As the 46^th session of the UN Human Rights Council continues, the Oakland Institute has released a report which highlights Sri Lanka’s continued militarisation and Sinhalisation of the island as the government continues its campaign to “eradicate the history and culture of the Tamil people”.

The International Truth and Justice Project Sri Lanka (ITJP) released a series of infographics this week, detailing casualty estimates during the final months of Sri Lanka’s 2009 military offensive that killed tens of thousands of Tamils.

Examining different sources, including from the United Nations, census figures and World Bank data, ITJP found that the highest estimate of those killed during that final phase could be as large as 169,796.

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Britain’s parliament is to hold a debate on the “UK’s Commitment to Reconciliation, Accountability and Human Rights in Sri Lanka,” as a resolution on the issue is due to be voted on at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva this month.  

In a joint statement by eight human rights ambassadors, including the UK, Germany, and Sweden, denounced the continued detention of Muslim lawyer Hejaaz Hizbullah by the Sri Lankan authorities.

Sri Lanka Special Task Force (STF) has searched a Hindu cemetery in Chemmani, to allegedly uncover  5 kg of ammunition following a Jaffna Magistrate court order.

According to police records, 3 kg 750 mg C4 and rennet ammunition detonators and wires were found within the bag. 

Writing to British Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, leader of the UK Liberal Democratic party, Ed Davey, slammed the proposed resolution on Sri Lanka stating it “completely fails to rise to the challenge” and called for Sri Lanka to be referred to the International Criminal Court.

A United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution on accountability in Sri Lanka, will ensure that the country is kept “firmly on the UNHRC agenda” said British Minister of State for South Asia Lord Ahmad, in a letter this week, as the UK continued to decline referring Sri Lanka to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Tamil traders have complained about Sri Lankan army officials confiscating their goods at Mannar checkpoints and keeping it to sell for themselves.

Sri Lanka has been accused of officially recognising the military regime in Myanmar which seized power on February 1, after Sri Lankan foreign secretary Dinesh Gunawardena sent a letter to Wunna Maung Lwin, a military-junta appointed foreign secretary, inviting him to a ministerial meeting.

As Ambihai Selvakumar enters her 13th day of hunger-striking, she has garnered international support from politicians across the globe.

Sri Lanka’s foreign secretary Jayanath Colombage vowed that his government would not “surrender” at the UN Human Rights Council, where a new resolution on accountability for mass atrocities is being considered, and instead trashed UN estimates of 70,000 Tamil civilians having been killed during the final phase of the armed conflict.

Speaking to Roar Media, the former Navy Admiral criticised the recent UN High Commissioners report as being “unfounded” and “not based on facts”. He added that UN estimates of 70,000 Tamil civilians killed in the final phases of the armed conflict are flawed as there are no “bodies” or “skeletons” and that “there had not been that many [civilian] loses during the final stages of the war”.

Following this, Colombage went on to state that the “army had to exercise restraint” in the final stages of the war as “they did not want to kill civilians” and followed their “zero [civilian] casualties” strategy. He added the military forces had become their “protectors” taking them to “various centres” and that after a “lapse of a few years” they were allowed to go home and questioned why the government is accused of human rights abuses.

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Chairman G.L. Peiris claimed the Sri Lankan government “wouldn’t hesitate” to make constitutional amendments to guarantee protection for their armed forces from potential war crimes trials.

His comments to The Island, came following a damning report released by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights which urged member states to consider asset freezes and travel bans on Sri Lankan officials, as well as pursuing trials in their respective national courts. His remarks come as the 46th session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is underway in Geneva.

The former foreign secretary speaking at an SLPP press brief told reporters, that the constitution could be amended to protect the armed forces, stating the UNHRC is pursuing an “agenda” against Sri Lanka.

Despite rising international concern over the deteriorating human conditions in Sri Lanka, the UK has outpaced China as a direct investor into the Sri Lanka economy.

Tamil Guardian correspondent Kanapathipillai Kumanan was intimidated and harassed by three Sri Lankan Forest Department officials in Mullaitivu on 27th February.