Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister said the newly announced Office of Missing Persons will have a “humanitarian mandate”, following controversy over the lack of prosecutorial power the office will hold.

Speaking at the International Institute for Middle-East and Balkan Studies (IFIMES) in Slovenia earlier this week, Mangala Samaraweera said the “main objective” of the bill was “ascertaining the fate of the missing, irrespective of when and where they went missing and in what location, and seek to provide answers to their family members and loved ones”.

Sri Lanka deserves “special attention” as the island continues to work towards democracy and reconciliation, said the United States Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, at an international media conference currently underway in India.

Speaking on US interests in South and East Asia, Angela Aggeler said “economically, the region offers some bright indicators, even in the midst of daunting challenges”. 

The United National Party (UNP) on Saturday passed a resolution pledging "not to allow any foreign force to threaten the country’s independence or undermine, ridicule or exert pressure on the people’s sovereignty", the Sunday Times reported. 

The resolution, entitled 'Our ideology' was submitted by the prime minister and UNP leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe at the party's 70th annual convention, which was attended by the former president, Chandrika Kumaratunge, and the Sri Lankan president, Maithripala Sirisena. 

The Sri Lankan army has pledged to release 700 acres of land in Valikaamam North in Jaffna, the Sunday Times reported.  

Jaffna's district secretary, N Vedhanayagan, reportedly said the pledge came following his request to the military to release 1500 acres. 

See more here. 

A Tamil man from Jaffna has been deported from India to Sri Lanka over alleged links to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). 

Thirty-seven year old Suthan Subbiah was detained when he tried to fly to Germany on September 1, reportedly on a fake passport. 

A 6 year old girl has been found murdered in Sampur on Friday, after being reported missing earlier this week.

The girl, reportedly from the Vedda community, had gone missing after last being seen with a 17 year old boy from the region. He led police to the area in the Neelankeni jungle in Sampur, where the girl's body was found.

However, they failed to apprehend him and the boy is currently being sought after by Sri Lanka authorities. 

See more from the Daily Mirror here.

The International Institute for Middle East and Balkan Studies (IFIMES) presented Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera with an award for “Special contribution to reconciliation and coexisting of different groups in Sri Lanka.”

The director of the IFIMES Dr Zijad Becirovic in his congratulatory speech, commended Mangala Samaraweera’s contribution to the “development of  Sri Lanka into a successful and equitable multi-ethnic, multicultural, multireligious and multilingual country.”

See more here.

The government is recruiting more Tamils to the police, armed forces and prisons department said Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe yesterday in parliament. 

Responding to a question raised by leader of the EPDP, Douglas Devananda, Mr Wickremasinghe noted that Tamils had historically been in the police force but issues arose after 1978. He blamed the reduction of Tamils in the police force and armed forces on the 1983 riots and the LTTE.

Two men were charged on Friday over attacking the Sri Lankan High Commissioner, Ibrahim Sahib Ansar in Malaysia last Sunday, the Malay Mail reported. 

A Kalaimughilan and V Balamurugan, 25 and 34 respectively, face up to two years in prison and a fine if found guilty. 

A bail of RM 7000 was granted in one surety each, with a trial date fixed for October 7th. 

The pair's lawyer has requested a reduced bail as both are from low income families. 

Sri Lankan soldiers oversaw the distribution of food at the famous chariot festival of the Nallur temple in Jaffna last month, as criticism of the military’s involvement in civil life in the North-East continues.