The Sri Lankan government has expressed “deep concern” at the escalating violence in Gaza and said it condemns all “deliberate attacks causing mayhem and loss of life of civilians”, in a statement read at yesterday’s special session on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, in the UN Human Rights Council.

Sri Lanka welcomed the convening of the session to address the current human rights issues in the region and said it was “deeply concerned [at the] tragic loss of civilian lives, and extensive damage to property”

The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Jayalalithaa, urged the Indian Prime Minister on Wednesday, to secure the release of the 43 Indian fishermen, currently detained by the Sri Lankan navy this week, together with 55 impounded fishing boats, the Times of India reported.

In her latest letter to Prime Minister Modi on the continuing detention of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan authorities, she described the impounding of the fishing boats as a "deliberate strategy of the Sri Lankan government to destroy the primary means of livelihood of Indian fishermen."

"I request the Centre to take up this matter with the Sri Lankan government to ensure the immediate release of the impounded fishing boats and gear before they are rendered useless," Jayalalithaa wrote.

The European Union, Switzerland and Norway on Wednesday expressed concern about the recent restrictions placed on non-governmental organisations by Sri Lanka, a day after the government published a notice, banning NGOs from receiving foreign funds without prior approval from the finance ministry.

The notice, published in most national newspapers, was addressed to “All government agencies, local institutions, civil society organizations, and the general public” and demanded that “due diligence be observed on the utilisation of funds received from foreign funding agencies, INGOs and any other source”.

The joint statement by the Heads of Missions of the EU and the ambassadors of Switzerland and Norway, said that they “are very concerned about the recent efforts to restrict legitimate public activities of civil society and non-governmental organisations in Sri Lanka.”

The National Freedom Front, a key partner in the Rajapaksa-led UPFA coalition, has called the expansion of the Commission to Inquire into Disappearances to include foreign experts as a ‘mistake’, which could potentially put the president into ‘serious danger’.

NFF leader Wimal Weerawansa, in a letter to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, demanded that he immediately amend the gazette, which allowed for the international experts to be appointed, as it allowed “external forces to interfere with domestic issues”, Ceylon Today reported.

The minister charged that the entire International Criminal Court system is "biased" and that the three advisors appointed to the commission were 'puppets' of western imperialism, according to Asian Mirror.

The JHU, a partner in the ruling UPFA coalition has claimed the charge that Muslims were persecuted in Sri Lanka is a lie, reported Ceylon Today.

JHU leader Omalpe Sobitha was responding to the call by the Dalai Lama for Sri Lanka to stop persecuting Muslims, while speaking at an event commemorating a monk, organised by the Hela Bodhu Saviya (Sinhala Buddhist Strength).

Sobitha also lamented the fact that there was no Buddha Sasana Ministry to propagate Buddhism on the island.

The leader of the NDP, Canada’s main opposition party released a statement commemorating Black July.

Tom Mulcair said his party renewed its commitment “to defend the human rights of the Tamil people in Sri Lanka and press for accountability.”

See full statement below:

“Today, New Democrats’ thoughts are with the Tamil community in Canada and around the world as we commemorate Black July.

"We remember the hundreds of Tamils who were killed and the thousands who were displaced when their homes and businesses were destroyed in Sri Lanka from the violence that ensued from the pogroms targeting Tamils that began on July 23, 1983. The perpetrators and organizers of the violence have never been held accountable for their actions.