Tamils and Muslims across the North-East protested on Thursday, calling for an end to atrocitities in Syria.

A Tamil asylum seeker who was deported from Australia last week continues to face harassment and intimidation from Sri Lankan security forces, The Guardian reported. 

Just as the UN Human Rights Council's 37th session commences in Geneva, the Sri Lankan president appointed commissioners to the Office of Missing Persons (OMP). 

Mr Saliya Pieris was appointed as the Chairman of the Commission. Other commissioners included Ms Jayatheepa Punniyamoorthy, Major General (Rtd.) Mohanti Antonette Peiris, Dr Sriyani Nimalka Fernando, Mr Mirak Raheem, Mr Somasiri K Liyanage, Mr Somasiri K Liyanage and Mr Kanapathipillai Venthan. 

Hundreds of Tamil protestors marched to the DS office in Mullaitivu this week, to protest against the Sri Lankan military’s continued occupation of land in the North-East.

Sri Lankan security forces have continued to use torture against Tamils on the island, reports Al Jazeera, who has uncovered allegations and evidence of torture.

In a piece by Barnaby Phillips, Al Jazeera interviewed Tamils who had been beaten, burnt with cigarettes and raped.

The Sri Lankan military’s continued occupation of land in the Vanni is threatening traditional livelihoods in local communities said a new report launched by the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) and the National Fisheries Solidarity Movement (NAFSO) in Mullaitivu.

Families of the disappeared protesting in Mullaitivu have reported an increase in surveillance and intimidation by Sri Lankan intelligence personnel, as their protest approaches its one year mark.

A Tamil university student was found hanging in his residence in Jaffna on Tuesday.

The student was identified as Samuel, originally from Vavuniya but resident in Kantharmadam, and a student at the Medical Faculty of Jaffna University.

Jaffna police have said they are investigating the death.

The Tamil National Alliance on Wednesday condemned attacks on Muslim shops and a mosque by Sinhala mobs in Amparai earlier this week. 

"I strongly condemn the attacks carried out against the Muslim community in Ampara," the TNA leader, R Sampanthan said in a statement. 

"I urge the government to take stern action against the perpetrators of the violence in Ampara and to take adequate meausures to prevent such incidents being repeated in future."

Police in Mullaitivu today arrested the Northern Provincial Councillor, Thurairasa Ravikaran over his involvement in a protest against Sri Lankan navy land grabs in Vaddavakal on February 22. 

He was later released on bail by Mullaitivu court. 

Tamils protested in Jaffna on Tuesday against the Sri Lankan government's failure to take action against microfinance companies with high interest rates leaving families under spiraling debts.

A signature campaign calling for an international accountability mechanism was launched today in Jaffna by the Tamil Action Committee for International Accountability Mechanism (TACIAM), supported by the Tamil National People's Front (TNPF). 

Several Muslim shops and a mosque were damaged during an attack by a Sinhala mob in Amparai on Monday evening. 

The police have been deployed to Amparai town following the incident, which comes just days after the former president Mahinda Rajapaksa swept the polls in the local government elections. 

During his presidency there were a series of attacks by Sinhala mobs targetting Muslim businesses, homes and mosques.

The former president, Mahinda Rajapaksa flew to India today as part of a six member delegation the Daily Mirror reported. 

The flight was bound for Bangalore, the paper reported. 

Airport sources said the joint opposition MP Lohan Ratwatte was part of the delegation. 

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