“These egregious violations of international and domestic law have gone unanswered for over two years now, as survivors continue to suffer in suffocating silence on the island.

Finally, after years of waiting for someone to answer for the loss of loved ones, the voices of Tamil victims  and survivors have been granted their day in court.

Today, U.S. courts provide a forum for justice and accountability, where there would otherwise be continued impunity for Sri Lanka’s crimes against Tamils.”

"This lawsuit  seeks damages  for violations of international, Sri Lankan and domestic law under the Alien Torture Claims Act (ATCA) and Torture Victim Protection Act (TVPA).

These statutes grant jurisdiction to U.S. courts  over human rights  violations committed  abroad, and serve to ensure that the U.S. does not become a safe haven for war criminals.

“When asked why can't [Tamil] refugees go back to the villages that they originally came from, the government said that it is not possible because those areas are now special economic development areas, uncleared minefields or on land the military wants to keep.”

- ANI news agency. See the report here.

The decision to air the documentary “Lies Agreed Upon” (and not Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields) was made by the UN Correspondent’s Association President, Giampaolo Pioli, who also covered the event.

Tamil lawyers in Jaffna reportedly boycotted the Court of Law, on Thursday, in protest against the arrest and brutal assault of a Tamil civilian by the Sri Lankan police.

Describing the conduct of the seven policemen involved as an "affront to the authority, dignity and the sanctity of the Courts of Law", they added that such conduct "constitutes a brazen and blatant violation of all norms of behaviour that are expected of the guardians of the law."

India's External Affairs Ministry reportedly informed the Madras High Court that Douglas Devananda, as a cabinet minister of Sri Lanka, could not be arrested as he enjoys diplomatic immunity, warning that any attempt to arrest Devananda would sour relations between Sri Lanka and India.

Devanda, leader of the pro-government paramilitary group-cum-political party, EPDP, is wanted in a 1986 shootout and murder case in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

He was also been accused of kidnapping a boy in 1988. In 1989, he was arrested and later let out on bail.

Under Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, Kaghal Matha Praphullachandra Sharma, also stated that India did not have an extradition treaty with Sri Lanka.

However, according to a report in the The Hindu, under sub-section (1) of Section 3 of the Extradition Act, there was an extradition arrangement between the governments with effect from September 1, 1978.

Leaked US embassy cables, sent in June 2009, describe Devananda to have a "violent and even criminal history", showing "few signs of reforming".  

A group of Australian academics, politicians and human rights campaigners is calling for Sri Lanka's suspension from the Councils of the Commonwealth until the government agrees to cooperate with an international investigation into war crimes.

“Commonwealth nations have to take [their institution] seriously or otherwise it just becomes another gentleman's club where everyone slaps everyone on the back and says nice things.

The Janata Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) has suffered a major split and a new party has been formed according to reports in The Island.

The dissidents led by Dimuthu Atygala, Pugbudu Jagoda and Waruna Rajapakse are said to have walked out a Committee meeting on Monday after announcing the breakaway.

The breakaway faction, who claim to have the support of more than half of the JVP’s 24-member committee, are expected to register a new political party soon.

Sri Lanka’s trade, currency and debt quandary

The International Monetary Fund suspended its programme of supplying Colombo with credit in exchange for reform on Monday after Sri Lanka refused to follow advice and abandon a policy of actively intervening in foreign exchange markets to support the value of the Rupee.

Earlier this month Brian Aitken, the IMF’s head of mission in Colombo, warned that Sri Lanka’s policy of selling dollars to maintain the value of the rupee “does not seem to be in line with the fundamentals in the economy”’ and that the policy was rapidly depleting foreign currency reserves.

He pointed out that Colombo’s “non-borrowed reserves.. have steadily declined, reflecting foreign exchange sales by the central bank.”

Speaking at an event held to mark International Day of Peace, John Rankin, the British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, stressed that the absence of war does not necessarily equate to peace and that peace "means different things to different people.