Sri Lanka's Southern Provincial Council (SPC) rejected the government's proposed 20th Amendment to the constitution, the Daily Mirror reported. 

Twenty-seven Joint Opposition SPC members reportedly voted against it, whilst one UNP member abstained. 

A tense situation prevailed following the vote with the mace being forcibly removed from a UNP member, and UNP members leaving the Council chambers in protest until the mace was returned. 

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Marking International day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, the Tamil National Alliance urged to government to bring those responsible for the many thousands who have been forcibly disappeeared for justice. 

Highlighting the ongoing protests in the North-East by mothers and relatives of the disappeared, the TNA said in a statement, “all that they demand is to ascertain the truth as to what happened to their loved ones. The armed conflict came to an end 8 years ago, yet the issues of the missing persons has not been addressed satisfactorily so far.” 

The Sri Lankan election monitor, Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) criticised the Tamil National Alliance leadership's support for the government as it seeks to pass the 20th Amendment to the constitution, calling the leader, R Sampanthan a traitor. 

CaFFE's executive director, Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon was quoted by Ceylon Today as saying "Sampanthan will become a traitor not only to the people of the North but also to those from the south who died fighting for the devolution of power".

The National Polls Observation Centre (NPOC) warned on Tuesday that the Eastern Province would be the "biggest loser" if the proposed 20th Amendment to the constitution was adopted. 

Sri Lanka's former justice minister, Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, who was removed from his post over his failure to investigation alleged corruption by the former government, is to remain in the Constitutional Council, the Sunday Times reported. 

According to the paper, the Council has no provisions for members to be removed, instead they must either complete their three year term or resign. 

Mr Rajapakshe was nominated to be in the Council by the prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe. 

The JVP on Saturday called on the government to hold local government elections immediately, arguing that there was no reason why it should not be held after the passing of the Local Government Elections Amendment last week. 

“The Speaker should endorse the Bill immediately while Local Government Minister should do the rest so that elections could be held within 70 days as assured by the Chairman of the Elections Commission,” JVP leader, Anura Kumara Dissanayake was quoted by the Daily Mirror as saying. 

Hundreds of Sri Lankan soldiers stationed in Kilinochchi carried out activities under a dengue prevention scheme earlier this month, reports the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence.

Germany’s ambassador to Sri Lanka said many important issues remain unsolved in Sri Lanka and warned that urgent action was needed to implement a United Nations Human Rights Council resolution on accountability for mass atrocities.

Speaking to The Island, German Ambassador Jorn Rohde said that "the first successful steps have been taken with regard to Right to Information, Constitutional Assembly and Office of Missing Persons”.

However he went on to add,

Photographs: Shalin for Tamil Guardian

Sand smuggling and attacks on police vehicles in the Thunnalai area made crackdowns necessary, Sri Lankan police and army officials said at a public meeting with the town’s residents on Saturday, stating that arrests would continue until all suspects were caught.

Over 1300 foreign citizens were refused entry into Sri Lanka last year, including 217 Indian citizens, the Sunday Times reported. 

Entry was also refused to 210 citizens from China, 239 from Pakistan, 166 from Afghan, 41 from Egypt and 6 from Syria. 

Citizens from Pakistan, Egypt, Syria and Afghanistan required special clearance from Sri Lanka's State Intelligence Service (SIS), the paper reported. 

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