Sri Lankan troops further consolidated their involvement in religious activities in the North-East, as the military held a ceremony last week, where they met with the newly appointed Bishop of Mannar.

The Sri Lankan government is looking to raise US$500 million through development bonds, as it struggles to repay a record high debt.

Reuters reports the Colombo must repay an estimated 1.97 trillion rupees ($12.85 billion) in 2018 which includes $2.9 billion of foreign loans, and a total of $5.36 billion of interest. The sum is a record high for the Sri Lankan government.

Sri Lanka’s Central Bank announced this week that it plans to raise $500 million in 2-year, 3-year, 4-year, and 5-year Sri Lanka Development Bonds (SLDB).

A group of British MPs who are touring Sri Lanka met with the military in Jaffna last week, despite criticism of ongoing militarisation of the North-East.

A demining staff member was shot by unknown gunmen close to the police station in Palai on Monday night at 8pm local time. 

The victim, 38 year old father of two, Sivananthamoorthy Surenthiran, was rushed to Palai hospital before being transferred to Jaffna Teaching Hospital for treatment of significant injuries. 
 

The killing of eleven Tamils by Sri Lankan police officers at the 1974 International Tamil Research Conference in Jaffna was remembered today. 

Residents and members of the Northern Provincial Councils gathered by a memorial to mark the 44th anniversary of the massacre. 

Sri Lanka's president, Maithripala Sirisena has asked the Supreme Court for its view on whether he can extend his term in office till 2021, making his presidency a total of 6 years. 

According to the 19th Amendment to the constitution which the government hailed as evidence of its revolutionary governance and part of its 100 day 'good governance' plan, a president's term is limited to 5 years. 

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) criticised what it described as "lots of talk but little progress in Sri Lanka over journalist murders' as the government commenced its 4th year in power. 

"Impunity for crimes against journalists remains a front-line issue in Sri Lanka; indeed, ending impunity was a promise of the government of President Maithripala Sirisena when he defeated Mahinda Rajapaksa in elections in 2015," CPJ's Asia program coordinator, Steven Butler wrote. 

Read more here for full post. Extract reproduced below:

Sri Lanka's former foreign minister, Mangala Samaraweera said the government was committed to delivering justice for the assassination of the former Sunday Leader editor, Lasantha Wickrematunga, as the family of the murdered journalist criticised the government's failure to bring the perpetrators to justice. 

In a statement marking the 9th anniversary of Mr Wickremetunga's death on January 8th, his brother, Lal, criticised the government for using the case as a "political tool" without delivering results. 

Sri Lanka's prime minister sought to allay criticism of the government's lack of progress on key issues in a special statement released today, marking the third anniversary of the unity government's election win. 

"on November 21, 2014 the President decided to join with the UNP to rid the country of nepotism, corruption and fraud to launch Sri Lanka to a position of economic and political stability while also regaining the tarnished image of Sri Lanka in the eyes of the international community," Mr Wickremesinghe was quoted by Ada Derana as saying. 

A former Sri Lankan navy spokesman has been granted bail after being held in remand custody over the abduction of 11 Tamil youth.

D.K.P. Dassanayake and five others were granted a cash bail of Rs.100,000 with three sureties of Rs.1 million each.

The group is suspected of involvement in the enforced disappearance and abduction of eleven Tamil youths that took place in 2008.