An assistant to one of the petitioners in a Habeas Corpus (disappearances) court case was brutally attacked with an iron rod in Vaddukoddai, Jaffna yesterday. 

The 36 year old victim had been riding her push bike with her young son, when an unidentified man in his mid-30s came up from behind and hit her on the shoulders with an iron rod, before pushing her son out of the way and hitting her directly on the head. 

She remains in hospital with a major concussion and laceration, and was unconscious for almost two hours.

The chief minister of the Northern Province, C V Wigneswaran told officials in the Northern Province not to provide information to the Sri Lankan army without seeking his approval.

His comments come amid reports that the Terrorism Investigation Department had asked health officials within the NPC for information regarding babies born in Kilinochchi during a week in May. 

“If the army requested for any information, you tell them that I had requested you not to give them any information without my approval,” he said during an event in Kilinochchi yesterday. 
 

Sri Lanka's army commander, Mahesh Senanayake reiterated that the army would not close down any camps in the North, in an attempt to reassure the Sinhala population of 'national security'. 

"The Army urges the public not to be misled by those unfounded and false media reports, but continue to repose the full confidence in the Army, considering its past services as well as the roles and tasks, now being performed across the country,” he said in the media statement. 

The Terrorism Investigation Department is collecting information about babies born in Kilinochchi from May 25 - 30 in order to arrest a man over the alleged discovery of a LTTE flag and ammunition in Oddisudan last month, Sri Lankan police sources told local reporters. 

The discovery was reportedly made when police stopped an auto taxi. One person was arrested at the scene whilst another escaped. 

TID officers believe the man they are searching for is from Kilinochchi and his wife gave birth to a baby between May 25 - 30. 

The Sri Lankan Human Rights Commission has written to the President of Sri Lanka, urging him to reconsider the plans to bring in the death penalty for drug trafficking convicts.

The Commission’s chairperson Deepika Udagama said that the death penalty os a serious human rights violation and that implementing it would not address the issue of drug trafficking.

The letter also stated that implementing the death penalty would worsen the already diminished reputation of the country’s justice system.

The TNA leader has urged the Prime Minister of Thailand to encourage Thai companies to invest in the North-East.

At a meeting between TNA leader R. Sampanthan and Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-Cha in Colombo said that Thai investment could help increase employment opportunities and uplift the economy of the North-East.

According to a TNA press release, the Thai Prime Minister responded favourably to the suggestion and requested the TNA leader to help facilitating future investments.

Sri Lanka's Terrorism Investigation Department (TID) has sought information regarding all babies born from May 25th to 30th in Kilinochchi district from the Northern Provincial Council health department.

The reason for the enquiries remains unknown however local residents have expressed concern and fear over the reports.

"Why does the TID want to know about babies," one mother who had recently given birth said, speaking anonymously. 

Asked by journalists about the TID enquiries, the secretary to the NPC health ministry, S Thiruvarangkan said, "they asked us to hand over specific details [but] we do not permission to disclose that."

The habeas corpus case on two disappeared activists was adjourned by Jaffna Magistrates Court on Friday until October, after the state's senior legal representative failed to appear. 

The two activists, Lalith Kumar Weeraraj and Kugan Muruganathan, who disappeared in 2011, were organising protests on behalf of families who have had relatives gone missing. 

They were last seen in Avaragal near Jaffna as they were making their way to a protest in December 2011. 

Supporters state Sri Lankan Security forces were responsible for the mens' disappearances and said that one of the victims motorbikes was later spotted at a police compound.

The United National Party (UNP) is to recommence discussions on the proposed 20th Amendment to the constitution on Monday which looks to abolish the executive presidency. 

Sri Lanka's Speaker informed parliament last year that the proposed 20th Amendment would need a two third majority in parliament before being put before the public via a referendum in order to be implemented following a Supreme Court ruling. 

Discussions on the amendment have been stalled for weeks follow fierce opposition from a variety of groups for differing reasons. 

Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka admitted that Sri Lankan policemen and Special Task Force troops have carried out torture and demanded ransoms, as he criticised plans to involve the military in drug enforcement activities.  

"They throw chili powder on the face of suspects, cover their heads with plastic bags and assault them”, said the former head of the Sri Lankan army, who is a minister in the current government. “This is unhuman. These are the tactics used by Gotabhaya Rajapaksa when he was in power.”