The Sri Lankan military’s continued occupation of land in the Vanni is threatening traditional livelihoods in local communities said a new report launched by the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) and the National Fisheries Solidarity Movement (NAFSO) in Mullaitivu.

The report, entitled “The Vanni: Civilian Land under Military Occupation”, states that “although the war ended nine years ago, the military in the Northern Province still occupies vast stretches of land and is using it for economic purposes, among other things, with serious consequences”.

Families of the disappeared protesting in Mullaitivu have reported an increase in surveillance and intimidation by Sri Lankan intelligence personnel, as their protest approaches its one year mark.

A Tamil university student was found hanging in his residence in Jaffna on Tuesday.

The student was identified as Samuel, originally from Vavuniya but resident in Kantharmadam, and a student at the Medical Faculty of Jaffna University.

Jaffna police have said they are investigating the death.

The Tamil National Alliance on Wednesday condemned attacks on Muslim shops and a mosque by Sinhala mobs in Amparai earlier this week. 

"I strongly condemn the attacks carried out against the Muslim community in Ampara," the TNA leader, R Sampanthan said in a statement. 

"I urge the government to take stern action against the perpetrators of the violence in Ampara and to take adequate meausures to prevent such incidents being repeated in future."

Police in Mullaitivu today arrested the Northern Provincial Councillor, Thurairasa Ravikaran over his involvement in a protest against Sri Lankan navy land grabs in Vaddavakal on February 22. 

He was later released on bail by Mullaitivu court. 

Tamils protested in Jaffna on Tuesday against the Sri Lankan government's failure to take action against microfinance companies with high interest rates leaving families under spiraling debts.

A signature campaign calling for an international accountability mechanism was launched today in Jaffna by the Tamil Action Committee for International Accountability Mechanism (TACIAM), supported by the Tamil National People's Front (TNPF). 

Several Muslim shops and a mosque were damaged during an attack by a Sinhala mob in Amparai on Monday evening. 

The police have been deployed to Amparai town following the incident, which comes just days after the former president Mahinda Rajapaksa swept the polls in the local government elections. 

During his presidency there were a series of attacks by Sinhala mobs targetting Muslim businesses, homes and mosques.

Despite being electing on a pledge to end impunity, the current unity government has failed to take action to ensure past perpetraters are held to account.

The former president, Mahinda Rajapaksa flew to India today as part of a six member delegation the Daily Mirror reported. 

The flight was bound for Bangalore, the paper reported. 

Airport sources said the joint opposition MP Lohan Ratwatte was part of the delegation. 

Read more here. 

Myanmar is engaged in “cultural and religious cooperation” with Sri Lanka, said the general secretary of the Myanmar Rice Federation, as Myanmar’s government announced it would donate 300 tonnes on Saturday.

Sri Lanka’s ambassador to Myanmar attended a ceremony in Yagon on the weekend, alongside several Myanmar government officials. The donation of rice would be used towards helping landslide victims in the south of the island.