrorists are engaged in a dirty game of creating problems among the Tamil population to cling to power."

Brad Adams, the Asia director at HRW said that Sri Lanka should act on the call by the Deputy Minister V Muralitharan, known as Colonel Karuna, to investigate war crimes by examining his own role in serious abuses. He said " LTTE forces under Karuna''s command was directly involved in some of the worst crimes of Sri Lanka's 26-year-long armed conflict, which ended in May 2009."

Minister of National Language and Social Integration Vasudeva Nanayakkara said that the Government is seeking a ban on nationalist and religious extremist groups disrupting the ethnic harmony in the country. The Minister said his ministry is preparing to submit a Cabinet paper seeking a ban on extremist groups that are creating rifts between the ethnic and religious communities in the island. According to the Minister, the Cabinet paper will seek to bring new laws to crack down on such groups.

TNA Spokesperson and parliamentarian Suresh Premachandran told that the party would continue to push for a UN mechanism to investigate alleged human rights abuses in the island nation. He said "We need an independent international probe to find out what happened. The Government has proved that it cannot handle the matter properly as there is no faith in their own investigations. We cannot expect justice from the Government."

Ahead of the NPC election likely to be held in September 2013, the rift within the TNA has widened, opening up avenues for a possible split in the party in the near future. The TNA is an amalgam of five parties - ITAK, EPRLF, TELO, TULF and PLOTE.

S.B. Divaratne, who heads the Presidential Task Force overseeing resettlement, said that the LTTE is known to have taken over more than 2,000 acres of residential properties belonging to Muslims in the North and given them to its supporters during the war. He said this has resulted in the Government having to find alternative land to resettle the displaced Muslims.

An unidentified gang attacked the office of the Jaffna-based Tamil language newspaper The Uthayan in Kilinochchi District in northern Sri Lanka. At least three people including two paper distributors and the Kilinochchi office manager have received injuries in the attack while the building and a vehicle were damaged.

Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thero, the secretary of Sri Lanka's ill famous Buddhist extremist organization BBS said that the country's fate would be changed within two months. He further said that BBS will not allow the casinos and other betting businesses to surge in the guise of developing tourism.

Executive director of the PAFFREL Rohana Hettiarachchi said election monitors in Sri Lanka have begun their operations in the Northern Province in preparation for the provincial council elections. He said public awareness campaigns have been commenced in the North and programs have been started from Mannar District. The election monitor in collaboration with the Registrations of Persons Department has organized a mobile service for the voters in the North to obtain national identity cards.

A man engaged in de-mining in Muhamalai of Jaffna District was injured accidentally by a land mine and succumbed to the injuries on admission to the hospital. The deceased, identified as K. Murugesu, was an employee of the Halo Trust, a NGO involved in de-mining operations in Muhamalai.

External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris reaffirmed in Parliament that it did not concur with the US-sponsored resolution adopted at the UNHRC sessions on March 22. He said the resolution seeks to incorporate both the report of the panel of experts, dubbed by Sri Lanka as the Dharusman report and the report by United Nations Human Rights High Commissioner Navi Pillay.

Tamil representatives who met the Indian MPs in Jaffna District demanding an interim administration told the Indian delegation that the Provincial Council system under the 13th Amendment to the Constitution are inadequate to solve their problems.

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said "Had the then Indian Government acted with responsibility, Sri Lanka wouldn't have experienced a 30-year protracted war with LTTE. He said former Indian Permanent Representative to the UN Hardeep Singh Puri had been directly involved in the Indian operation against the then J. R. Jayawardene Government in the run-up to the July 1987 Indo-Lanka Accord.

The first part of the Army's CoI report which was handed over to Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa by Army Commander Jagath Jayasuriya stated "The instances of shellings referred to in the LLRC report were not caused by the Sri Lanka Army and civilian casualties might have occurred due to unlawful acts by LTTE."

TNA dismissed the report by an Army's Col that absolved the Army troops of any civilian deaths during the final phase of the three-decade long war with the LTTE rebels. TNA parliamentarian Suresh Premachandran rejecting the report said that it is a "joke" for the Army Court to conclude that Army had not killed a single civilian during the war. The TNA parliamentarian rejected the facts contained in the report as completely untrue.

An unidentified group set fire to the printing press of The Uthayan Newspaper office of Jaffna District in the Northern Province. The Uthayan is a Jaffna-based Tamil newspaper which has survived for a long time amidst repeated attacks by unidentified groups in the past.

UK Foreign Secretary William Hague said the human rights situation in Sri Lanka in 2012 remained of serious concern, with a number of negative developments, including with regard to freedom of expression and media and judicial independence.

A group of BGHH, called Ablaze Ever, hacked and defaced three Sri Lankan Government websites in protest of "disrespect of Islam". The sites are Ministry of Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms (reprimin.gov.lk), the Chief Government Whip of Parliament (govtwhip.gov.lk), and the Deyata Kirula Exhibition (deyatakirula.gov.lk).

A LTTE cadre who was arrested by the CID in November 2011 and imprisoned after being found guilty of killing 10 persons escaped from Pottuvil Court premises at Pottuvil town of Ampara District in Eastern Province. The escapee is identified as Mahendra Rajah Shashidharan alias Cristy.

Secretary Defence and Urban Development Gotabhaya Rajapaksa opened Toppigala Heritage Park Complex, the former hideout of the LTTE in the Batticaloa District of Eastern Province. The Complex comprises an exhibition center, hiking trails, obstacle course to the rock, souvenir shop, cafeteria and other common amenities for the visitors.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa said that the Government is planning to hold elections to the NPC most likely in September. This will be the first time, provincial council elections will be held in the Northern Province, since the PC system came into existence under the 13th amendment to the Constitution in 1987.

National Mine Action Center established in the Ministry of Economic Development announced that only 96 square kilometers of the land which amounts to only 5 percent of the land remain to be demined in the war-battered Northern Province.

Former spokesman of LTTE Velayutham Dayanithi alias Daya Master said that he would announce his decision to contest the NPC election within the next two weeks. Daya Master is slated to contest under the ruling party United People's Freedom Alliance.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa vehemently rejected the allegations made against the country by the US in its human rights report released on April 19. The 2012 Human Rights Report said although the overall number of extrajudicial killings appeared to have decreased from previous years, killings and assaults on civilians by Government officials continued in 2012.

SFs in Sri Lanka have resumed security checks in Elephant Pass in the North since last week. Military Spokesperson Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya said these were random security checks that were being carried out for the safety of the civilians.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa stated that "the only way to eliminate the scourge of terrorism from the world is to understand its true nature and fight it for what it is, instead of giving terrorism various definitions and tags." However, he lamented that when fighting against the LTTE, Sri Lanka had to seek foreign help largely to get weapons.

Tamil People's National Front announced that the party would not contest the NPC election which is scheduled to be held in September. The leader of the party Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam said in a press conference that the party would not contest the NPC election since it does not accept the 13th amendment to the constitution as a viable solution for the Tamil's problems.

TNA threatened a continuous protest campaign against the military's acquisition of private lands in the North. TNA says the military has acquired over 6,400 acres of private lands in the North.TNA will commence a protest campaign in Jaffna from April 29 against the military acquisition of lands.

SLFP, the largest ally of the ruling coalition, officials said they will call for applications from prospective candidates soon to contest the elections for the NPC in September. The SLFP-led alliance will handpick 19 candidates for the Jaffna District, eight for the Mannar District, and eight for the Mullaitivu District, nine for the Vavuniya District and seven for the Kilinochchi District.

Sri Lankan Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Major General Shavendra Silva speaking to the national radio said bombs used in the Boston attack of US are similar to the bombs used by the LTTE in Sri Lanka. Highlighting that still arms and ammunitions are being recovered from the former battle fields in the North and East, the UN envoy said placing SFs in those areas is not a matter to be considered in a different perspective.

Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said he will table a document comprising the names of 472 people who are known to have disappeared in Mannar District during the war. The document will be tabled in Parliament at the request made by Mannar Bishop the Rt. Rev. Dr. Rayappu Joseph and the Association of Families Searching for Disappeared Relations.

National Mine Action Centre said that 95 percent of the Confirmed Hazardous Area has been cleared of mines and an area of 96 kilometers remains to be cleared at the end of March 2013. A total of 1,968,369,553 square kilometers have been completely cleared of mines in the North, Eastern and North Central Provinces during the last four years.

Police arrested three Police officers for allegedly killing three civilians in Gomarankadawala village in Trincomalee District in 2008. The Police officers included an Inspector, a Sergeant and a Constable. They were arrested from Thambalagamuwa, Serunuwara and Udamaluwa Police Stations of Trincomalee District. Earlier, the Police believed the killings were committed by LTTE militants who were active in the area at the time.

Sri Lanka's Marxist party, JVP Propaganda Secretary and Parliamentarian Vijitha Herath said the party has plans to present affidavits to court from family members of individuals who had disappeared from the Matale District during the 1988-1989 period. The Matale mass grave was uncovered last November and 154 skeletal remains have been unearthed from the grave.

TNA MP M. A. Sumanthiran said that TNA is planning to file at least 5,000 cases in various courts demanding the lands taken over by the military for security purposes from Northern Province. TNA and other Tamil groups say that 6,000 acres of land are taken over by military for the High Security Zones.

The Sri Lankan Government has allocated Rs. 400 million to pay as compensation to owners of the land in the HSZs in the North. The Government has decided to acquire 6,381 hectares of the land in Jaffna District that is now being used as HSZs permanently and the owners of the land will be paid compensation.

TNA has requested the Elections Commissioner to invite foreign poll observers for the Northern Provincial Council elections. TNA representatives have made this request during a meeting with Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya on an invitation extended by him.

Marxist party JVP says the Government should take steps to repeal the PTA. JVP Propaganda Secretary and parliamentarian Vijitha Herath said that the PTA is a draconian piece of law that needs to be repealed.

At least six Army personnel sustained injuries following an accidental explosion in Oddusuddan town of Mullaitivu District. According to the Army spokesman, preliminary investigations have revealed that a stock of detonators hidden by the LTTE had exploded when a soldier dug the ground for the construction work.

The Government ruled out the possibility of repealing the PTA despite requests by opposition political parties. In response to a question by opposition UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne told Parliament that though the LTTE was militarily defeated, there were attempts to revamp the organisation in different parts of the world. The Prime Minister said the provisions of the PTA were required to deal with the discovery of weapon hauls hidden by the LTTE. He said the PTA was needed to take action with regard to LTTE suspects who did not surrender after the war ended in 2009.

Tamil political sources said that several parties in the TNA are planning to register the TNA without the support of the major Tamil party ITAK. ITAK also known as Federal Party says the TNA could not be registered due to legal barriers. However, the other parties in the alliance are mounting pressure on the ITAK to formally establish the alliance.

Rehabilitation and Prisons Reforms Minister Chandrasiri Gajadeera said that several rehabilitated former LTTE cadres have expressed interest to enter politics. He noted that measures would be taken for them to contest in future local Government elections in a democratic manner.

Matale Magistrate and Additional District Judge Chaturika de Silva, after studying 13 affidavits filed by the relatives of missing in the area, ordered the CID of Police to investigate the mass grave discovered in the Matale town of Matale District in Central Province and submit a full report to court by the end of this month. Skeletal remains of 154 people were found during excavations carried out from November 26, 2012 until March 12, 2013.

Gunasundaram Jeyasundaram, a childhood friend and close mate of LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, while making a statement before the Colombo Supreme Court deplored the acts of his one time leader and expressed his desire to undergo a rehabilitation programme conducted by the Sri Lanka Army. Jeyasundaram said he was profoundly disturbed by the role of the LTTE and condemned its aggressive and violent methods, urging his onetime fellow sympathisers of the outfit to follow suit. Gunasundaram also asserts that factions of the LTTE scattered across the globe should immediately cease their actions as they continue to inflict more harm on the Tamil community in Sri Lanka.

In the wake of the NPC elections likely to be held in September, the Cabinet approval was granted to enact 'Registration of Electors (Special Provision) Bill to enable those who were displaced from the North between May 1, 1983 and May 18, 2009 to vote at the election. The bill, if enacted, will enable 15,000 people who are known to have been displaced between May 1, 1983 and May 18, 2009 to be registered as voters in the North.

Government sources said that President Mahinda Rajapaksa has scheduled two crucial meetings with the coalition parties of the ruling UPFA and the TNA to mainly discuss the NPC election. According to sources, the discussion will be focused on the ideological division in the coalition regarding the NPC elections, which is scheduled to be held in September.

Former LTTE arms procurer Kumaran Pathmanathan also known as KP said that reducing the army presence in the war-hit areas in the country and introducing civil administration would help improve the living conditions of the people there. He also said that in the 1970s, Tamil politicians brainwashed youngsters like him into joining the Tamil cause.

Tamil political parties, both within the fold of the TNA and outside decided to agree to a common policy on the political solution to the national question. The decision was arrived at a meeting convened by northern civil society movements with TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran, Tamil People's Liberation Front leader Gajendra Kumar Ponnambalam and civil society activist K. Gurubaran.

Vanni Security Forces Commander and Officer-in-Charge of Displaced Persons in the Northern Province Major General Boniface Perera said, "Not a single civilian had gone missing in the Vanni District after the end of the war. If anyone says someone has gone missing after the end of terrorism and if they are ready to give information on who had gone missing etc, and when and where, I am ready to debate with any person at any international forum on behalf of the Government."

TNA provided legal assistance to 1,474 land owners in Jaffna District to file the cases in court challenging the Government's occupation of land for security purposes. The TNA has appealed to people to file at least 5,000 cases in various courts.

Opposing the NPC election, JVP MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake said, "The provincial council system in the 13th Amendment is not devolution of power it will only extend the power of councils pressuring the people especially in the north if the Provincial Council election was held. Therefore it is essential to establish a new constitution that would treat all ethnic groups equally, safeguarding their rights and culture."

Former LTTE leader Gunasundaram Jeyasundaram who pleaded guilty to the charge of not disclosing the LTTE's international arms deals was sentenced to 15 months rigorous imprisonment by the Colombo High Court. Gunasundaram was arrested on September 5, 2007, on charges of helping the LTTE, has since been arbitrarily detained without charge.

Vanni Commander Major General Boniface Perera while celebrating Victory Day in Vavuniya District said "Any organisation or individual will not be allowed to venerate a terrorist organisation. Anyone participating in a commemoration ceremony for LTTE cadres will be arrested. There is only one military in a country. Any citizen has the right to commemorate their loved ones but no one can commemorate terrorists who were disloyal to the Government."

Commenting on an article in Udayan newspaper, Dharmapuram Citizen Committee Chairman Wanni Murugesu claimed that the newspaper never spoke of conditions during the LTTE.

The Udayan newspaper recently commenting on conditions related to the Northern Provincial Councils election in its editorial states that holding the Northern Provincial Council Election is not conducive.

US said in a report that Sri Lankan Government generally respected religious freedom in 2012 although in some instances, local authorities were not effective in responding to attacks on members of minority religious groups.

Petroleum Industries Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa stated that the Government has not taken any decision to amend the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.

Minister Yapa said the elections to the NPC would be held in September 2013 as decided by the government earlier, and this would not change.

UNP parliamentarian Lakshman Kiriella said that the party believes that the devolution of power would address the ethnic issue and it was the best method to solve the ethnic issue in the country.

The CID of Sri Lanka Police has commenced a probe on the German NGO Friedrich Naumann Foundation, which is operating in Sri Lanka since 1974, to ascertain whether the NGO has acted within the country beyond its given legal mandate.

The investigation commenced after the organization held a workshop for the opposition UNP parliamentarians. Pro-government media reported that the workshop was a ploy to overthrow the government.

TNA parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran has said that the US is looking into the progress made by the Sri Lanka government following the resolution adopted at the UNHRC in March 2013.

Thero's call to abolish the 13th Amendment came in response to the statement by Cabinet Spokesperson Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa that the Government would not abolish the 13th Amendment. 

Technology Research and Atomic Energy Minister and JHU leader Patali Champika Ranawaka called on the government to initiate a comprehensive programme to wipe out the idea of Eelam from Sri Lanka’s social, economic, intellectual and cultural life. Ranawaka said members of TNA still espouse the notion of Tamil Eelam.

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has said that Police powers cannot be vested with the provincial councils.

The JHU, a coalition party of ruling UPFA, said it will take measures to mobilize the public to urge the government to abolish the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.

Government stressed that the US embassy as any other foreign mission based in Colombo should get prior approval to engage with local government authorities.

TNA insisted on complete power devolution to the provinces through the 13th Amendment to the Constitution since problems over the provincial councils are due to the incomplete devolution of power by successive governments. TNA parliamentarian, Premachandran said the TNA expects nothing less than complete devolution of financial, Police and land powers to the provinces through the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.

Army Commander Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya told that only three camps would be kept in the Jaffna peninsula and the rest of the camps would be withdrawn. The lands where the camps are presently established would be returned to the legal owners, the Army Commander said.

TNA parliamentarian Suresh Premachandran observed that the three ministers - Leader of the LSSP and Minister of Technology and Research, Prof. Vitarana, General Secretary of the CP and Minister of Human Resources, D.E.W. Gunasekera, and Leader of the DLF and Minister of National Languages and Social Integration, Vasudeva Nanayakkara - had said the 13th Amendment should not be weakened and the Northern Provincial Council polls should be conducted in a manner without destabilizing the amendment. The ministers had also said that land and Police powers should not be stripped off the 13th Amendment.

Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva and Leader of the Sri Lanka Delegation to the 23rd session of the UNHRC Ravinatha Aryasinha said that the Government has established a mechanism to ensure the right of information to the relatives of LTTE suspects.

Tissa Attanayake, General Secretary of main opposition UNP, criticized Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa's statement on the holding of provincial council elections in Northern Province. Attanayake observed that Rajapaksa has breached the role of a public servant by stating that holding the Northern Provincial Council election would pose a threat to national security.

Vanni Security Forces Commander and Officer-in-Charge of Displaced Persons Major General Boniface Perera said that civilians living in the Northern Province do not want the Army to be removed from the Northern Province.

Two ex-cadres of LTTE were indicted before the Anuradhapura Provincial High Court over charges of shooting down a military aircraft on March 30, 2000. The two LTTE cadres are accused of shooting down an Antanov-32 plane firing missiles from Wilpattu Wildlife Park killing 32 military personnel.

TNA said that the Government was covertly backing the move to abolish the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. TNA parliamentarian, M. A. Sumanthiran said the move by the JHU to propose the abolition of the provincial council system under the 13th Amendment to the Constitution is backed by the Government since the JHU is a constituent member of the Governing party with a member in the Cabinet.

SLMC said the party would not support the abolition of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. SLMC Leader and Justice Minister Rauf Hakeem said that the SLMC would not take any action to support the abolition of the 13th Amendment.

A court in Bangalore city acquitted 10 LTTE suspects who were being tried for allegedly possessing explosives and substances used for making bombs. The ten were arrested by Police in the city in 2002. They were in judicial custody and were subsequently granted bail by Supreme Court and Karnataka High Court.

US Country Reports on Terrorism 2012 released by the US State Department said that LTTE's financial network of support continued to operate throughout 2012 and there were multiple reports of increased LTTE involvement in human smuggling out of refugee camps.

TNA parliamentarian Mavai Senathirajah said that a power sharing arrangement under a unitary State would not solve national question. He said that power sharing under a unitary system is questionable in today's context of domination by Buddhist extremists and the party is yet to discuss and decide its stance on the draft Constitution presented by the UNP.

Hundreds of Buddhist monks in Colombo commemorated the massacre of 33 Buddhist monks in Aranthalawa area of Ampara District of Eastern Province by the LTTE on June 2, 1987. LTTE brutally hacked to death and shot 33 Buddhist monks, most of them novice monks as young as 8 years old when they were in a bus heading to Kandy city of Central Province.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa in Badulla District of Uva Province said that recalling atrocities perpetrated by LTTE terrorists in the past was not intended to sow seeds of hatred in society, but to ensure that such a gruesome period will not be repeated in the future. He said "We should tell the younger generation that the country faced such a gruesome period in the past in order to avert such situations in the future through forging closer and amicable ties between communities."

Sri Lanka's High Commissioner to the UK, Dr. Chris Nonis, in an interview with BBCs Mishal Husain in London said that the country has made tremendous progress towards reconciliation since the end of conflict in 2009. The High Commissioner said 297,000 people have been rehabilitated and there is a billion dollar programme going into the North and East of the country for the rebuilding.

Colombo High Court sentenced three LTTE cadres suspected of blowing up a train 17 years ago killing 66 people. Colombo High Court Judge Kumudini Wickremasinghe sentenced two of the suspects - Saverimuttu Loganathan and Robert Maxillan to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment while the female suspect, Siththirasenam Thirumagal to five years of rigorous imprisonment. The suspects were accused of placing two bombs in two carriages of a highly crowded train and detonating it while stopped at the Dehiwala station in Colombo on July 24, 1996. The attack killed 66 people and injured over 400 people.

The Government decided to appoint the PSC proposed some time ago to work out political proposals for the resolution of the national question. The decision was taken at a meeting with the leaders of the ruling party's allies.

Minister of Water Supply and Drainage and Chief Government Whip of Sri Lanka Dinesh Gunawardena announced that an urgent bill will be tabled in Parliament for approval on June 5 regarding the NPC election.

Addressing the Foreign Correspondents' Association, TNA leader R. Sampanthan said that in regard to the people of the north and east, affected by the war, the Alliance had endeavoured to avoid an attitude of confrontation with the Government and had offered to cooperate. M.A. Sumanthiran, TNA MP, also said that the TNA has offered to work with the Government.

TNA spokesman Suresh Premachandran said the 'majoritarian principle' would augur well for the Government and the Sinhalese majority since the other provinces except the Eastern province is governed by the Sinhalese.

The Government will submit a proposal to the cabinet of ministers today seeking approval to re-amend the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. The proposed amendment reportedly aims to remove the provisions provided for a merger of the adjoining provincial councils which allows bills and acts to get passed by all provincial councils before they are passed in Parliament. The draft bill in this regard has been approved by the party leaders of the ruling UPFA on June 4.

TNA has opposed the Government's move to amend the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. TNA parliamentarian Suresh Premachandran said the 13th Amendment which was aimed at solving the national issue and the Government must consult the TNA as a representative of the Tamil people prior to any move to amend the 13th Amendment since it would affect the people of the North and East. However, Premachandran noted that the Government has not yet made any official comment on its stance on the 13th Amendment.

Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya said that the Elections Department had begun preparations to hold the NPC elections in September although it was yet to receive an official confirmation regarding the holding of the election. He further said as of now the status quo regarding the registered voters would remain unless there is legislation to effect change to include a new voter list.

TNA said that it would be useless to hold elections to the NPC after amending the 13th Amendment and reducing powers vested with the provinces. TNA parliamentarian Suresh Premachandran said, "The current President and the Government are going against this (implementing the 13th Amendment and going beyond)."

Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga said that the then Government was so much under pressure that it accepted the 13th Amendment to the Constitution without calling for a referendum in the face of a threat of invasion. He said many countries including the United Kingdom, United States, France, and neighboring India exerted pressure to stop the humanitarian operation launched by the Government to free the country from terrorism.

The Parliamentary Group of SLMC unanimously resolved to express opposition to any moves to make changes to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. The SLMC parliamentary group met at the Colombo residence of party leader and Justice Minister Rauf Hakeem and all eight MPs of the party came to the decision unanimously to oppose any moves that curtail the powers allocated to the Provincial councils.

The Catholic Bishops of Sri Lanka in a statement at Catholic Bishops' Conference in Colombo requested the Government not to proceed with amending the 13th Amendment or totally repeal it but to discuss with all relevant parties on drawing up a totally new Constitution which is fair by all communities. The bishops advised the Government to discuss the 13th Amendment through a PSC and consider a totally new Constitution which would guarantee "justice, peace and prosperity for all citizens of the country regardless of their ethnic, religious or social differences."

Deputy Minister of Investment Promotion Faiszer Musthapha and SLFP Batticaloa District organiser Arun Thamabimutthu said that the Provincial Council system was a 'white elephant' and called for the repealing of the land and police powers enshrined in the Constitution if the Government were to proceed with the NPC elections.

Faizer Mustapha, the Deputy Minister of Investment Promotion said that it is dangerous to hold election to the NPC with land and Police powers since TNA still harbors a separatist line. According to Mustapha, if Police powers were granted to the provincial councils it would interfere with the independence of the Police.

Leader of LSSP and Senior Cabinet Minister Tissa Vitarana said that 13th Amendment to the Constitution needs to be changed. The Minister said the shortcomings in the Amendment should not be a reason to postpone the NPC election to be held in September. He maintained, although the 13th Amendment needs change, any modification to it is not a prerequisite to hold elections in the North.

In a letter addressed to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Opposition Leader and leader of the UNP Ranil Wickremasinghe requested the Government to take measures to ensure a free and fair of the NPC scheduled to be held in September this year. Further, the Opposition leader requested the President to schedule a meeting for a delegation headed by him to discuss the measures he suggested.

Sri Lanka's Cabinet approved the revisions to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution and asked the Parliament Speaker to appoint a PSC to study the issues regarding the legislation.

An organization called the National Group announced that it would campaign for the abolition of the Provincial Council system and has called on the Government to remove Police and land powers vested on the Provinces by the 13th Amendment.

The Central Committee of SLFP decided to hold the elections in September for three provincial councils - Northern Provincial Council, Northwestern Provincial Council and the Central Provincial Council. The Central Committee appointed three committees to handle the party organizational work in the three provincial councils. The committee for the Northern Provincial Council is headed by the secretary of the ruling UPFA Minister Susil Prema Jayantha while UPFA Vice Secretary Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva will head the committee for the Central Provincial Council. The committee for the Northwestern Provincial Council is headed by General Secretary of SLFP Minister Maithripala Sirisena.

External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris, during his bilateral discussions in Berlin with Dr. Guido Westerwelle, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany urged Germany to keep a close watch on the several LTTE front organisations in Germany, breaching the European Union proscription.

Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Rajitha Senaratne addressing a press briefing held in Colombo said that he was ready to sacrifice his cabinet portfolio to stop further reducing the powers devolved to the provinces through the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. He further said that the Government would be defeated before the international forces unless it fails to stop the moves to further curtail the powers of the provincial councils.

UNP Assistant Leader Joseph Michael Perera said that the confrontation over the scrapping of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in particular would ultimately create a situation where the separatists would achieve their objective overnight.

JVP announced that it would bring a political package to replace the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. JVP proposes solutions to the problems of the Tamil people in their package while proposing to abolish the 13th Amendment completely. JVP package is based on constitutional recognition of state as a multinational state and acceptance of freedom of all nationalities. The package will be launched within two weeks.

SLMC said the party will take legal action if the PSC that will be appointed to revise the 13th Amendment to the Constitution approves the proposals to curtail the powers devolved to the Provincial Councils. National organizer of the SLMC, Rafeek Rajabdeen said the party was against the amendments brought to take away police and land powers from Provincial Councils.

Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne at a meeting at the Prime Minister's Office in Colombo said giving Police and Land powers to Provincial Councils will create needless issues in a small country like Sri Lanka. He said the 13th Amendment to the Constitution has opened up a dialogue in the media and the public space. It is a characteristic of democracy. He further said "Equity is the main feature of a society. When creating an equal society, the differences among nationalities, races, castes and religions should be eliminated."

Leader of JHU and Minister of Technology, Research and Atomic Energy Patali Champika Ranawaka warned of a possible outcome detrimental to the country's unity from the NPC election if the NPC election is held without amending the Constitution. He said that the Tamil separatists might use this election as a referendum for their cause.

A Bill was presented to Parliament by the JHU to abolish the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. The Bill was presented by JHU Member of Parliament (MP) Ven. Aturaliye Ratana and is titled the 'Twenty First Amendment to the Constitution'. The Bill was seconded by UNP Puttalam District MP Palitha Range Bandara.

The Parliament passed a bill to ensure the voting rights of the displaced people in the North. The Bill tabled by the Justice Minister Rauf Hakeem will allow the IDPs displaced from the North between May 1, 1983 and May 18, 2009 to register to vote if they have not been registered as voters in any other electoral District. The Supreme Court ruled that the special bill is consistent with the Constitution.

SLFP invited all political parties to forward their suggestions to the PSC on the 13th Amendment, and to be parties to the forthcoming NPC election. SLFP General Secretary Minister Maithripala Sirisena said the Government is committed to conduct a transparent, free and fair election in the three Provinces including the North.

John Amaratunga, Chief Opposition Whip of UNP, told that UNP is considering boycotting the proposed PSC to discuss amendment to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. Amaratunga told that the UNP will take part in the process only if some conditions are met. Among the conditions for the UNP to be part of the PSC process is the full implementation of the recommendations of the LLRC. Amaratunga added that the UNP also wanted the 17th Amendment to be implemented and the media, police and state institutions to be given the freedom to operate independently.

Stating that there are continuing activities by LTTE front organizations in Australia, the Sri Lankan Government pressed for their proscription in Australia under the Australian Criminal Code Act. Visiting External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris made this request when he held talks with Brendan O'Connor, the Australian Minister for Immigration and Citizenship in Australia.

Minister of Mass Media and Information Keheliya Rambukwella explained the reasons behind the Government's initiative to revise the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. He said the 13th Amendment to the Constitution and the Indo-Lanka Agreement were imposed on the country without the consent of the people. "However, the sovereignty of the people is supreme. Therefore, the Government has focused the attention on bringing in certain amendments to the 13th Amendment as it suits to the country in the present situation," he said.

Leader of the House, Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said that the main opposition UNP and TNA have requested more time to decide on the proposed PSC to decide on constitutional amendments. According to de Silva, some opposition parties use wasting time as a strategy. The Minister added that the NPC election would not be postponed until conclusion of the PSC proceedings.

PSC on constitutional changes for the 13th Amendment was appointed. It comprises 19 members and is headed by Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva as its Chairman. The other members are External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris, Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena, Petroleum Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Chief Government Whip Dinesh Gunawardane, Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Minister Douglas Devananda, Environment Minister Susil Premajayantha, Provincial Councils and Local Government Minister A.L.M. Athaullah, Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen, Senor Minister D.E.W. Gunasekara, Science and Technlogy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka, Housing Minister Wimal Weerawansa, Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa, Sugar Industries Development Minister Lakshman Seneviratne, National Languages and Social Integration Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Deputy Minister Muttu Sivalingam, Government MP Mrs. Sudarshani Fernandopulle and Government MP Janaka Bandara.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa expressing his views on 13th Amendment to the Constitution said the Government has appointed a PSC for the political parties to discuss the issue and take a decision not because of the upcoming NPC election. "These amendments are not solely for the North and East. It is the rest of the Provincial Councils in the country that has to be changed and it is the view of the general public," the President said.

Chief Opposition Whip of UNP MP John Amaratunga said in Parliament that the party will nominate its members to the proposed PSC to study the revisions to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution only if the Government agrees to conditions set by the party on June 19.

Former spokesman of LTTE Velayutham Dayanithi alias Daya Master received the membership of the SLFP, the main coalition party of ruling UPFA alliance. Daya Master received the SLFP membership following an extensive interview with a ministerial panel consisting of Ministers Susil Premajayantha, Mahindananda Aluthgamage and C.B. Ratnayake at the SLFP Headquarters in Colombo. Daya Master expressed interest in contesting the upcoming NPC polls in September.

Foreign Minister Professor G. L. Peiris during a long interview in Sydney claimed that remnants of the defeated LTTE are involved in the people-smuggling business of bringing Sri Lankan boat people to Australia. He stated, although the war between the Sri Lankan Government and the LTTE is over, Tamil Tiger networks still intimidate Tamil families in the diasporas and extort money from them, while also engaging in a range of other criminal activities. He also requested Australia to proscribe the LTTE as a terrorist organisation, making any support to the terrorist organisation from Australia illegal.

National organizer of the SLMC Rafeek Rajabdeen said that the party will nominate its representative for the PSC on June 29. He said there will be a special meeting of the party on that day and at that meeting the Executive Council will discuss the SLMC proposals regarding the constitutional issue and make decision on the party representative to the PSC.

Election Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya said that the elections for the three provincial councils will be held in late September. The Election Commissioner told "Most likely it will be either on September 21 or 28." He further said that the actual date of election will depend on the number of political parties and groups that will submit the nominations to the North Central, Northern and Central Provincial councils that are up for polls.

Chief Government Whip and Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said the constitutional amendments proposed to amend the powers granted to the Provincial Councils under the 13th Amendment to the Constitution would be sent to the Supreme Court for advice.

Former leading arms procurer and international wing leader of the LTTE Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP told that he has no ambition to contest for the Northern Provincial Council. Pathmanathan rejected the rumors that he would contest the election as the Chief Minister candidate of the ruling UPFA.

Former spokesman of LTTE Velayutham Dayanithi alias Daya Master said that he was invited to contest the election for the Northern Provincial Council by higher authorities of the Government. He said that the Tamil people are concerned of the efforts to curtail the powers of the Provincial Councils and urged the "Sinhala extremist parties" to join hands with the Tamil people.

Two Provincial Councils - the Sabaragamuwa and Southern - passed resolutions in support of the Government's initial move to repeal two provisions of the 13th Amendment, enabling Parliament to legislate on subjects allocated to the provincial councils and preventing the scope for merger of two or more provincial councils.

SLMC vowed not to allow the Government to get two-third majority to amend the power devolution mechanism of the Constitution. SLMC national organizer Rafeek Rajabdeen pointed out that the Government would need the support of the Tamil, Muslim parties and the opposition UNP for amending the Constitution. He further said that the party would not support any moves to take back the powers granted to the Provincial Councils through the 13th Amendment of the Constitution.

Prisons and Prison reforms Minister Chandrasiri Gajadeera said that there are 810 former LTTE cadres in remand custody and they are not political prisoners but hardcore LTTE cadres who ordered the killings and other heinous terrorist activities. He further said most of the arrested LTTE cadres have been rehabilitated and released to the society but these hardcore LTTE cadres remain detained because there is evidence against them.

Main party in opposition UNP said that it opposes the dilution of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution as proposed by the Government. Addressing a media briefing in Colombo, the UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake, said that the 13th Amendment was a result of an accord between two sovereign nations and not a private agreement between Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and the former Sri Lankan President J. R. Jayewardene, as claimed by their critics.

Sri Lankan authorities released the former female political wing leader of the LTTE Subramaniam Sivathai alias Thamalini after undergoing a one-year rehabilitation program. The Commissioner General of Rehabilitation Brigadier Dharshana Hettiarachchi said that Thamalini was handed over to her parents at the Poonthottam Rehabilitation Centre in Vavuniya District.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa during a meeting with the leaders of the leftist parties said the basis of the PSC process would be the recommendations of the APRC headed by Prof. Tissa Vitharana. The APRC headed by Prof. Tissa Witharana formed on July 11, 2006, was boycotted by UNP and JVP. The final report of the committee was presented to the President on August 16, 2009 with none of the proposals being implemented thus far.

External Affairs Professor G.L. Peiris met the foreign diplomats at his Ministry and explained the provincial council system in the country and the 13th Amendment to the Constitution which introduced the provincial council system under the 1987 Indo-Lanka Accord. The Minister noted that a complete study needs to be conducted before the Constitutional Amendment is moved in Parliament.

Marxist party JVP decided not to participate in the PSC appointed to discuss constitutional amendments. JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva told a press conference that the JVP would not name representatives from the party to the PSC.

NMAPC said thousands of Buddhist monks in Sri Lanka will hold a rally in Colombo on July 2nd calling for the abolition of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. The NMAPC stated that 3,000-4,000 monks from all over the country would participate in the rally.

Main opposition UNP held discussions with the Government ally SLMC on the constitutional reforms that are to be reviewed by a committee of the Sri Lankan Parliament next month. During the meeting, the UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake handed over a copy of its draft for a new constitution to SLMC leader, Justice Minister Rauf Hakeem.

UNP parliamentarian Mangala Samaraweera said "I do not think the President would act against the 13th Amendment, if he is to take a decision on his own. He has been taken hostage by extremist groups led by Gotabaya Rajapaksa. What we should do is not to abolish the 13th Amendment but to carry it forward. It should be 13++ not 13-."

TNA decided not to participate in the PSC appointed to find solutions to the national issue. The TNA took the decision when the representatives of the party met in Colombo to discuss their participation in the PSC proposed by the Government.

Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa announced that he will leave for India on July 4 to appraise the Indian leaders of proposed revisions to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.

Minister of State Languages and National Integration Vasudeva Nanayakkara announced that he would leave the Government if it takes steps to abolish the powers of the provincial council system.

Former LTTE Spokesperson Velayutham Dayanithi alias Daya Master will prepare governing party UPFA's manifesto for the NPC election. He told that candidates who are to contest under the UPFA including him have identified the issues faced by the Tamil people and the solutions to these issues would be included in the party's election manifesto.

Former Women's Political Wing leader of LTTE Subramaniam Shivathavi alias Thamalini is to get the membership in the SLFP. Thamalini will contest as a candidate of the SLFP to the upcoming NPC election.

A Canadian LTTE operative extradited to the US to face charges of supporting the LTTE pleaded guilty in Brooklyn in New York to the charges against him. The suspect, Suresh Sriskandarajah (32), could face up to 25 years in prison after admitting that he provided material support including sophisticated military technology to the LTTE. He has used students as couriers to smuggle prohibited items into LTTE-controlled Wanni region in Sri Lanka and also helped the LTTE launder its proceeds in the US and elsewhere.

JHU General Secretary, Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said that the Indo-Lanka Accord and the 13th Amendment to the Constitution are invalid. The Minister noted that India had failed to disarm the LTTE as agreed in the Indo-Lanka Accord. He explained that India had pledged to disarm the LTTE in 72 hours after entering into the agreement but had failed to do.

Former Army Commander of Sri Lanka and Leader of the Democratic Party, Sarath Fonseka said that amending the 13th Amendment to the Constitution at this juncture would disrupt the ethnic harmony in the country.

Minister of Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms Chandrasiri Gajadeera requested approval from the cabinet to provide loan facilities to over 4,700 rehabilitated and re-integrated persons in the North for self-employment. According to the Government, 11,573 people have been rehabilitated and re-integrated into the society after the conflict in the Northern and Eastern Provinces.

Government decided to add 53 more recommendations made by the LLRC to the National NAP established to implement the LLRC recommendations. Those 53 recommendations were not included in the initial stage NAP prepared in July 2012 to implement the LLRC recommendations since a majority of the recommendations overlap with other recommendations or form part of the recommendations contained in the National Human Rights Action Plan.

The official website of the NAP for the implementation of the LLRC recommendations was launched. The website www.llrcaction.gov.lk will provide d information relating to the progress of implementing recommendations of the LLRC.

Former leading arms procurer and international wing leader of the LTTE Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP criticized theTNA for deciding not to participate in the PSC to discuss constitutional amendments. He said "If the TNA believes there should not be any changes to the 13th Amendment, it could very well articulate such concerns at the PSC, instead of shouting from the sidelines."

Leader of EPDP, Minster Douglas Devananda said that at least 38 ministers are supportive of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. He told that he has collected the signatures of 38 Government ministers expressing their support to the 13th Amendment in its current form and observed that the Government would not be able to get the required two-thirds majority in parliament to pass any amendments to the 13th Amendment.

TNA parliamentarian Suresh Premachandran called for independent international monitors to observe the NPC election. He said that foreign observers at the NPC polls would ensure the holding of a free and fair poll.

Buddhist extremist group Sinhala Ravaya announced that it will organize a protest march against the attack on Mahabodhi Temple at Bodhgaya in India. The activists plan to march to the Indian High Commission to protest the Indian Government in regard of the incident.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa, during a discussion with India's National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon, in Colombo said the PSC is the best forum to reach a consensus on the implementation of the 13th Amendment.

External Affairs Minister Professor G.L. Peiris told Parliament the Indian government has informed Sri Lanka that according to revelations so far into the bomb attack in Bodhgaya (Bihar, India), the incident had no connection with Sri Lanka.

DPF Leader Mano Ganeshan said that his party would contest the Central Provincial Council election under the UNP. The DPF will field candidates from the UNP in the Kandy and Matale Districts for the election.

GCB released by TI shows that 64% of Sri Lankans believe that corruption has increased in the past two years in the country and Police were corrupt or extremely corrupt institution in the country.

The PSC met for the first time in the Parliament complex under leadership of its Chairman, the Leader of the House Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva. The Opposition parties, including the main opposition party UNP, JVP and TNA, however, have decided not to participate in the Committee despite the Government's request.

Implementing the recommendations made by the LLRC, a program to pay compensation to the residents of Northern Province affected by violence during the war has initiated. Under the first phase of the program, President Mahinda Rajapaksa symbolically handed over compensation to the families of people who lost loved ones and property and sustained injuries.

PSC appointed to discuss amendment to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution decided to call for public opinion. Secretary of the PSC Neil Iddawala said that opinions could be forwarded in written form to the special Committee from July 11 till August 9.

Cabinet spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said that if the PSC did not come up with proposals to amend the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, the NPC elections and other Provincial Council elections will be held according to the existing provisions of the 13th amendment.

The Government ruled out the need to bring in international polls observers in view of the forthcoming elections to the Northern, Central and North Western Provincial Councils. Ruling UPFA General Secretary Susil Premajayantha told journalists after a meeting with Elections Commissioner that political parties should have confidence in the local mechanisms in this case, instead of seeking international support for everything.

BASL will appear for the land owners in the Northern Province whose lands are to be acquired by the Government. The BASL sources have observed that hundreds of acres of land owned by Tamils in the North are to be acquired by the government ahead of the Northern Provincial Council polls. Over 300 land owners had approached the Association for help and the lawyers of the BASL had responded positively.

FSP, a splinter party of main Marxist party JVP, announced that the party would not contest the upcoming provincial council elections. FSP said that the elections are held on a ground which is advantageous to the rulers and branded the upcoming election as a trap.

The Vavuniya High Court indicted two cadres of the intelligence unit of the LTTE at Vavuniya District for the killing of 26 personnel of state military, burning and burying their bodies. The two LTTE cadres identified as Madaarayan Sulakshan and Ganeshan Darshan are accused of executing the 26 military personnel who were captured and detained at the LTTE torture camp in the LTTE's Victor 1 camp in Puthukudiyiruppu town of Mullaitivu District.

SLMC decided to contest the NPC elections alone scheduled to be held in September 2013. Shafik Rajabdeen, SLMC national organizer said "We will contest the northern election under our own party symbol of 'tree'."

The Navy arrested two persons along with explosives hidden in a fiber glass dingy in Trincomalee District. Naval troops attached to SLNS Walagamba of the Eastern Naval Command arrested the two persons and seized gelignite sticks weighing 200 grams, five non-electric detonators and nine safety fuses during their search operations.

Minister of External Affairs Professor G.L. Peiris told a visiting EU delegation that LTTE front organizations continue to raise funds in foreign countries and therefore, sustained vigilance over such activities is necessary. He reiterated this when he met the European Parliament Delegation for Relations with South Asia at the Ministry in Colombo.

Election Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya assured political party secretaries that foreign poll observers would be invited to observe the forthcoming PC election, but they would not be from countries that voted against Sri Lanka at the UNHRC in March 2013.

Economic Development Minister and Sri Lankan President's younger brother, Basil Rajapaksa said that Sri Lanka cannot risk a provincial Government forming its own army through Police powers devolved to provinces under the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.

The Election Secretariat of Sri Lanka announced that three international organizations will be invited to monitor the upcoming election of the three provincial councils. SAARC, Commonwealth, and ASEAN are the three organizations that will be invited to monitor the polls for Northern, Central and North Western provincial councils.

Minister of Social Services Douglas Devananda presented a cabinet memorandum to the Cabinet of Ministers to amend the Provincial Councils Act. The proposed amendment would enable the Chief Minister of a Provincial Council to be appointed outside the original nomination list.

Sri Lanka Army spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasuriya said it will not get involved in security activities in the North during the forthcoming provincial council elections, unless a request is made by the Police.

CaFFE said that over 85,000 voters in the Northern Province do not have ID cards. CaFFE Executive Director, Keerthi Tennakoon said that out of the 85,000 persons in the North without ID cards, according to the 2012 voter register, 45,000 were in the Jaffna District alone.

UNP said that the country is on the path of militarization which has a bad effect on civil society. UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake said that the sectors like sports and Foreign Service have severely affected by the militarization.

Army spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya said that Army is planning to further reduce the number of troops it has stationed in the Jaffna peninsula. The Army has taken a decision to move troops from 13 small military camps located in the Walikamam sector of Jaffna District to the Palaly Cantonment in northern edge of the peninsula.

JVP leader Somawansa Amarasinghe said his party would abolish the provincial council system under a JVP Government and that it would restore the rights of all communities. He said that President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his Government has failed miserably to find a political solution to the national question though they had ample time to resolve the matter.

Minister Susil Premajayantha said that the proposed revisions to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution would not be possible before the forthcoming Provincial Council elections. He also noted that the government has not taken any steps to dilute the 13th Amendment as alleged by some elements.

NCAPCS, a movement against the Provincial Council system, called on the PSC to discuss amendments to the 13th Amendment and announce its decision before the Northern Provincial Council elections.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa directed Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga to appoint a commission to look into the incidents of disappearance that have taken place during the 30 years of conflict. The President's media unit said his move to appoint such a commission is a clear indication of his unwavering commitment to ensure that Human Rights are well protected in the country.

PM D.M. Jayaratne suggested the Government to take steps to remove the nationality name of Indian origin Tamils that live in Sri Lanka for generations. The PM said, "We hope to name them as Sri Lankans instead of Indian Tamils. Similarly, we are planning to call them estate employees instead of estate workers."

The General Secretary of the ruling party UPFA Susil Premajayantha said that there are no former leaders of the LTTE in the party's nomination list to the Northern Provincial Council polls. Around 40 individuals from the Northern Province, including the former LTTE spokesman, Velayutham Dayanithi alias Daya Master and former LTTE women's political wing leader Subramanium Shivathavi alias Thamilinihas, have sought candidature of the main constituent party of ruling alliance, SLFP.

TNA parliamentarian Suresh Premachandran said it will not accept the proposed Presidential Commission to probe the disappeared during the period of the war. Premachandran said, "Since the Government has deliberately failed to implement the LLRC recommendations over the past three years they are now appointing commissions after commissions to show the world that they are implementing LLRC recommendations. Although the Government can fool some, they cannot fool the Tamils or the International community."

Attorney General of Sri Lanka filed charges against six former LTTE cadres at Colombo High Court over the attack on a Navy vessel, SLNS Sayura, in 2006. The SLNS Sayura was attacked in the seas near Negombo city of Western Province. The ship was instrumental for Sri Lanka military in their battle against the LTTE.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa said his stance on the issue of distribution of Police and land powers to Provincial Councils has not changed and reiterated that the powers will remain with the Federal Government.

TNA spokesperson parliamentarian Suresh Premachandran alleged that the Army had intimidated two of its candidates soon after they had filed their nominations on July 29. The military personnel had gone to the residences of S. Sayanthan, a TNA candidate from Chavakachcheri town of Jaffna District and Ananthi Sasitharan, the wife of the LTTE's former Trincomalee political wing leader, Elilan, and had questioned them on their political activities.

Media and Information Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said that the 13th Amendment to the Constitution would not be completely abolished but will be changed to make it more meaningful.

EC set the date for elections to the war-torn Northern Provincial Council and two others for September 21 after the conclusion of accepting nominations. The EC has taken measures to invite three international organizations - SAARC, Commonwealth, and the ASEAN - to monitor the elections to assure a free and fair election.

A former LTTE cadre revealed information on 'detention and execution' of over 80 captives, including a Tamil inspector of the TID of Police and an Army Captain. The former cadre disclosed to the Police how the LTTE held the captives in illegal prisons named 'Alpha-05' and 'Alpha-02' in Pudukuduirippu town at Mullaitivu District also revealed the location where the victims were burnt after they were killed.

Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe, Security Forces' Commander of Jaffna rejected a claim made by the TNA on the troop strength in the peninsula. Major General Hathurusinghe, responding to the allegation by the TNA Spokesperson and Jaffna District Parliamentarian, Suresh Premachandran, that 150,000 Security Forces are present in Jaffna, said even during the peak time of the war in 2008, there were only 43,000 security personnel in Jaffna.

TNA expressed disappointment over President Mahinda Rajapaksa's stance on land and Police powers to provinces. Leader of the TNA, R. Sampanthan said "He (the President) does not seem to have any steady decision. The TNA is observing his comments and at the right time the Alliance will come out with the response to the President."

Minister Wimal Weerawansa said that TNA's Chief Ministerial candidate for the NPC, C.V. Vigneswaran, is in an agenda to weaken the Central Government at a future election. He further said that Vigneswaran would start to grab power when he becomes the Chief Minister and merge with the Eastern Provincial Council with the support of the SLMC led by Minister Rauf Hakeem.

General Secretary of the SLFP and Minister Maithreepala Sirisena made an announcement that the ruling alliance UPFA will commence its campaign for the forthcoming provincial council elections on September 2 coinciding with the 62nd anniversary of the UPFA's main constituent, SLFP. President Mahinda Rajapaksa will launch the inaugural campaign with a rally at the Maliga Pitiya Ground in Kurunegala District of North Western Province.

TNA said that the party has planned to meet the officials of the United States Department of State to brief the U.S. officials on the forthcoming Northern Provincial Council election. A delegation of TNA led by party leader R. Sampanthan and M.A. Sumanthiran is scheduled to leave for the United States on August 12.

Department of Elections said it has recorded 68 polls related violations so far. The most number of complaints were reported from the Kurunegala District in North Western Province while the least number of incidents have been reported in the Vavuniya and Kilinochchi Districts in the Northern Province.

Representatives of TNA met with officials from the US Department of State in Washington. TNA leader R. Sampanthan and parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran met with officials from the US State Department. Details of the meetings in Washington have however not been reported.

Chief of Defense Staff General Jagath Jayasuriya revealed that four professors of Jaffna, Peradeniya and Uva-Wellassa universities had left for the UK after obtaining government leave from their work claiming to participate in a special training from August 12 to 20 in London. However, the four academics had attended a conference on establishing a Tamil interim government and participated in LTTE activities.

The Government began an investigation on four university faculty members who reportedly attended an 'Eelam' seminar and participated in the LTTE activities in London while on academic leave.

Army Commander Daya Ratnayake said that the SFs invented their own methods to fight against the LTTE. He said "We were required to adapt and remain ahead of our enemy. We did adapt. We did think out of the box. We invented our own methods and we succeeded."

President Mahinda Rajapaksa told his political rivals not to internationalize Sri Lanka's problems and instead look to settle them internally. Rajapaksa said, "Some go to India and utter different things while others go to US and do same. People must engage with the government in order to look for solutions and not clash with it."

TNA candidate of the Jaffna District Anandi Elilan said that she would meet the UN Commissioner for Human Rights Navanetham Pillay to brief her experiences of last stage of war against the LTTE. Anandi is the wife of LTTE political wing leader of Trincomalee District Elilan. She claimed that Elilan surrendered to the military following the end of the war and he was taken in a bus before he disappeared.

Representatives of TNA announced that they will meet the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on August 30 during her visit to Sri Lanka. The TNA will explain to Pillay the need to demilitarize the North and request for the UNHRC to intervene to secure the release of Tamil political prisoners.

Military spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya said that several army camps in the Jaffna peninsula of Northern Province were closed down, further reducing the presence of troops in the area.

Mass Media and Information Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said that Sri Lanka did not encounter a single incident of terror after the defeat of the LTTE in May 2009. He further said during a short period of four years after the war ended, 300,000 displaced persons have been resettled while another 12,000 have successfully been rehabilitated and integrated into society and a large number of Tamils have been given the opportunity to enlist with the SFs.

Defence Intelligence Units said that nearly 5,000 SFs and Police personnel who are believed to be abducted and disappeared during the 30 years war perished at the hands of LTTE terrorists, having being subjected to torture. The total breakdown is 3,484 SFs personnel, 1,189 Police personnel and 1,175 civilians that disappeared at the hands of LTTE terrorists. This is in addition to the abduction and forced conscription of 609 Tamils into terrorist ranks.

TNA MP Suresh Premachandran at the maiden election rally of the TNA for the NPC poll held in Mannar District said that Tamil people can begin talks on a federal solution only if 'we have weapons'. TNA MP P. Ariyanendran also said "The armed conflict was continued by leader Prabhakaran. But today, we live on without anything."

Representatives of the Dead and Missing Persons' Parents' Front said that the UNHRC has to study the atrocities perpetrated by the LTTE on the Tamil people during the entire three decades that they operated with impunity and not just the last few months of conflict when efforts were made to eradicate terrorism from the country to guarantee human rights of all Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim people.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay acknowledged the post-war progress when a meeting between the UN official and the President Mahinda Rajapaksa took place at the Temple Trees in Colombo. Pillay said "This is a visit long overdue, but I felt that it's much better that I come so that I'll be in a position to report on the very many achievements that have been made. Firstly, it was very visible to me in the North how much you have invested in reconstruction."

The 'Q' Branch of Tamil Nadu Police arrested the two LTTE suspects, Sivaneshwaran alias Nesan (34) and Gopi alias Manoharan (37) from an apartment in Chennai city. Police said Sivaneshwaran was formerly an important functionary in the political recruitment wing of the LTTE while Gopi had completed his training and was a member of the outfit. The two suspects were reportedly making IEDs to trigger explosions in Sri Lanka.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa in an exclusive interview in his Colombo office accused pro-LTTE networks of using money to bribe politicians in key Western nations, in order to get them to agitate against the Sri Lankan Government on Human Rights issues. He described the leader of the LTTE, Prabrakaran, who died in the final conflict of 2009, as "a psychopath who took a delight in killing."

TNA parliamentarian Suresh Premachandran said the Government should either apologize to the families of missing persons or accept that such crimes have happened and ensure that will not happen again in future. He asked, "If the government is adamant that what they did was correct and is not willing to accept their mistakes, how can there be reconciliation in this country?"

TNA called for the merger of the Northern and Eastern provinces in its manifesto presented for the NPC election. The manifesto also states that devolution of power should be on the basis of shared sovereignty, necessarily over land, law and order, socio-economic development including health and education, resources and fiscal powers.

TNA called for the merger of the Northern and Eastern provinces in its manifesto presented for the NPC election. The manifesto also states that devolution of power should be on the basis of shared sovereignty, necessarily over land, law and order, socio-economic development including health and education, resources and fiscal powers.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa observed that in the present era the country is witnessing a revival of religious activity among all faiths following the end of the 30 year long conflict. He stressed that his Government at all times was committed to protect the rights of all religions in the country and also treat them on an equal footing.

Ranjini, a Tamil refugee in Australia, admitted to having trained child soldiers of LTTE during Sri Lanka's civil war to justify her indefinite detention in Australia. She also told Australian immigration officials she rose to the rank of 'Lieutenant Colonel' in the LTTE and fought two battles in the late 1990s against Sri Lankan forces. Ranjini is the most well-known of a group of 47 refugees held in immigration detention but not permitted a visa to live in Australia.

A man, believed to be a supporter of LTTE, committed self-immolation in front of the United Nation's Human Rights Committee building in Geneva, Switzerland. There was a photo of a soldier next to him with a symbol of the LTTE as well as documents on self-immolation of Tibetans in Tibet.

Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa said that TNA is trying to mislead the people in the Northern Province. He said the TNA has prepared a manifesto to satisfy the expectations of the Diaspora to pave a path for another chaotic situation in the country.

The Commissioner General of Rehabilitation, Major General Jagath Wijethilake in Colombo said that 107 former LTTE cadres who have successfully completed the rehabilitation program at the Maradamadu and Poonthottam rehabilitation centers in Vavuniya District will be released on September 9.

110 rehabilitated former LTTE cadres were released from their respective rehabilitation centres at a ceremony in Colombo. 75 former carders who were rehabilitated at the Welikanda rehabilitation camp and 35 former carders rehabilitated at the Puththotam camp in Vavuniya District were among those who were released after completion of their programmes.

Sri Lanka Lawyers' Guild said that they will file a case in the Supreme Court against the election manifesto of the TNA. Kapila Gamage, the convener of the Sri Lanka Lawyers' Guild said the TNA manifesto was against the Constitution of the country. He said that the proclamation of self-rule in the manifesto is a violation of the Sri Lanka Constitution.

JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva said that the TNA with its election manifesto has not addressed the issues faced by the Tamil people, but has instead provided the Mahinda Rajapaksa government another topic to be used during its election campaign.

Youth Affairs and Skills Development Minister Dullas Alahapperuma said that the manifesto of the TNA is a 'cyanide capsule' to innocent Tamil youth freed by the present leadership of the country.

TNA parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran said that the party's election manifesto for the NPC election is prepared to uphold the right of self-determination of the Tamils in the country.

The Government said that it cannot accept the election manifesto of the TNA for the NPC. In its election manifesto, the TNA, once considered as a proxy for the terrorist group LTTE during the war, has called for establishing power sharing arrangements in a unit of a merged Northern and Eastern Provinces based on a Federal structure.

Leader of the EPDP and Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Minister, Douglas Devananda said that the TNA has betrayed the people in the North to the dollars, euros and pounds of the Diaspora.

Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa said that the United States had given its fullest support to destroy LTTE's floating armouries in the deep sea between 2006 and 2008. Rajapaksa said "Between 2006 and 2008 we destroyed 12 of these floating armouries. The Americans were very, very helpful. Most of the locations of these ships were given to us by the American."

Eight persons were arrested at Kodikarmam area in Jaffna District on charges of having in their possession posters containing the picture of former LTTE leader Vellupillai Parabhakaran while they were campaigning for the TNA at the elections to the NPC.

The train service on the Northern Line up to the former LTTE stronghold resumed after 23 years with the opening of the Northern line from Omanthai to Kilinochchi. President Mahinda Rajapaksa inaugurated the train service at Omanthai town in Vavuniya District.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa appealed to the people in the North not to get misled by the false propaganda of the TNA. The President pointed out that the TNA is misleading the people by promising self-Government and independence but not in a position to uplift the people's lives or provide the basic facilities they need.

Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa said that the TNA is attempting to push Tamils in the North to vote for the by spreading racism and separatism. He said that the pledges made by the TNA in their election manifesto could not be fulfilled through a Provincial Council administration.

TNA rejected the allegation that its election manifesto demanded a separate state of Tamil Eelam. The leader of the TNA, R. Sampanthan said "We have never asked to divide the country. We have very clearly said, without any attempts to hide, that a solution should be found within the country."

President Mahinda Rajapaksa in an interview said that he will not allow any country to act against the interests of India from Sri Lankan soil.

Commander of the Army in the Jaffna peninsula, Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe said there was a possibility of about 4,000 former LTTE combatants, who are still at large regrouping, with the TNA glorifying the slain LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran in its campaign for the NPC.

TNA's Chief Ministerial candidate, a retired Supreme Court judge C .V. Vigneswaran came under severe criticism from the Government and state media for a statement he has made over taking up an armed struggle again if the power was not devolved to the North after TNA's victory at the upcoming Northern Provincial Council polls on September 21.

Trincomalee High Court Judge Amal Ranarajah ordered to release the former Eastern area LTTE leader Sivasubramaniam Varadanathan alias Paduman due to poor evidence. The suspect, a resident of Trincomalee was accused of carrying out attacks on army camps in the East and killing soldiers between July and December, 2001.

The Supreme Court issued notice on the leaders of the TNA to appear before the court on 2nd October to show cause regarding the constitutionality of the TNA election manifesto.

Former LTTE arms procurer Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP in Kilinochchi District accused the TNA of obstructing the immediate release of most of the LTTE suspects in custody. He said "They (TNA) demand of the authorities not to release those senior ex-LTTE members in government custody fearing they would not be able to engage in politics openly."

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said "The forthcoming provincial elections in Sri Lanka, especially in the Northern Province are an important opportunity for reconciliation in the country". He welcomed the provincial elections and also called on all parties "to participate peacefully in the elections and to work together in the period following the elections to address the national and post-war agenda constructively and collaboratively."

Ananthy Sasitharan, a TNA female candidate contesting the NPC elections, came under attack at her residence in Valakamparai of Jaffna District. The group of unidentified assailants severely assaulted about 10 supporters of Ananthy and a lawyer attached to the local election monitoring group PAFFREL.

Chief Ministerial candidate of TNA former Supreme Court judge C. V. Wigneswaran compared a national hero to the slain LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran. He said "Prabhakaran was a freedom fighter. He may have been brutal, but so is the government."

Amid heavy security historic elections were held in the first ever provincial council elections since the establishment of the provincial council system in 1987 in the Tamil dominated Northern Province.

TNA secured a landslide victory for the Northern Provincial Council winning all five Districts in the Province with a clear majority and secured 30 of the 38 seats (28 direct and 2 bonus seats) while ruling UPFA got seven seats and the SLMC won one seat.

UPFA secured a convincing victory in the North Western Province and Central Province Council elections obtaining 34 seats in the NWP and 36 seats in the CP.

Local election monitoring group, CaFFE said that one of its election monitors Gunarasa (43) had been attacked at Kilinochchi District. CaFFE accused that the attack was launched by the supporters of the ruling coalition partner EPDP who were distributing food among voters.

CMEV, another local poll monitor reported that Bodyguards of Minister Rishad Bathiyutheen have allegedly assaulted Mannar Dstrict candidate of Our Nation Party, Abdul Salam Mohomad Hilmy near the entrance of a polling station at the Kokkupaddayam Roman Catholic Tamil Mixed School in Mannar District.

After the voting ended the Election Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya said the provincial council elections held for the Northern, Central and North Western provinces are by and large free and fair except for some minor incidents.

The Government charged the TNA Chief Ministerial candidate, former Supreme Court Judge C.V Vigneswaran has given an interview for about one hour to the Tamil TV Channel "Thanthi" on September 20 and has indulged in his election propaganda activities making extremist views to mislead the Tamil people.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa said that holding an election to provide the people in the North, who were under terrorist control for three decades, the right to elect their own administration is a victory for the Government.

Addressing a media briefing in Jaffna District following the party's landslide victory, the TNA leader R. Sampanthansaid that his party is ready to assist the Government to fully implement the 13th Amendment to the Constitution and is ready to participate in the PSC appointed to resolve the national issue if the Government agrees to a meaningful measure to devolve power.

Issuing a preliminary report the Commonwealth Observer Mission which has been present in Sri Lanka since September 14 to observe the provincial council election in the North commended the Government for largely peaceful well administered election but expressed concern over the heavy military presence and involvement in the elections.

International Election Observer Mission of South Asia headed by team leader, former Chief Elections Commissioner of India N. Gopalaswami said that not a single negative incident was observed in any polling centre or counting centre during the Provincial Council elections.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa met with the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the sidelines of the 68th Session of the UN General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York and exchanged views on the post-conflict situation. The Secretary-General noted the Sri Lankan Government's latest efforts to conduct the provincial elections and to implement the recommendations of its LLRC. The Secretary-General also addressed the remaining challenges in reconciliation and emphasized the need for a more holistic approach.

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanetham Pillay called for the continued attention of the UNHRC to the human rights situation in Sri Lanka and will be making recommendations in March 2014 on appropriate ways the Council could continue that engagement.

Supreme Court in a ruling stated that the land powers in Sri Lanka were vested with the Central Government and not with the Provincial Councils.

Prosecutors in the New York, U.S. asked Suresh Sriskandaraja, a Canadian man to serve the maximum sentence of 15 years after he admitted to helping LTTE in Sri Lanka. He was arrested in 2006 and freed on bail three years later before his extradition to the U.S. in 2012. While in Canada, Sriskandarajah helped research and acquire aviation equipment, submarine and warship design software, night vision equipment and communications technology for the LTTE.

Supreme Court issued notice on TNA Secretary General Mavai Senadhirajah to appear in court on October 2 to show cause in respect of the TNA election manifesto circulated during the recently concluded Provincial Council elections.

CaFFE issued a statement saying that "frequency and gravity" of post-election violence have increased in the last few days. According to CaFFE, highest number of incidents have been recorded from the Kurunegala District in North Western Province.

Chief Minister- elect of TNA, C.V. Vigneswaran said that it plans to hold discussions with the Government to obtain the land and Police powers rightfully given to the provinces in the Constitution. Vigneswaran further said that the party will demand the Government to immediately remove the military from the lands that belonged to the Tamil people and are currently occupied by the military.

EPDP Leader, Minister of Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Douglas Devananda asked the Government to appoint an EPDP candidate as the opposition leader of the Northern Provincial Council. Kandasami Kamalendran of the EPDP contesting under the ruling UPFA gained the highest number of preferential votes receiving 13,632 preferential votes.

External Affairs Ministry Secretary Karunathilaka Amunugam said that most recommendations in the LLRC report have been implemented. However, he observed that there are some shortcomings in the process, which the Government will address in the future.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa in an interview to Al-Jazeera said that there will be no withdrawal of the army from the north. Explaining his position, the President asked "Then, if the other Provincial Councils also asked me to withdraw their army camps all over the country where can I have the army?"

A resolution in the EPC calling for the full implementation of the 13th amendment was passed. SLMC Group Leader Mohamed Jameel proposed the resolution asking for the meaningful implementation of the 13th Amendment which provided for the establishment of provincial councils in Sri Lanka. TNA supported the resolution with the SLMC and the UNP.

EPDP, a Tamil ally of the governing party called on the Government to allocate powers meant for the NPC. EPDP said the Government should assign powers meant for the NPC without heeding to racial and religious extremists.

The Chairman of Commission to Investigate Missing Persons appointed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa said that it has received over 60 complaints so far since its establishment on August 14. The three-member Commission chaired by Attorney Maxwell Parakrama Paranagama is tasked with investigating cases of persons from the Northern and Eastern Provinces who went missing during the war.

TNA leader R. Sampanthan met President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees, the President's office in Colombo. The TNA leader discussed about the swearing-in ceremony of the newly elected members of the NPC before President Rajapaksa.

Military demolished an underground bunker of slain LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran in Pudukuduirippu town of Mullaittivu District. The well-fortified bunker had four stories under the ground. The camouflaged bunker was discovered after the Army ended the offensive in 2009. It was built to keep the LTTE leader and other senior LTTE leaders protected from Government forces.

Lord Rogan of the United Kingdom, a Member of the House of Lords while meeting President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees in Colombo said "The military presence in the North is substantially less than what has been often portrayed."

TNA is in a crisis over the assignment of ministerial portfolios in the NPC to the constituents of the alliance. The four constituent parties of the TNA - PLOTE, TELO, EPRLF and ITAK - have been requested to nominate suitable representatives for Ministerial positions of the Council.

Extremist Buddhist monk Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thero, the leader of the BBS addressing a meeting of the movement held in Anuradhapura District blamed the Government for allowing the TNA to engage in politics. Introducing TNA as the political front of the militarily defeated rebel LTTE, Gnanasara Thero said the Government should be responsible for the consequences of TNA coming to power in the NPC.

TNA MP Mavai S. Senathiraja from Jaffna District in an interview to The Hindu said that the first priority for the new Government should be to ensure that lands destroyed in the war be reclaimed and livelihood programmes for the people introduced. The second priority should be to pass laws to bring in money for the development of provincial councils. The third thing should be to give the people the right to self-rule, for which India's support was necessary.

Issuing a media statement following a meeting with his Sri Lankan counterpart Prof. G.L. Peiris, the visiting External Affairs Minister of India, Salman Khurshid said India looks forward to an early resumption of the dialogue process to reach a political settlement in Sri Lanka based on the full implementation of 13th Amendment to the Constitution in a timely manner.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa expressing his view to Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid when the latter called on him at President's House in Colombosaid Parliament is the best forum to address the issue of implementation of the 13th Amendment.

The visiting Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid during his visit to Jaffna District 8 said "India remains committed to uplifting the lives of the people of the Northern Province through its efforts to restore the social, educational, economic and cultural infrastructure, which were devastated by the armed conflict".

TNA has appointed four provincial ministers to the Northern Provincial Council. The party has elected P. Aingaranesan of ITAK as the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Water Supply and Environment. Former Director of Education in Kilinochchi District, T. Kurukularajah has been appointed as the Minister of Education and Cultural Affairs. P. Sathyalingam has been appointed as the Minister of Health while P. Deniswaran is the Minister of Fisheries, Transport and Rural Development.

TNA constituent party members elected to the Northern Provincial Council boycotted the oath taking ceremony held to appoint its ministers and members to the Northern Provincial Council at Weerasingham Hall in Jaffna District. Members of EPRLF, PLOTE and TELO boycotted the ceremony.

Former MP M. K. Shivajilingam of TELO, one of the constituent parties of TNA said that although the TNA is an alliance of five parties, the party is controlled by the ITAK. As a result, nine members of EPRLF, TELO and TULF boycotted the swearing-in ceremony held at the Weerasingham Hall in Jaffna District under the patronage of Chief Minister C.V. Vigneswaran.

TNA parliamentarian M.A Sumanthiran speaking to reporters in Jaffna District said that the coalition is against the staging of the CHOGM in Sri Lanka. He said "The Sri Lankan Government has violated the norms of the Commonwealth and that is why we are against it. The ousting of the country's Chief Justice is one of the instances where the Government had violated the basic foundations of the Commonwealth."

Mohammad Muzammil, spokesperson of NFF, an ally of the governing party UPFA said that the TNA has established a provincial council in the North based on a separatist agenda. Muzammil told that the TNA was continuing with the agenda of forming an Eelam through a new programme.

Army Commander Lt. Gen. Daya Ratnayake said there will be no room for separatism on Sri Lankan soil in the future, and those who advocate separatism will be dealt with severely. He stated "No one will be allowed to step outside the boundaries of democracy to promote extremism and separatism. The world saw how we responded to those who attempted to do things this way in the past.'''

Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran noted that the importance of unity between Tamils and Muslims in the Northern Province and calls for the Muslims and Tamils to join hands. He said that it is time now to cast aside religious differences and to make the people live together in harmony.

Seven years after he was arrested by the RCMP in Toronto, Canada Piratheepan Nadaraja (37), a Canadian LTTE supporter pleaded guilty in New York, U.S. to conspiring to buy anti-aircraft missiles for LTTE. The FBI in a statement said "Nadarajah and his associates attempted to acquire these weapons at the direction of senior LTTE leadership in Sri Lanka. The anti-aircraft weapons were to be used by the LTTE to shoot down aircraft used by the Sri Lankan military."

The members of the House of Lords of the British Parliament in London, UK pounded on Sri Lanka's human rights issues during the debate on the future of the Commonwealth, in light of Sri Lanka hosting the CHOGM in November. Lord David Chidgey said despite the charter's intention to strengthen the Commonwealth, the controversy over Sri Lanka hosting this year's CHOGM while claims of war crimes committed against the LTTE remain unresolved threatens to undermine the Commonwealth's fundamental values.

The Ravana Balaya, a Buddhist organization said they will protest if TNA MP S. Sridharan demanded Sinhala people to leave Jaffna. Secretary of the Ravana Balaya, Ven. Iththekande Saddhatissa Thero has said that Sridharan cannot make Jaffna his birthplace and expect Sinhalese to leave Jaffna.

The Government decided to summon the CMs of all nine Provincial Councils to the cabinet meetings once a month. This is a practice which will be restarted after a lapse of some time. The Government says that the restart of the programme is specifically aimed at summoning the newly appointed Chief Minister of the Northern Provincial Council C.V. Vigneswaran with whom the Government is building up a rapid rapport for reconciliation.

Army spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya vehemently denied a recent report released by the London-based MRG that the militarization of the north and east from 2009 has contributed to continued insecurity for minority women. In its report the group says that Tamil and Muslim women in the North and East of Sri Lanka are increasingly marginalized and face chronic insecurity due to presence of security forces and government actions.

TNA leader R. Sampanthan speaking to the reporters following a meeting with BJP leaders in Chennai, Tamil Nadu (India) said that the Central Indian Government should listen to the sentiments of Tamil Nadu political leaders over India's participation in the CHOGM in Sri Lanka next month.

Anuradhapura High Court sentenced the LTTE suspect, Mahilingam Muthulingam, also known as Indran, to five years of rigorous imprisonment for his role in the 2006 bomb attack on a bus in Kebithgollewa in North Central Province.

UN commended the Sri Lankan Government's post-war development saying that the Government has set an example to other countries with the impressive progress made in resettlement, reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts.

TNA decided to boycott the CHOGM to be held in Colombo from November 15 to 17. Mavai Senathirajah, a senior TNA legislator said "We will not take part in CHOGM. But our staying away does not mean we are protesting against the participating nations. We will be eager to meet them."

A New York court in U.S. sentenced a Canadian LTTE operative to two years in prison. Suresh Sriskandarajah was arrested in 2006 and extradited to the U.S. in 2012. While in Canada, Sriskandarajah helped research and acquire aviation equipment, submarine and warship design software, night vision equipment and communications technology for the LTTE.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing the 23rd convocation ceremony of the KDU in Colombo stressed that the demands for removal of army camps from the North made by some elements will never be a reality.

Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma issuing the report of the Commonwealth Observer Mission to NPC, held on September 21, 2013, described the election as an historic election for Sri Lanka and found the conduct of Election Day itself to be impressive.

TNA said the party will boycott the CHOGM in Colombo next month, but would meet the foreign dignitaries who will be visiting the country during the period. TNA parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran has said the party will meet with foreign dignitaries to discuss the situation in Sri Lanka.

Muslim Brotherhood, a Muslim organization called for the resettlement of Muslims and Sinhalese evicted from the Northern Province. The organization said that steps should be taken to resettle the Muslims and Sinhalese who were evicted from the North by the terrorist organization during the war.

Australian and Indian Foreign Ministers said that they will not follow Canada in boycotting the CHOGM in Sri Lanka due to concerns over the country's human rights issues. Speaking at a press conference with her Indian counterpart Salman Khurshid in Perth, Julie Bishop said it was important to engage with Sri Lanka as it rebuilt itself in the aftermath of 30-year civil conflict.

Mass Media and Information Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said that 37 Heads of Government have already confirmed their participation at the forthcoming CHOGM 2013 in Sri Lanka. He further said despite heavy lobbying by certain quarters not to hold the summit in Sri Lanka the attendance will exceed that of the previous summit in Perth, Australia which stood at 32.

Indian Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid at the IORA in Perth, Australia held talks with his Sri Lankan counterpart Professor G.L Peiris on the sidelines of the meeting and said that a highest level of delegation of his country will participate in the CHOGM in Sri Lanka.

The Government summarily dismissed a video documentary released by the Britain's Channel 4 just ahead of the CHOGM that is to take place in two weeks. The Government dismissed the Channel 4 video which shows the killing of a Tamil woman who was said to be a television presenter for the LTTE, as "fake" and said the Channel 4 as usual is making another attempt to discredit Sri Lanka as the Commonwealth Summit approaches.

President of the Jaffna Tamil Buddhist Association Association, Ravi Kumar issuing a statement said that Sinhalese and Tamils in the North should be encouraged to live in harmony without any differences. He pointed out that Tamils live peacefully with Sinhalese in certain areas in the South. He made this comment in reference to statements made by some TNA members against Sinhalese settling down in the North.

Police recovered a cache of 13 kilos of C-4 explosives hidden in a lorry which had been abandoned near a vehicle check point in the District. Police media spokesman Ajith Rohana said that the recovery was made when the lorry was thoroughly inspected at an Army camp in the District. The search also discovered 36 detonators.

British Prime Minister David Cameron wrote in an article for a London-based Tamil newspaper "I will demand that the Sri Lankan government independently and transparently investigates alleged war crimes and allegations of continuing human rights abuses". Cameron further wrote "Four years after the conflict, no one has been held to account for grave allegations of war crimes and sexual violence, journalists are routinely intimidated and thousands of people have yet to find out what has happened to their missing relatives."

TNA, which formed the Northern Provincial Council Government recently, say they are not opposed to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Sri Lanka, especially if it includes a trip to Jaffna District. Speaking to The Hindu on condition of anonymity, a TNA member - who earlier publicly sought a boycott - said "The benefits of Dr. Singh's meetings with TNA leaders in Jaffna are bound to accrue over time." Echoing the sentiment, another member said "Dr. Singh's visit may be helpful and give India more leverage, but we just cannot antagonise Tamil Nadu."

India's Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, facing strong opposition within his own party as well as from the Tamil political parties, is unlikely to attend the CHOGM. The Prime Minister is in a dilemma as some of his party members suggest Singh to attend the summit while Tamil members of the congress and Tamil political parties in Tamil Nadu urge the PM to boycott the event in protest of Sri Lanka's alleged treatment of Tamils.

Leader of WPF, Mano Ganeshan said that the visits planned by several heads of states to the Northern Province indicate the interest shown by the international community in the post war situation in the North. He said the planned visits by the heads of state to North are a slap in the face of the Sri Lankan Government. He explained that the visits would show the international community's focus on the North and the Sri Lankan Government will be unable to ignore the issues over the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.

The Commonwealth Secretariat will assist Sri Lanka in setting up a National Inquiry on Torture, its Secretary-General Mr. Kamalesh Sharma said in an interview to The Hindu at the Secretariat headquarters at Marlborough House in London on the eve of his departure to Colombo to attend the CHOGM. To be set up under the aegis of the Sri Lanka National Human Rights Commission and to be assisted and monitored by the Commonwealth Secretariat, the inquiry will investigate all allegations of torture committed by Government agencies or arms of the state from 2009 (the final stages of the civil war) to the present, he said. The inquiry would take 18 months to complete its work, Mr. Sharma said.

External Affairs Ministry Additional Secretary Rodney Perera said international participation at CHOGM 2013 in Sri Lanka at summit level will be no less in comparison to the level of participation at any previously held CHOGM summits. Perera said "The participation at CHOGM 2013 will be no different from any other previously held summit. Who will want to be isolated and who will not be, by not participating is a matter to be discerned later."

President Mahinda Rajapaksa while addressing the Ninth Commonwealth Youth Forum under the theme 'Inclusive Development - Stronger Together' after its inauguration in Hambantota town of Hambantota District said terrorism that plagued Sri Lanka for nearly three decades deprived the youth of many valuable opportunities.

India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh wrote to President Mahinda Rajapaksa regretting his inability to attend from November 15. However, it is believed that the letter, whose contents were not disclosed, does not talk about the reasons for Dr. Singh skipping the meet. The Prime Minister has decided against undertaking the visit in view of the opposition by parties in Tamil Nadu as well as a section in Congress.

Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa invited the world leaders who attend the CHOGM this week to travel to the Northern Province to see firsthand the work carried out by the Government following the end of the war. According to Rajapaksa, it would be good for the Government if the CHOGM leaders visit the North and see the former war torn areas and would be interesting to see the rehabilitation work carried out by the government with the former LTTE carders and child soldiers.

A large number of demonstrators protested outside the Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo against the arrival of Channel 4 journalists saying they were in an attempt to tarnish the country's image with a strategically driven media campaign based on falsehoods.

Affirming his participation in the CHOGM in Sri Lanka this week, the Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said the most important civil right is the right to live without the threat of death or violence through a civil war.

External Affairs Minister GL Peiris said that Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's decision not to attend the CHOGM summit here was not a setback and it is understood the domestic political compulsions behind the move.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa opened the CBF, being held on the sidelines of the CHOGM 2013, at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel in Colombo. The CBF 2013, themed "Partnering for Wealth Creation and Social Development The Commonwealth, Indian Ocean and SAARC," will be held from November 12-14, 2013, with the participation of Heads of Government and several international business leaders.

Mauritian Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam became the third leader to announce a boycott of CHOGM summit in Colombo over Sri Lanka's human rights record. Mr Ramgoolam told Mauritius' Parliament "My information that I have tried to get from different quarters is that the Sri Lankan Government is not doing enough. I cannot, with the principle that I have taken all this time I am in politics, attend the summit."

General Secretary of main opposition UNP, Tissa Attanayake said in a statement that UNP does not expect the Government to implement the Commonwealth Charter voluntarily once it assumed the chair of the organization and the party will commence a campaign to compel the Government to uphold the Commonwealth rights.

Despite the call by the Tamil political parties in Tamil Nadu for a total boycott, India's External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid arrived in Sri Lanka on November 13 to attend the CHOGM 2013. Khurshid along with the Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh and other Indian officials arrived in a special Indian Air Force plane at the international airport in Colombo.

Speaking at the closing session of the Commonwealth People's Forum in Hikkaduwa town in the Southern Province, UK's Foreign & Commonwealth Office Minister Hugo Swire said the Commonwealth looks to Sri Lanka, to demonstrate its respect for the values of the Commonwealth Charter which commits the members to respect the human rights of everyone.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa speaking at a media briefing ahead of the CHOGM said that Sri Lanka has nothing to hide noting "We are very open, we have nothing to hide." The President also expressed satisfaction over India's External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid attending the Commonwealth summit.

UNP decided to boycott the CHOGM following several attacks on the party's headquarters. The UNP accused the Government of harassing the party and said it would therefore boycott CHOGM entirely.

Visiting UK Foreign Secretary William Hague held talks with members of the TNA on the devolution and reconciliation in Sri Lanka at the British High Commission in Colombo said "An important part of my purpose of coming to Sri Lanka was to meet members of the Tamil community as well as those working across Sri Lanka to promote human rights, reconciliation and accountability for past crimes."

The much awaited 22nd CHOGM got underway ceremonially under the chairmanship of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. At a lavish opening ceremony held at the Nelum Pokuna (Lotus Pond) in Colombo, Britain's Prince Charles, representing The Queen who is the Head of the Commonwealth, declared open the biennial summit of the 53-member organization.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa welcoming the leaders and delegates of 53 member countries of the Commonwealth at the opening ceremony of the 22nd CHOGM in Colombo said the CHOGM 2013 will provide the opportunity for the members of the organization to assess its achievements with regard to development goals.

British Prime Minister David Cameronvisited the Uthayan newspaper office in Jaffna District after concluding a meeting with the Northern Province Chief Minister C.V Wigneswaran at the Jaffna library. After that Cemeron tweeted "I'm the first leader to go to the north of Sri Lanka since 1948. I want to shine a light on chilling events there first hand and Political leaders in the north of Sri Lanka tell me they are glad I've come to help highlight what is happening here."

Police said an individual arrested on November 14 near the UNP headquarters under suspicion of being a LTTE cadre was released. The person identified as Sudarshan of Mullaitivu District was released after questioning.

British Prime Minister David Cameronsaid that he will "fully back an international investigation" into alleged war crimes, if Sri Lanka fails to establish a credible mechanism to investigate the allegations, by March 2014.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing the CHOGM media conference asserted that Sri Lanka has necessary resources and the capability to tackle issues in the country and there is no need for an international intervention.

Dismissing a deadline set by the British Prime Minister David Cameron, the Leader of the House, Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said it is confident of facing any challenge before the UNHRC in Geneva.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa said that he needed time to address post-war challenges, including allegations of human rights violation. He stressed, "We need time...this cannot be done overnight. A process [to probe allegations] is already in place." He was responding to a question how much time he needed to complete the probe into the allegations.

British Prime Minister David Cameron announced that UK will fund a new programme to clear landmines and explosive remnants of war from areas of Northern Sri Lanka. The UK Government will fund £2.1 million over 2 years for a new demining programme which will clear landmines from some of the most heavily mined areas of the country.

Deepak Obhrai, a parliamentary secretary to the foreign affairs minister of Canada said that Sri Lanka's Tamil minority continues to be fearful of the country's leadership. Obhrai was sent after Prime Minister Stephen Harper decided to boycott the Commonwealth leaders' summit over Sri Lanka's human rights 'record'.

NPC appointed a special committee to address problems faced by Muslims resettling in the Northern Province following the end of the war. The NPC appointed the committee following a discussion between members of the Muslim community and Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran.

Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said that the allegations leveled against the Government by the Western nations have been answered through the implementation of the recommendations in the LLRC report.

Referring to the warning of an international inquiry against the country by British Prime Minister David Cameron, JHU General Secretary, Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka charged that the British Premier had no right to call for an international inquiry in violation of the sovereignty of a country. According to Ranawaka, the British administration should pay compensation to Sri Lanka for creating a Tamil issue that has resulted in the loss of many lives.

Leaders of TNA met South African President Jacob Zuma on the sidelines of the just concluded CHOGM 2013 in Colombo and discussed the ethnic issue. During the meeting with Tamil leaders, President Zuma discussed the role South Africa could play in finding a solution to the national problem.

China asked Sri Lanka to "make efforts to protect and promote human rights", backing calls by India, Britain and other countries at the CHOGM summit in Colombo to address allegations of rights abuses against the country's minority Tamils. "Due to the differences in the economic and social development of different countries, there could be differences on human rights protection," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told a media briefing in Beijing.

The main opposition UNP said that it opposed the British Prime Minister's call for an international inquiry into alleged war crimes committed by the Sri Lankan Army.

Human Rights Commissioner Prathibha Mahanamahewa said that the HRCSL has decided to conduct a national inquiry into the alleged human rights violations in Sri Lanka with technical assistance of Commonwealth Secretariat.

TNA says that it will not participate in the Northern Province Development Committee. The TNA did not participate in the Committee meeting held on November 19 and wrote to the committee setting conditions to guarantee their participation. The party has said that a collective chair including the Chief Minister needed to be appointed for the Development Committee. They propose that the Chief Minister, the Governor and the cabinet Ministers related to the development of the Province needed to be appointed to the committee. The TNA also says the agenda of the meeting of the Committee needed to be given to all the committee members ahead of the meeting.

UK Parliament reiterated the PM's call for an international investigation on Sri Lanka if the Sri Lankan Government fails to conduct a credible and transparent independent investigation into allegations of war crimes to the satisfaction of the British Government.

EPDP says that the unresolved land issues of the people in Jaffna will be resolved. Deputy Chairman of Parliamentary Committees, parliamentarian Murugesu Chandrakumar said that people in Jaffna who are in need of deeds for their lands will receive them without any issue.

UNP said that President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Chairman of the Commonwealth has agreed in policy to take the country before an international human rights court in the official declaration signed by the heads of states following the CHOGM in Colombo. According to the UNP, the President in order to take over the Chairmanship of the Commonwealth has put the nation at risk of being taken before an international human rights court.

Chief Minister of Northern Province C.V. Vigneswaran addressing a gathering at the Chavakachcheri Pradeshiya Sabha in Jaffna District said that the Government will be pressured to find a solution to the Tamil problem. He said the Government will not be able to continue with a military style of governance in the North since the Northern Provincial Council was established by the people. He noted that the people in the Northern Province have clearly given their verdict indicating their desire for self-rule within the Provincial Council system.

The military banned attempts to commemorate the LTTE rebels, saying "Promoting and propagating separatist ideology within Sri Lanka directly or indirectly even by using media freedom and attempting to commemorate or glorify terrorists that belonged to a proscribed organization would be illegal."

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa while addressing the international maritime security conference in Galle city of Galle District said "Fight against terrorism is a global task nations should support each other's efforts whole heartedly. Genuine cooperation among nations at highest levels is needed for this to happen in a systematic and coordinated fashion."

Parliamentarian from TNA S. Sritharan praised former LTTE leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran in Parliament amidst protests by governing party members. Justifying the LTTE's cause as a freedom struggle, the TNA MP said it was the reason for a majority of the Tamil people to vote for the TNA at the recently concluded elections for the Northern Provincial Council.

An extent of 23 acres of paddy-fields that remained within the Mullaitivu Army camp perimeter has been released back to their original owners for cultivation under an initiative taken by Major General L.B.R Mark, Commander, Security Force Headquarters - Mullaitivu District.

The Presidential Commission Investigating Cases of Missing Persons to inquire into persons who had gone missing during the period of the war received over 5,000 complaints from the Northern and Eastern Provinces.

The Department of Census and Statistics started a nationwide exercise to assess the loss of human lives and damage to property in the final stages of its civil war against LTTE rebels, which ended in May 2009. The census would cover the period from 1982 to 2009 would involve 16,000 officials.

'The Last Phase', a documentary film depicting the life story of a former female LTTE cadre during the final stages of the humanitarian operation in Sri Lanka was screened at the EU Parliament in Brussels for the first time.

India and Sri Lanka, recognizing the complex task of battling piracy in the Indian Ocean, agreed to join forces to enhance maritime security cooperation in the strategic region. India's Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral D.K. Joshi discussed, among the other topics, the problem of combating piracy in the Indian Ocean with President Mahinda Rajapaksa when he called on the President at the President's Office in Colombo.

The Government of Norway expressed satisfaction over the measures taken by the Sri Lankan Government to restore normalcy in the North. The Ambassador of Norway to Sri Lanka Ms. Grete Lochen when she paid a courtesy call on President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the President's House in Colombo said her Government was pleased with the decision by the Sri Lankan Government to hold Provincial Council elections in the region.

TNA leader R. Sampanthan said that the Government has not yet presented a political solution to the national problem as recommended by the LLRC. According to the TNA Leader, the Government following pressure from some of its allies has set up a PSC claiming to find a political solution to the national problem, with the real intention of delaying the process of finding a permanent solution.

Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa while delivering a speech winding up the budget debate in Parliament said that only the Sri Lankan Government can solve the country's ethnic issue, not any foreign institution.

The Director General of the Department of Census and Statistics, D.C.A.Gunawardena said that the household of Velupillai Prabhakaran, leader of the LTTE, will not be included in the on-going nation-wide census on human and material losses inflicted by the civil wars in the country since 1982.

The Chief Minister of Northern Province C.V. Vigneswaran speaking during an event in Mullaitivu Dsitrict said that the military presence in the North has posed an obstacle for democracy. "First reason is the heavy military presence in the North and East. Second - unlawful settlements of outsiders from the South in the North. Third - Our people do not have the security, Fourth - No job opportunities," Wigneswaran has said at the event.

UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons arrived in Sri Lanka to examine the status of people rendered homeless by the country's three-decade civil war. He said "I will gather first-hand information from all parties, including displaced persons and affected communities themselves. I will also look at the challenges and opportunities for durable solutions for IDPs, while I discuss the progress made with regard to their protection and assistance."

Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma welcomed Sri Lanka's measure to conduct an island wide census to assess the human and property damages occurred during nearly three-decade long armed conflict. "This will advance the process of post-conflict reconciliation sought in the national Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation report," Sharma further said.

The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, William Hague in response to a question raised in the UK's House of Commons said that UK will pursue an international inquiry into the alleged war crimes by Sri Lankan troops during the final stages if war if Sri Lanka fails to set up its own inquiry. -we would favor an international inquiry that is independent, credible and thorough."

Chief Minister of Northern Province C.V. Vigneswaran informed UN Special Rapporteur for Internally Displaced Persons Dr. Chaloka Beyani that military is acquiring civilian lands in the North. Wigneswaran also told the UN envoy that the livelihood of residents in the North has been seriously affected since the military has taken over all avenues of employment available to the people and the people have to take loans for their day to day living.

TNA Leader R. Sampanthan said in Parliament that it is the Government and not the party that has connections with the LTTE. He told that Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP, who was LTTE's arm procurer and the international wing leader, is now with the Government and does not have any connection with the TNA.

Provincial Minister of Road Development, Housing and Construction, Rural Electrification and Water Supply, M.S. Uthumalebbe said that the Eastern Provincial Council will set up a separate authority to address housing and livelihood issues in the area. The Council decided to create a Housing Development Authority to implement the housing development programme for the province.

Police Media Spokesperson SSP Ajith Rohana told the media that 900 Tamil police officers and 1,500 Sinhala police officers fluent in the Tamil language have been deployed to Police stations in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. He explained that the Tamil speaking citizens in the North and East areas could then get their statements recorded in Tamil.

T.R. Baalu leader of DMK of Tamil Nadu, India issued a notice seeking a discussion, under Rule 193 in the Lok Sabha, against the human rights violations and war crimes committed by the Sri Lankan defence forces against Tamils during the civil war against the LTTE.

UK Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office Hugo Swire told British Parliament that, "The UK has been voted back on to the Human Rights Council and will play an active role in building international support ahead of the March Human Rights Council session. We will continue to discuss Sri Lanka with a range of other EU, Commonwealth and international partners over the coming months."

Addressing the daily media briefing at the State Department, US Deputy Spokesperson Marie Harf said: "The U.S. has long urged the Government of Sri Lanka to fulfill its public commitments, to implement the recommendations of its own LLRC report and to develop credible justice mechanisms to address outstanding allegations concerning serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law."

Sajith Premadasa senior leader of UNP told a news conference that all political parties in the country need to form a process to face and defeat any resolution against the country at the UNHRC. While stressing that any domestic issue needs to be solved internally and not internationally, the opposition MP noted that any international sanction would have a direct impact on the poor masses in the country.

The EU in a statement issued to commemorate the World Human Rights Day in Colombo acknowledged that there have been significant improvements in Sri Lanka since the end of the conflict, particularly on resettlement and physical reconstruction, while challenges remain in several areas.

The EU called on the Government to extend further invitations to facilitate outstanding visit requests by UN special mandate holders, including the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances.

TNA carried out a protest inside the Northern Provincial Council to win 10 demands. Among the 10 demands was the need to address issues faced by displaced people in the resettlement process. TNA member M.K. Sivajilingam distributed the placards to party members before the sessions and thereafter all members had joined the protest.

Reverend Cardinal Dr. Malcolm Ranjith said the Government to implement the LLRC's recommendations promptly to avert a possible foreign intervention in the country's sovereign affairs. He said unless the Government worked towards reconciliation and addressed allegations of war crimes during the war against the LTTE, a foreign intervention is inevitable.

The European Parliament passed a resolution calling on the Sri Lankan Government to implement the recommendation of the LLRC. The European Parliament appreciates the restoration of peace and welcome the first ever elections in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. However, it notes with concern that "the presence of Government military forces in the former conflict areas remains considerable" and that there are continuing reports of intimidation and human rights violations.

TNA objected to the manner in which DIG of Police Pujitha Jayasundera was appointed to the Northern Province. TNA parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran pointed out in Parliament referring to the Constitution that a DIG had to be appointed to the Province only in consultation with the Chief Minister. He said this process had not been followed in the appointment of the new DIG to the North.

Military Spokesperson Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya in Colombo said that the Government is launching a diplomatic operation aiming to counter the international pressure that is being exerted on the country ahead of the UNHRC session in Geneva where the country is facing a possible third resolution in March next year. He said some eight videos have been handed over to the Ministry of External Affairs to be sent to overseas diplomatic missions which will show the world the truth about many crimes committed by the LTTE.

Chief Minister of Northern Provincial Council C.V. Wigneswaran said that the Government in its 2014 Budget has not made provisions for the requirements of the province. According to Wigneswaran, the capital allocation for the Northern Provincial Council is Rs. 5.831 billion out of the total budget capital allocation of Rs. 1.341 trillion. He added that there are huge gaps and problems in terms of development capacities of stake holders of governance, specific social issues and war impacts.

Referring to the attack on a group of protestors near the Trincomalee bus stand in Trincomalee District on Human Rights Day leader of TNA R. Sampanthan wrote to President Mahinda Rajapaksa to draw attention to the breakdown of the rule of law in the country. "Such an attack on peaceful protesters is not merely highhanded it is also indicative of a fascist approach, and constitutes a very grave violation of the human rights of the people on Human Rights Day," Sampanthan said in his letter.

The UK's Foreign & Commonwealth Office Minister Hugo Swire said in the House of Commons debate that the British Government is actively coordinating with the member states of the UNHRC in Geneva to bring a resolution against Sri Lanka at the next council session in March 2014, if the Sri Lankan Government fails to make satisfactory progress in addressing alleged war crimes and human right violations.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa delivering a speech at the final budget debate in Parliament requested the leader of the TNA R. Sampanthan and Chief Minister of Northern Province C.V. Vigneswaran to join hands with the Government to create national harmony. He asked the opposition to correct the Government's path by presenting constructive criticism. However, the President asserted that there will be no room for terrorism to resurface.

Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran claims that there is an attempt to form a new LTTE which will operate with the backing of the Government. He also said "We see it taking place. Our lands are being grabbed. Our businesses are being grabbed. Our employment opportunities are being grabbed and to say it most mildly our war widows and women are definitely not safe. Why does the Government not enhance its Police presence in the North and reduce progressively its Army presence if it does not have a hidden agenda? These are questions which must be posed by reasonable ordinary humane Sinhalese in the South."

TNA leader R. Sampanthan said that the party is prepared to talk with the Government, if it will engage in a meaningful manner. He made this comment in response to the invitation extended by President Mahinda Rajapaksa for the TNA to resume the long stalled talks on finding a political solution to the national question.

Defense and Urban Development Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said that Sri Lankans who have left the country for various reasons was a serious loss to the country. He observed that many of the country's best and brightest had left the country to seek greener pastures in other countries due to the uncertain situation that prevailed in the country from the 1980s until 2009.

TNA decided to reject the census taken by the Department of Statistics regarding human and material losses incurred by the civil war. TNA Parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran said that the decision to reject the census was taken at the special meeting of TNA leaders held in Vavuniya District.

Addressing media at the annual convention of the TNA at the Vavuniya Town Hall in Vavuniya District, TNA parliamentarian M. A. Sumanthiran said he doesn't believe the PSC is the right mechanism to find solutions to Tamil people's issues.

Department of Census and Statistics rejected a claim by the TNA that the census conducted by the Government on human and material losses due to the war will attempt to play down the number of casualties.

Police Department said that all Police Stations in the Northern Province will have the facilities from January 2014 to record statements from the residents in Tamil. Police had deployed 900 Tamil Police officers and 1,500 Sinhala Police officers fluent in the Tamil language to police stations in the Northern and Eastern Provinces.

External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris in an interview with Prensa Latina, the official state news agency of Cuba, said Sri Lanka is fully capable of undertaking the tasks set out by the LLRC.

TNA parliamentarian Suresh Premachandran said that it will push for an independent international probe into alleged war crimes committed by the Government during the final phase of the civil war against the terrorist LTTE.

Police spokesman Ajith Rohana said authorities are investigating a new mass grave found in Mannar District which was once LTTE control. The grave site had at least 10 human skeletal remains buried inside. The Police suspects the grave was used by the LTTE rebels during the war to bury civilians and soldiers killed by the rebels.

Canadian parliamentarian Rathika Sitsabaiesan, who is on a visit to Jaffna District, held discussions with several TNA parliamentarians and Jaffna-based organizations. Ms. Sitsabaiesan arrived in Sri Lanka on December 28.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa reiterated that he will not allow any power to divide the country or hand over power to any authority that would lead to the division. He said the provincial councils and the Government should work together in the best interests of the people.

The Indian High Commission in Colombo said "The Indian Government has built 10,000 houses this year for IDPs in Sri Lanka's northern and eastern provinces and 33,000 more will be constructed in the next two years."

The Government is planning to bring a proposal in the Parliament to oust S. Sritharan, the Jaffna District MP of TNA for his continuing involvement in anti-Government activities. MP Sritharan recently accompanied a Tamil Nadu journalist, who was arrested by the police for photographing military camps in Jaffna District.

Cuba pledged its support to defeat a possible resolution at the March session of the UNHRC. Cuban Ambassador Indira Lopez Arguelles told as a matter of principle Cuba was opposed to any country-specific resolutions because such resolutions were against the spirit of international law.