The Roman Catholic Diocese of Jaffna has called for the early release of Rev. Fr. Praveen Mahesan and the Sri Lankan human rights activist Ruki Fernando, who were detained by TID officers on Sunday evening in Kilinochchi.

In a statement released Monday, the Jaffna Diocesan Laity Council said,

"We understand that this priest and Ruki were involved in mercifully investigating into the circumstances surrounding the plight of that defenceless mother and child. As a further threat to such HR Defenders these two too have now been arrested and detained.

The US government said with the recent spate of arrests of activists by Sri Lankan security forces "we remain convinced that continued scrutiny by the Human Rights Council is necessary" in a statement issued today.

The statement follows the detention of the prominent disappearances campaigner Balendran Jeyakumari and her 13 year old daughter last Thursday, followed by the detention of Father Praveen and the Sri Lankan human rights activist Ruki Fernando on Sunday evening.

"He has said that the Tamils are being maltreated by the Sinhala majority. This is the current mission that he is tasked with. The UNHRC is hurling accusations at the government stating that human rights violations have occurred and that the Tamil women in the North are being abused by the Army."

"In this regard we reiterate our consistent position that action initiated in the promotions and protection of human rights of a country, must have the consent of the country, and be based on the principles of cooperation and genuine dialogue aimed at strengthening the domestic capacity of the country to comply with its human rights obligations, as stipulated in GA resolution 60/251 and the IB package."

"It's been five years since the war ended. There weren't any shootings anywhere since then, or any attacks. This incident has been conjured up."

"There is a need for the government to highlight the LTTE and the armed struggle, in order to do its own politics in the South."

The High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, reiterated her office's mandate for establishing and conducting international investigations during a meeting on Monday between the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR) and NGOs on the sidelines of the 25th session of the Council.

Asked to clarify the remit of the OHCHR mandate, Ms. Pillay stressed that the OHCHR "has the power to establish an international mechanism" to investigate crimes, as it falls under the human rights protection mandate of her office. 

"Now apart from calling for an international investigation, we have interpreted our mandate to say that the High Commissioner herself has power to investigate a situation," said Ms. Pillay.