The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, met with family members of the disappeared who were staging a protest as he arrived in Jaffna on Sunday.

The family members, who were holding photographs of their loved ones who had disappeared, were outside the Chief Minister of the Northern Province’s office as the UN Human Rights chief arrived.

“They could have shown us our children or they could have given us a decision,” said the weeping mother of a disappeared son. “They must give us an answer today. They have to give us our children back.”

“Discussions very much focussed on the challenges the province faces but also the plans and the achievements in connection with this region and the people who aspire to see more information in terms of those detained and those missing as well as the issue of the release of land”.

“These discussions will continue of course in the course of today tomorrow and in Colombo with the highest officials of the state,” he added.

Justice Wigneswaran also handed the High Commissioner a list of 4,000 people who have been listed as missing since the end of the armed conflict, alongside dates and places they were last seen.

The Sri Lankan police force has constructed a new makeshift Buddhist shrine in Kayts in Jaffna, according to latest reports.

The Indian government is fully supportive of Sri Lanka's programmes and is grateful to the new administration's policies on reconciliation and development, visiting foreign minister Sushma Swaraj said according to the Daily Mirror.

“The Indian government will give its fullest support to implement those policies mentioned in that statement”, she said, while speaking about a recent speech delivered by President Sirisena in Sri Lanka's parliament.

Mr Sirisena also thanked India for its assistance.