Expressing concern over the consensus resolution on Sri Lanka due to be tabled at the UN Human Rights Council, North-East civil society groups, trade unions and Tamil political parties, including three out of the four constituent parties of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) stressed that “a mechanism, which is by and large managed and controlled by the Sri Lankan state, will not in our opinion be deemed credible by the victims in Sri Lanka”.

Stating that operative paragraphs 4 and 6 of the current draft resolution “do not adequately provide for the setting up of such a credible hybrid mechanism”, the signatories said that they noted with “deep regret that in the interest of arriving at a consensus resolution with Sri Lanka that many key components of the initial draft have been omitted.”

The joint statement was signed by a number of civil society groups and trade unions across the North-East, including The Social Architects (TSA), the Tamil Civil Society Forum (TCSF), and the Tamil Action Committee for an International Accountability Mechanism (TACIAM), which led a signature campaign in the run up to the UNHRC’s 30th session in Geneva this month, as well as Tamil political parties, including the TNA constituent parties – the Eelam People’s Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF), the Democratic People’s Liberation Front (PLOTE) and Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO), and the Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF).

The UN Human Rights Chief is expected to visit Sri Lanka before the end of the year, said Sri Lanka’s foreign minister Mangala Samaraweera.

Mr Samaraweera said that Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein had accepted an invitation to visit Sir Lanka before the end of the year.

Sri Lanka and the USA on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding worth $2.6 million on Rule of Law Capacity Building Assistance, Sri Lanka’s ministry of Foreign Affairs reports.

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said foreign judges will not be involved in a probe on violations of international humanitarian law committed during the armed conflict as Sri Lanka’s constitution would not allow it.

Mr Wickremesinghe told reporters that Sri Lanka’s judiciary would have to approve any involvement of foreign judges, as has been stated in a resolution presented to the UN Human Rights Council. Foreign judges can be consulted but not actually involved in proceedings, said the prime minister.

The New Indian Express reported the prime minister as stating that “he and his government had saved both the Rajapaksas from facing an international war crimes inquiry by "properly handling" the issue since January”.

“It was Rajapaksa's blunder that forced Sri Lanka to subject it to an international inquiry,” he was further reported to have said.

Sri Lankan army officers in Kilinochchi distributed toys to Tamil schoolchildren last week, despite ongoing criticism regarding the intrusion of the military into civilian life in the North-East.

Officers from Sri Lanka’s 11 (V) Gajaba Regiment, dressed in full military attire, handed out the toys and stationery to schoolchildren in Mulankavil on 24 September 2015.

DMK leader M Karunanidhi called on the Indian government to back a fully international mechanism to investigate and prosecute for mass atrocities committed during the final stages of Sri Lanka’s armed conflict.

“A domestic investigation will not be impartial and a probe by the accused into the crimes will turn justice into a mockery,” said the DMK chief. “The Indian government should voice its support for an independent, credible and international investigation and introduce a resolution for it in the United Nations Human Rights Council”.

His comments come after India’s Ministry of External Affairs said it hoped for justice in Sri Lanka and remained hopeful that a resolution would pass with the consent of the Sri Lankan government at the UN Human Rights Council later this week.

The Sri Lankan police have announced the construction of a new checkpoint in Jaffna town.

The new checkpoint will be constructed by the main bust station and will function 24 hours a day, manned by officers from the crime branch, road traffic and the sub inspector.

It will be functioning from Tuesday September 29th, with Fredrick Woodler Headquarters Inspector (HQI) of Jaffna saying crime, including theft and robbery, had increased in the town.

Children of Tamil political prisoners held a protest on Monday in Cheddikulam demanding the release of their parents.