The circulation manager of Jaffna newspaper ‘Thinakkural’ was hospitalised after being assaulted by a gang of motorcyclists early on Wednesday morning.

46-year-old Sivagurunathan Sivakumar was followed by six individuals, all with their faces covered by helmets, on three motorbikes as he was doing his daily distribution rounds in Jaffna.

Sivakumar recalls being overtaken and stopped by one motorbike, punched in the face by one individual and beaten with metal poles and clubs by the others.

Sivakumar’s motorcycle and the bundles of newspapers which he had been transporting were then set alight by the attackers.

The Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) condemned the ‘barbaric’ and ‘malicious’ assault.

In a statement released in Tamil on Thursday, the TNPF said:

 “Last month, a distribution worker for Uthayan was attacked in this same style... These attacks have been carried out by forces with no respect for democracy - anti-democratic forces incapable of engaging in discussions and instead trust in cultures of violence and murder."

The British Tamils Forum said this week it deplores the statement by the UK’s Minister in charge for Sri Lanka, Rt Hon Alistair Burt, in which he suggested that the island’s conflict has ended.

The BTF’s statement follows:

On his highly controversial trip to Sri Lanka, Minister Burt is seen giving an interview on the beaches of Mullivaikkal, with John Rankin, the British High commissioner in Sri Lanka, in which he repeatedly states that the conflict has ended in Sri Lanka.

[See the full interview here.]

Mullivaikal, a coastal village in the north east corner of the Island of Sri Lanka was where over 40,000 Tamils were massacred in just the final few days of the war in 2009. Gordon Weiss, a UN spokesman during the war described this as the "Srebrenica Moment".

British Tamils Forum’s Parliamentary Coordinator Nad Mylvaganam conveying the feelings of the Tamil people said

“The insensitivity at the choice of the place for his interview and the manner in which he refers to the conflict as a thing of the past, has incensed Tamil people who are still mourning their loved ones massacred on those beaches. Minister Burt’s untimely visit undermines the efforts of Human Rights defenders who are working hard to hold the regime to account.”

Sri Lanka’s garment industry is losing market share in its key export destinations, the US and the EU, to its competitors from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Vietnam and Cambodia, according to a report by the Colombo-based Institute of Policy Studies.

"Despite considerable increases in absolute export earnings to both and US and EU markets, it is of concern to note that Sri Lanka’s relative market share in garment exports has been losing ground. The increase in export earnings over the years has been due largely to a shift in Sri Lankan garment exports from the US to EU," the IPS said in its report, ‘Sri Lanka: State of the Economy 2012’.

"Sri Lanka has been seeing a steady decline in its market share in the US from 2.3 percent in 2005 to 1.8 percent in 2011. Sri Lanka has been losing out to countries such as Pakistan, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Cambodia. Pakistan’s share in the US apparel market was significantly below that of Sri Lanka in 2005 at 1.8 percent, but is now ahead at 2.1 percent. Diversification of its product range, marketing and large investments in value-added sectors including sewing machines, stitching, knitting, finishing and knitting processing have contributed towards Pakistan’s progress,"

"While Sri Lanka has been successful in penetrating the EU market, 2010 and 2011 have seen a marginal decline in the share compared to 2009. Moreover, Sri Lanka is bound to lose its foothold further as the EU GSP Plus concessions eroded. Sri Lanka garment exports will face higher tariffs under the new reforms that would come into effect from 2014. Whereas China and Turkey still account for over half of the garment export share in the EU, Sri Lanka has been losing its market share to competitor countries such as Bangladesh, India, Vietnam, Pakistan and Cambodia. Bangladesh has been particularly successful in penetrating the EU market, with an increase of 6.2 percent in 2009 to 11.2 percent in 2011.”

Industry sources said the country was losing around US$ 1 billion each year due to the withdrawal of GSP Plus, said The Island.

The International Bar Associations Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) expressed serious concern over the visa rejections of its four delegation members who had intended on visiting Sri Lanka.

The Sri Lankan parliament produced a draft bill that looks to revise the current legislation on ‘terrorist’ financing, reported Colombo Page.

The Sri Lankan government claimed  that revisions of the Terrorist Financing Act No 25 of 2005 needed revision to combat the threat of active ‘terrorists’ oversees.

"Yes. Still believe that although progress been made, much remains to be done. Hope SL gov will work constructively."

"Essential that human rights defenders are free to speak out as we continue to make clear to SL authorities"

"there is freedom of speech but too many comments about intimidation to be ignored"

The Sri Lankan government will reject the US-sponsored resolution at the 22nd session of the UN Human Rights Council, said a member of the cabinet.

Chief Government Whip and Water Supply and Drainage Minister Dinesh Gunawardena told the Daily News that Sri Lanka has fulfilled its obligations as a member of the UN.

The opposition immigration spokesperson, Scott Morrison, said that if in power they would provide more data on asylum seekers arriving by boat to Sri Lanka.

Morrison said that "generic" information would be supplied, including location of where the boats departed from, where the asylum seekers are from and the name of the smuggler, reports The Australian.

The increasing number of sexual assaults is causing concern amongst tourists, with rapes in Sri Lanka reported to occur 5 times each day.

Last week, a 25-year old German was attacked in broad daylight while sunbathing on a beach in Chilaw. She managed to escape after kicking the would-be rapist and fleeing into a hotel. A 28-year old suspect was arrested.

Dismissing Sri Lanka's celebration of Independence day on 4th February an act that sanctioned the state's genocide of Tamils, Australian Tamils came together in condemnation at the 65 years of genocide that has ensued.

Together with trade union activists, members of the Tamil Coordinating Committee - Australia, raised the Eelam Tamil flag in Geelong, Australia, to protest against what they described as the "international lie of independence in Sri Lanka".

Speaking to Tamil Guardian, Dominic Santhiapillai of the TCC-Australia said:

"Since Feb 4th, 1948 successive Sri Lankan governments have attempted to wipe out the Tamil nation through various pogroms and acts of genocide... The citizenship act in 1948, the Sinhala Only Act in 1956, the republican constitution of 1972 and the burning of Jaffna public library in 1981 are just a few key examples of the steps taken by the state towards this genocide."

Addressing the island for Sri Lanka's celebration of Independence Day from Trincomalee, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, rejected the possibility of Tamil autonomy, once again.