Sri Lanka's cabinet this week approved the establishing of a task force to resettle "protracted internally displaced persons" within the Northern province.

“IDPs were seen since the 1980s due to the conflict situation. These include Tamil as well as Sinhala and Muslim families in the Northern Province,” the cabinet paper said, reported LBO.

Photo: Lankasri

A Tamil man was killed by a group of Sinhalese in the Batticaloa district on Thursday.

Thambipillai Pakkiyarasa, 51, was attacked in Kalkudah as he was returning home from the grocery store. A group of SInhalese, reported to be under the influence of alcohol, attacked him after an argument broke out, leaving him with fatal head injuries.

Eight suspects have been detained by Batticaloa police. One other person was admitted to Batticaloa teaching hospital.

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi is set to make an official visit to Sri Lanka upon the invitation of Sri Lanka’s Foreign Affairs Minster Magnala Samaraweera.

Mr Yi will meet with Sri Lanka’s president, prime minister and hold talks with Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera said China’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson.

The recently increased Value Added Tax will only be revised and not repealed, according to Deputy Minister Ajith Perera.

The deputy minister said it was impractical to abolish the 4% increase in the tax rate, despite protests.

The Sri Lankan cabinet approved an amendment to the Assistance and Protection of Victims of Crime and Witnesses Act no. 04 of 2015 in order to allow witnesses to testify from abroad, however made clear that such testimony “may be given at a Sri Lankan Diplomatic Mission in the respective country and provisions should be enacted to protect the freedom of witnesses and prevent any influence”.

Sri Lankan police officers attacked a businessman in Jaffna on Friday.

Two Sinhalese police constables attached to the Jaffna Police Station entered a tea shop behind Jaffna bus station.

The officers, reported as being inebriated, created a ruckus after being refused discounted cigarettes and assaulted the shopkeeper with their helmets.

The victim lodged a complaint with Jaffna Police Station and was informed that departmental action would be initiated against the two constables.

Students at the University of Jaffna marked Black Tigers Day or 'Karumpuli Naal' on July 5th.

The day marks the sacrifices of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam's elite men and women. See more here.