Sri Lanka’s army organised more Christmas carols for Tamils in the North-East over the festive season, by holding an event in Mannar last week.

Sri Lanka’s 54 Division organised an event at the St Sebastian Cathedral, where soldiers sang carols “in order to develop the reconciliation among the people living in Mannar area” (sic) according to a military website.

The Sri Lankan prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe announced on Saturday that China would be investing US $5 billion into the country over the next 2-3 years. 

“I would like to thank the Chinese Ambassador for confirming this investment," Mr Wickremesinghe was quoted by the Daily Mirror as saying. 

He added that the investment would "boost employment opportunities and enhance the life style of people."

"China-Sri Lanka bilateral relations were a role model for all bilateral relations in the world," said Mr Wickremesinghe. 

Sri Lanka missed benchmarks set out by the International Monetary Fund for December, Economy Next reported. 

The benchmarks included introducing a formula to price fuel, as well as automatic market pricing of electricity. 

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The international community must act to “ensure justice and lasting peace in Sri Lanka” said a statement signed by ten Tamil diaspora groups to mark the New Year.

“We would like to bring to the attention of the international community that in the 15 months since the resolution, even basic pledges have been broken by the government -  the commitment to release all political prisoners, return of occupied land that belongs to the Tamil people and repeal of the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) are all promises which have not been fulfilled,” said the statement.  

Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena claimed his government would regain the GSP+ trade concession by next week, in a speech delivered on Friday.

Speaking at the opening of a bridge in Kandy, Mr Sirisena said during his tenure the government was able to rebuild relations with the international community.

He went on to add that by next week, the GSP+ trade concessions, which were revoked during the previous government, would be returned.

Joint opposition party supporters, locals and Buddhist monks marched in Amabalantota on Saturday protesting against the government's deal to lease land in an industrial zone in Hambantota port to a Chinese company. 

Government supporters attacked protesters with clubs, the AP reported. Protesters retaliated by throwing rocks. As the violence escalated, Sri Lankan police used water cannons to break up the protest. 

Sri Lanka's state minister of finance, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardene this week reiterated that the president, Maithripala Sirisena rejected the inclusion of foreign judges in any probe and under no circumstances would the government target 'war heroes' for war crimes charges. 

“President Sirisena and the government have full confidence in our judiciary, legal process and judges. We have extremely eminent and experienced judges and our judges have served in various countries and global organizations that have given much credit to the country," he was quoted by the Daily Mirror as saying. 

People cannot be prohibited from entering any Maaveerar Thuyilum Illam - LTTE cemeteries - a Kilinochchi court has ruled.

The Kilinochchi magistrates court has rejected Kilinochchi police's call to bar people from entering the cemeteries, with the judge also stating that people had the right to remember and pay tribute to their dead relatives.

Thousands of Tamils gathered at LTTE cemeteries across the North-East to mark Maaveerar Naal.

The ruling follows the arrest on Thursday of five people attempting to construct a memorial monument at the Kanagapuram Thuyilum Illam.

The five were released on bail for 50,000 rupees.

Sri Lanka's justice minister, Wijeyadasa Rajapakshes said on Friday that he had "no confidence" in the Consultation Task Force on Reconciliation Mechanisms (CTF), which was appointed by the prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe. 

"No one is complaining about the independence of the judiciary anymore. We have reconciliation and peace processes in place. This report, at this juncture, is totally unwarranted. Therefore, we don’t have to follow these recommendations by the CTF,” Mr Rajapakshe told the Daily Mirror. 

The Sri Lankan air force is currently in the process of finalising the purchase of further jets, reported the Daily Mirror. 

The ministry of defence was granted permission to proceed with the purchase by the president and Cabinet. 

“Contemporary aircraft which would be suitable for the coming years would be purchased,” SLAF Spokesman Group Captain Gihan Seneviratne was quoted as saying. 

Sixteen Kfir jets were bought from Israel between 1995 and 2005. At least seven were destroyed.