International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP) have released a report quoting three female victims who were used as sexual slaves by the Sri Lankan military over prolonged periods under custody.

The cases occurred in 2007, 2009-2013 and 2012-2015 and include different sites: one near Vavuniya, one near Puttalam, one in Colombo and one outside of Colombo but not in the North or East.

“Two of the women describe being detained in a group in one room, available for any soldier to come and chose from and take to an adjacent room or tent to be raped,” the report stated.

The UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) is to review women’s rights in several countries signatory to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. The review for Sri Lanka is to take place on February 22^nd in Geneva.  

In a recent report to CEDAW, Sri Lanka responded to concerns and recommendations made by CEDAW in the fifth, sixth and seventh periodic reports.

Human Rights Watch accused Sri Lankan leaders of backtracking on pledges made to the UN Human Rights Council over a year ago, as the government faces further scrutiny at Geneva later this month.

“It’s crucial that the Human Rights Council consider closely whether Sri Lanka made progress in the security sector as well as its other commitments such as transitional justice,” said Brad Adams, the organisation’s Asia director, noting the lack of reforms made by Colombo.

On the 31st January, 84 Tamil families from Mullaitivu awaited the scheduled return of their lands, only to be turned away by the Sri Lankan air force personnel whose camp was built on the land.

The families of Pilavu village in Keppapilavu, owners of around 20 acres of occupied land, commenced a protest outside the air force camp, announcing they would stay there until they were given access to their properties.

JR Jayewardene discussing the military assault on Jaffna with a commander.

A set of recently declassified CIA reports reveal how Sri Lanka’s former president J R Jayewardene attempted to garner military support from the United States and position himself as a moderate dedicated to solving the island’s ethnic crisis, even as the Sri Lankan army was committing large scale human rights abuses in the North-East.

Relatives of the missing protested in Kilinochchi on Monday calling for information about the whereabouts of their loved ones.

A retired Sri Lankan army major was charged of sexual assault in Hawaii whilst he was there on a training programme with the Disaster Management Center (DMC). 

The army major, who has not been named, was charged of sexually assaulting a female employee of the hotel where he was staying. 

He was arrested by local police before being charged and deported from the country. 

According to Colombo Page, the secretary of the ministry of disaster management said the army major had been temporarily suspended and an institution level inquiry would be conducted. 

A protest was held in Vavuniya last week run solidarity with the people of Mullaitivu, calling for the return of their lands.

Murdered journalist Sugirtharajan was remembered in Batticaloa following the 11th anniversary of his death on January 24th.