The General Secretary of the ruling party, SLFP, has announced the party is to examine the resolution passed by the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) this week calling for UN investigators to be allowed access in order to collect evidence for the OHCHR Investigation into Sri Lanka (OISL).

“All provincial councils including the Northern Provincial Council have pledged to act within the Constitution of Sri Lanka," said the SLFP General Secretary, Minister Maithripala Sirisena.

The body of a Tamil Nadu fisherman who went missing on August 25 has been found washed up on Valvettithurai coast Saturday.

The president of the Fishermen's Association T Sesuraja identified the body as that of Isron, who was one of three men who went missing that day, reports PTI.

The body has been transferred to Jaffna hospital for a post-mortem.

His death comes amid ongoing attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen, including mass arrests and detention of fishing boats by the Sri Lankan navy.

Northern Provincial Council Chief Minister C. V. Wigneswaran stated the Sri Lankan army and those who work with them, are stopping people from taking part in Northern Provincial Council events.

Intimidation from the military was keeping the Tamil population away from NPC events, said Wigneswaran adding that the Sri Lankan army was photographing all those who do attend.

“We do not know the reason for military personals taking photographs at our events, but they are taking photographs of us and the public,” said the Chief Minister.

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) met with the British Deputy High Commissioner Laura Davies on Thursday, calling on Britain to ensure the safety of witnesses who testify before the United Nations investigation into mass atrocities on the island.

Meeting in Batticaloa, the TNA discussed the upcoming United Nations investigation, calling for witness safety to be ensured.

Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa hit out at the resolutions passed earlier this week by the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi, one of the main constituent parties of the TNA.

An “irate” Rajapaksa, accused ITAK of attempting to cause “fresh political turmoil” and said a tangible campaign was necessary to neutralise the threat by the party, The Island reported.

The resolutions adopted by ITAK earlier this week included demands for maximum possible devolution to a merged Northeast Province and an appeal to the international community to halt the genocidal actions of the Sri Lankan government.

The defence secretary said that almost all the resolutions encouraged “separatist sentiments”, undermining the Sri Lankan government, and urged the supporters of the TNA in the international community and other local parties to examine the proposals.