A Tamil youth was arrested in Mannar by the Sri Lankan Navy, reported the Uthayan, as Sri Lanka continued with its increased spate of arrests of Tamils in the North-East.

The youth, originally from Kilinochchi was arrested whilst staying in Siruthoppu and is being held at Mannar police station for further investigations.

A family in Vavuniya were arrested earlier, following the interrogation of 300 Tamil youths in Vaddukoddai by the Sri Lankan military earlier this week.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has accused western countries of being pushed by the Tamil diaspora to take the UNHRC resolution forward, saying that Sri Lanka will not tolerate foreign interference.

“Madam (Navi) Pillay (UNHRC chief), U.S., U.K., all are moved against us by the Tamil diaspora,” he said at an election rally in Kaluthara.

“We are being punished for ending terrorism. We did not fight Tamils, we only fought terrorism,
“We will not tolerate any foreign interference and that will be the message,” he said.

The Sunday Island has quoted a “senior government source” as saying that the British Foreign Secretary William Hague is ignorant of ground realities, after he suggested that an international tribunal should be set up.

The official said that any such move would also have to examine India for supporting “terrorism” in the 1980s and the government would raise India’s accountability during the conflict.

"The United States is concerned by intensifying pressure on Sri Lankan civil society and human rights activists. We are especially concerned by the detention of well-known human rights defenders Ruki Fernando and Father Praveen Mahesan after they made inquiries regarding the arrest of another activist. While it is encouraging that Mr. Fernando and Father Mahesan have since been released, they continue to face harassment by security forces. We are also aware of reports that additional human rights groups are being targeted for investigation by security forces.