A multitude of Tamil civil society groups condemned the "deception and deviatory polity" of the TNA's leadership, in a memorandum presented to the party leader's on Tuesday, reported Tamilnet.

It added that the impressive list of signatories to the memorandum, including trade unionists, community leaders, religious leaders, academics, profressionals and educationalists, urged "firmness of leadership in political stand" and asserted that "Tamils are not a ‘minority’ requesting concessions, but a nation demanding self-rule".

An organisation campaigning for women's rights in Sri Lanka has revealed there are 89,000 war widows in the north-east of the island.

Committee member for Women for Rights, Dr. Sarojini Savithri, said 12,000 of those widows were under the age of 40.

Addressing parliament on Wednesday, Foreign Minister GL Peiris asserted Sri Lanka will not allow an international investigation into allegations of war crimes.

The Sri Lankan government "is firmly for solving the country’s internal issues by itself,” he reiterated.

It is unfortunate then that this is the only aspect of the investigation of war crimes the government is firm about.

Almost a month after the LLRC report was presented to the President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, the dithering continues.

Amnesty International, Tamils Against Genocide and the director of 'Sri Lanka's Killing Fields' documentary, Callum Macrae joined others in a discussion on 'Where now after Sri Lanka's Killing Fields' on 25th November.

The event, organised by Freedom from Torture, the medical foundation for the care of victims of torture, who released a damning report into the widespread and ongoing practice of torture by Sri Lanka's security forces, was fully booked.

Yolande Foster from Amnesty International, Jan Jananayagam from TAG, the shadow minister for international development, Rushanara Ali and the journalist and director, Callum Macrae were invited to share their thoughts the allegations of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in Sri Lanka, prior to the public discussion.

China’s General Xiaotian was warmly welcomed to Sri Lanka by army chief Lt. Gen. Jagath Jayasuriya.

General Xiaotian arrived at the army headquarters on Tuesday morning, where a guard of honour was awaiting him.

Lt. Gen. Jayasuriya stressed that Sri Lanka was ‘true friends’ with China due to the military assistance the country provided during the last few years of the war, which left at least 40,000 Tamil civilians dead.

Reports have emerged that the Sri Lankan Army is ready to distribute and sell fruits and vegetables, as thousands of farmer protested against a new law requiring plastic crates to be used in their transportation.

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has called for investigations into the disappearances of two activists, who helped organise a protest in Jaffna drawing attention to the plights of missing people on the island.

The disappearances are just the latest in a string of abductions, which have seen a marked rise in the Northern and Eastern Provinces.

Mahinda Rajapaksa's ears must have been burning yesterday, as ministers took turns to confess their gratitude to the President during the parliamentary session.

"We must be grateful to him" urged UPFA member VK Indika, lauding the "numerous benefits" Rajapaksa is said to have been bestowed upon the fisheries sector.

"We must thank President Rajapaksa for eliminating terrorism" echoed UPFA's Suriapperuma.