Displaced Tamil villagers in Mullaitivu have postponed a planned hunger strike after assurances from Tamil National Alliance leader R Sampanthan that they would soon be returned to their rightful land.

A hunger strike was initially planned by IDPs in Keppapilavu for Tuesday, to protest against the Sri Lankan military grab of hundreds acres of land belonging to Tamil villagers.

Approximately 524 acres of land has been occupied by the Sri Lankan military since 2009, leaving villagers stranded in temporary resettlement.

Jaffna University vice chancellor Prof Vasanthi Arasaratnam said that teaching is set to resume at the university on Wednesday, after she announced the appointment of a committee to investigate clashes between Sinhala and Tamil students on the weekend.

The university will begin a phased return to teaching with the medical faculty, 'Sithar' medical unit, engineering faculty and agricultural faculty resuming normal activities from Wednesday.

The UN World Tourism Organisation has been criticised for organising a conference in an Eastern resort notorious for human rights violations and the displacement of locals.

The UNWTO conference entitled "Tourism: a Catalyst for Development, Peace and Reconciliation" held in Passikudah was dubbed a 'farce' by Sri Lanka Campaign.

The Society for Threatened Peoples recently detailed in a report that tourism development in war-affected parts of the East result in human rights violations.

Sri Lankan government minister Champika Ranawaka warned that clashes at Jaffna University on the weekend may lead to “new Prabhakarans” as he called for prosecutions against those involved.

Colombo Telegraph quoted the Minister of Megapolis and Western Development as stating that Tamil students faced no discrimination across the island, whilst Sinhala students were under threat in Jaffna. Clashes erupted on Saturday over attempts by Sinhala students to include a Sinhalese Kandyan dance performance for the first time at a traditional welcome event.

“There is a deeper meaning to this incident,” said the minister. “This is not just an assault on students, this is outright racism.”

Warning that “space must not be given for new Prabhakaran’s to be born,” the minister went on to call for prosecutions against those involved. “We must nip this at the bud, we must defeat these elements. The law must apply to each and every culprit who were behind the assault,” he added.

“These racist and fascist elements must be defeated,” he added, stating that “if they want it to be an all Tamil university, then it should be shut down.”

Sri Lankan soldiers were seen at the Ulavikkulam pillaryaar Kovil festival at Achuveli in Jaffna, where they involved themselves in religious festivities that were underway.