Speaking to the press on the detention of Eelam Tamil refugees in the Trichy Central Jail “Special Camp,” parliamentarian Selvam Adaikalanathan called on the Tamil Nadu government to release the detainees immediately.

“Their protest for their release has crossed 32 days,” Adaikalanathan said, “and they have gone to the extent of sacrificing their lives.” 

Responding to a request from former Scottish Justice Minister, Kenny MacAskill, for the correspondence between Police Scotland and the British High Commission, detailing the decision to pause the training programme for Sri Lankan police; Amanda Milling , Co-Chair of the Conservative Party, maintained that the FCO has “no plans to publish this correspondence”.

Speaking at the 48^th UN Human Rights Council session, Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparations and guarantees of non-recurrence, Fabian Salvioli slammed Sri Lanka noting his that “the last 18 months have witnessed a profound deterioration in the human rights situation, which jeopardizes the transitional justice process”.

Speaking at a virtual meeting  focused on the ongoing UN Human Rights Council session, Sri Lankan foreign secretary, Jayanath Colombage denied the need for external mechanisms claiming that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights had praised the country for the steps it had taken.

On Wednesday, Sri Lanka’s Human Rights Commission (HRCSL) visited Anuradhapura prison as part of their investigation into State Minister, Lohan Ratwatte, after he had stormed the prison and forced Tamil prisoners to kneel before him at gun point.

Speaking at the 48^th UNHRC session, the EU delegation expressed regret that Sri Lanka “no longer support the UN framework to address the legacy of the past conflict, to ensure acknowledgements for victims, and to foster accountability, reconciliation and human rights”.

The delegation maintained the need for “continued efforts for reconciliation, accountability and human rights pursuant Council resolution 46/1”. They further called on the government to “guarantee the independence” of the Office of Missing Persons and the Office for Reparations.

Responding to the news that Sri Lankan State Minister for Prison Management and Prisoners Rehabilitation, Lohan Ratwatte, forced detained Tamil inmates at Anuradhapura prison to kneel down at gunpoint, Amnesty International has demanded “a prompt, impartial and effective inquiry”.

People for Equality and Relief in Lanka (PEARL) has welcomed the opening remarks of UN High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet at the opening of the 48^th session of the UN Human Rights Councils and urged the international community to heed her recommendations to pursue accountability for Sri Lankan war crimes and rebuild the confidence of Tamil victim communities.

The Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) paid tribute to Lt Col Thileepan in Nallur today, to remember the hunger strike he undertook in protest against the failure of the Indian government to honour the pledges made to the Tamil people.

On this day 34 years ago, Thileepan, a political wing leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) began his hunger strike surrounded by hundreds of thousands of supporters at Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil.