Sri Lanka’s consistent lack of progress conveys the impression of a lack of will to investigate and prosecute serious crimes, the NGO Together Against Genocide (TAG) has said.

In a statement released alongside their new report ‘No justice, no truth’, the organisation said “we are deeply disappointed at the lack of progress on justice for crimes against humanity, including genocide, in Sri Lanka almost 8 years after the end of the war, and 2 years after Sri Lanka’s new government made commitments of reform to the UN Human Rights Council.”

The 2016 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, released by the US Department of State, reports that “arbitrary arrest, lengthy detention, surveillance, and harassment of civil society activists, journalists, members of religious minorities, and persons viewed as sympathizers of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE),” are the most pressing human rights issues in Sri Lanka.

With respect to several of these concerns, the report commented on the role of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).

A bill amending the Office of Missing Persons Act to be presented to parliament was gazetted today. The bill repeals section 11 (a) of the Act which grants the Office of Missing Persons (OMP) the express power "to enter into agreements, as are necessary to achieve the mandate of the OMP, with any person or organization." 

There is currently an ongoing legal debate in Sri Lanka about whether the repeal of this section prevents the OMP from being able to enter into agreements with international organizations and individuals. Families of the disappeared have repeatedly demanded international involvement in any mechanism to deal with disappearances. 

Human Rights Watch's Geneva Director called on members of the United Nations Human Rights Council to "ensure continued international scrutiny until the Sri Lankan government delivers on its commitments in full", in a statement released as the council meets this week.

Responding to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein's report John Fisher, the organisation's Geneva director, said it "paints a picture that is in stark contrast to the rosy claims of the Sri Lankan government".

Families of the missing and forcibly disappeared continued their protest in Kilinochchi for the fifteenth day on Monday.

A Sri Lankan court has deemed the 'confessions' of two LTTE cadres detained in 2012 over the shooting down of a military aircraft in 2000 are legitimate, ordering the cadres be further detained. 

The 'confessions' were made to the Terrorism Investigation Division, notorious for its routine use of torture. 

The men, Jegan (alias Kulawan) and Vallami (alias Sinnathilakan) are accused of shooting down a military aircraft that was flying from Palaly to Ratmalana killing 40, including 4 Russian citizens, Colombo Page reported. 

As the Keppapulavu families continued their protest for the fifth day and were joined by various supporters, they were subject to extreme surveillance from a heavy presence of police and military personnel.

Celebrating the 66th Anniversary of the Sri Lanka Air Force, soldiers took part in the renovation of a Tamil school in Batticaloa.

A group of 24 fishermen from Tamil Nadu have been arrested by the Sri Lankan navy, after allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line on Sunday.

The Assistant Director of Fisheries in Rameshwaram was quoted as saying at leat 15 fishermen were arrested and taken to Talaimannar, whilst another group of nine others fishing near Neduntheevu were also detained by the military.

The latest incident comes after another 8 fishermen were taken into custody by the Sri Lankan military on Saturday.

The JHU MP Champika Ranawaka on Friday urged the government not to devolve police powers to the provincial councils arguing that such a move would like to violent groups and terrorism.