The Sri Lankan government said it would release 16 arrested Indian fishermen on Monday, ahead of Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's first foreign visit to India.

The fishermen, from Rameswaram, were reportedly apprehended by the Sri Lankan navy near Delft Island and towed to the Jaffna coast earlier this month. The arrest sparked a protest with approximately 50,000 Indian fishermen launching a strike demanding the Sri Lankan government release their arrested colleagues.

However Sri Lankan Fisheries Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said,

“The released is not related to the PM’s visit to India. The process to release the Indian fishermen has been taking place several times and this is just one of them.”

Earlier this year Mr Wicremesinghe defended the Sri Lankan navy's shooting of fishermen, stating: "If someone tries to break into my house, I can shoot. If he gets killed...Law allows me to do that.”

The awareness walk, calling on the UN Human Rights Council to establish an international justice mechanism reached Kaithady earlier today, on its penultimate leg before reaching Jaffna.

Members of the Northern Provincial Council, including Councillor Ananthy Sasitharan and Councillor M Shivajilingam commenced the walk in Kilinochchi on Thursday, and passed through Elephant Pass, Palai and Kodikamam, on their way to Jaffna where the walk will end.

Relatives of disappeared people and political prisoners also joined the campaigners.

Sinhala opposition to the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between India and Sri Lanka is mounting as Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is preparing to travel to New Delhi on Monday.

The National Freedom Front's Wimal Weerawansa announced a protest against CEPA, to be held on Monday in Colombo, under the name 'CEPA: An Indian death trap'.

Meanwhile the JVP also warned against the agreement, saying that that the local industrial sector would be adversely affected by granting more access to Indians.

JVP Propaganda Secretary Vijitha Hearth said the party had information that the CEPA would be the main focus during talks between Mr Wickremesinghe and Prime Minster Narendra Modi, contrary to a statement by a minister on Sunday, who stressed CEPA would not be discussed during the visit.

The Sri Lankan army released a statement denying it was blocking efforts to investigate the disappearance of a journalist, following the arrest of several army officers.

Three retired members of the army intelligence unit were arrested after surrendering themselves to police with their lawyers last week, in connection to with the investigation of disappeared Sinhalese journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda. 10 military personnel, including some of who are currently serving, have been arrested so far.

It was reported that the military had attempted to block the probe, a charge they are denying.

“The Army while reiterating its compliance with any CID request and full cooperation to the CID for any investigation on the conduct of Army personnel, wishes to underline that once the Police arrest any Army suspect, the Army lawyers do not appear or make any submissions and they do not have any role to play,” said a statement released on Friday.

Sri Lanka’s finance minister met with visiting mission from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) this week, to discuss the Sri Lanka’s economic state ahead of the government budget in November.

The meeting comes after reports that Sri Lanka will look to borrow $4 billion from the IMF to help tackle a widening balance of payment deficit.

Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake said that the meeting was “routine” saying that,

“IMF comes on a normal routine but we have very clearly told them that we will decide as to how the government will run”.

“We are a professional government and we were only exchanging ideas… So they have come to help us, not we help them,” he added.

The minister also stated that “nothing” has been proposed by the IMF for Sri Lanka’s upcoming budget.

The United States and international community should continue sustained engagement on Sri Lanka to ensure reform on the island and the passage of a strong resolution at the UN Human Rights Council, said Taylor Dibbert in Foreign Policy on Friday.

“In order to help ensure that Colombo fully commits to reform, sustained engagement from the United States and other members of the international community is more important than ever” said Mr Dibbert, adding that “America’s commitment to issues including truth, justice and accountability needs to go beyond January 2017” when US President Barack Obama leaves office.

“The war-wear Tamil community—the group that has clearly suffered the most as a result of the war—has virtually no faith in a domestic process,” he said.

“If Washington has decided to unequivocally back the Sri Lankan government on this vital issue, it should take a couple of important steps during the Human Rights Council’s upcoming session,” Mr Dibbert added.

“First, it is imperative that the United States make clear that sustained, international engagement with Colombo is paramount. Second, and more importantly, the United States should lead the way again at the Human Rights Council and ensure the passage of a strong resolution on Sri Lanka."

A protest was held in Jaffna town today, calling for the immediate release of Tamil political prisoners, some of whom have languished in prisons for months and years without charge.

Tamil politicians and family members of those detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act took part in the protest organised by members of the Northern Provincial Council.

TNA MP Dharmalingam Siddharthan, NPC agriculture minister P Aiyngaranesan and NPC councillors Gajatheepan and Sugirthan also took part in the protest.