Speaking at the headquarters of the United Nations in New York yesterday, UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson stated there was a “systematic failure” in Sri Lanka, as a new action plan to prevent genocide and human rights abuses was launched.

Eliasson was speaking at the launch of “Rights Up Front”, a follow up report to the Internal Review Panel on UN Action in Sri Lanka, which concluded there was a “grave failure” on the part of the United Nations, and acknowledged that up to 70,000 Tamil civilians could have been killed.

“The only deterrent for poaching we came across so far is arresting and we are doing it, of course Mr. Karunanidhi came up with the statement that Sri Lanka Navy trying to make the Bay of Bengal into an open air prison!"

Senior UNP member, MP Ravi Karunanayaka, called on Sajith Premadasa to take a lead at the Southern Provincial Council election next year, whilst announcing his intention to contest as UNP, for the Western Provincial Council.

The head of the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka and Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, has said that neither he nor any of the bishops on the island will indulge in politics or affiliate themselves with a political party or group, reported The Island.

Sri Lanka’s Special Task Force (STF) has the provision to expand to up to 10,000 troops stated the STF Commandant earlier this week, as training continued to take place with more troops being recruited.

Speaking to theIsland, STF Commandant DIG R. W. M. C. Ranawaka stated that 300 were undergoing training at the moment, with provision for recruitment for a further 600 troops next year.

Despite a recent announcement by the head of Sri Lankan Army in Jaffna, that armed personnel would not enter inside the premises of the University of Jaffna, two armed, uniformed soldiers were seen inside the university grounds today, reported the Uthayan.

According to the paper, the two soldiers were seen at 2.30pm walking around the memorial in front of the Kailaasabathi Hall.

India’s ministry of defence has called on the lower house of Parliament to disallow a debate on the issue of training Sri Lankan Armed Forces personnel, in a memorandum.

The Hindu reported that the note, issued on 13th of December by Defence Minister A.K. Antony, stated,