The Sri Lankan army coerced local school children to participate in a Christmas celebration at a military camp in Kilinochchi this month. 

In a statement explaining its vote in favour of the UN resolution on the status of Jerusalem, the Sri Lankan government said it had voted based on its "traditional and principled position". 

It was not a vote against any member state of the UN, Sri Lanka stressed, adding that it believed in the "vision of two states living side by side in peace, security and mutual recognition". 

Sri Lanka's minister of law and order, Sagala Ratnayake on Thursday warned of strict legal action against anyone inciting communal or religious violence via social media posts. 

An increased number of police personnel had been deployed ahead of the election in February, the mnister added. 

"The police would act ensuring a free and fair election on instruction by the Elections Commission," Mr Ratnayake said. 

The United Nations’ refugee agency spoke out against the deportation of a Tamil asylum seeker to Sri Lanka, stating it was a worrying breach of the Australian government’s international legal obligations and presented “a serious risk of return to danger”.

UNHCR spokesperson Catherine Stubberfield said that “since July 2012, people who sought asylum by sea were excluded from lodging an application in Australia for up to four years”.

“While they were all invited to apply by October 2016, some asylum seekers have been unable to complete this process within the time frame for a range of valid reasons, including a lack of access to legal representation,” she added.

A former Sri Lankan navy spokesperson accused of involvement in the disappearance of 11 Tamils youths in 2008 has been remanded once more.

The latest remand against Commodore D.K.P. Dassanayake and five others will last until January 2^nd.

The former Sri Lankan soldier did not show up to the hearing in court as he was receiving treatment at a private hospital, reports ColomboPage.

The leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) R Sampanthan has been admitted to hospital with “tiredness”, reports the Daily Mirror.

A family member was quoted by Daily Mirror as stating that Mr Sampanthan fell ill on Thursday evening.

“The main symptom was said to be tiredness,” said the family member. “He has had long discussions with the party machinery in Trincomalee and this may have led to being tired.”

India's government on Thursday informed the Rajya Sabha that 144 fishermen were detained by Sri Lankan authorities. 

The statement by the Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs, V K Singh, came in response to a written question on the issue, the Economic Times reported. 

"As a result of sustained diplomatic efforts, the government has so far secured the release of 347 fishermen from Sri Lankan custody," Mr Singh added. 

Sri Lankan authorities also currently hold 144 fishing boats, the paper added. 
 
The minister also noted that 537 fishermen were currently detained in Pakistan, alongside 1000 fishing boats. 

The Sri Lankan government decided this week to establish a new TV channel to aid reconciliation, Ada Derana reported. 

However, the channel, entitled the 'Channel of Reconciliation',  will be targetting only Tamils in the North-East. 

It remains unclear how the government intends to promost reconciliation through such a one way medium and what programmes will be featured. 

See more here. 

Sri Lanka's department of archaeology pledged to investigate the alleged vandalism of what they have described as a 'Buddhist site' in the Eastern Province. 

The site, located in Trincomalee, was only 'discovered' this month, the Daily Mirror reported. 

It was reportedly vandalised by an unidentified group on December 18. 

Sri Lanka's Galle Face Road was closed for several hours on Thursday due to workers from Hambantota port protesting, local papers reported. 

Over a hundred port workers held placards and banners, blocking motorists from using the road. The cause of the protest remains unclear however.

The port which is part owned by a state-run Chinese company has been dogged with protests, with many Sinhala locals viewing the Chinese involving as a loss of sovereignty. 

In October, a protester at Hambantota port was assaulted by a police officer.