An attendant on a North-bound train sexually harassed a Tamil woman and racially abused, and attempted to physically attack, male Tamil passengers who tried to intervene.

The attendant on Train 4077 from Mount Lavinia to Chunnakam on Monday moved seats behind the woman and groped her. The woman moved seats to which the attendant followed her.

Other passengers intervened when the woman shouted, following which the attendant became more aggressive and racially abusive towards the male Tamil passengers.

The chief minister of the Northern Province, C V Wigneswaran on Sunday met with families in Valikaamam North who had returned to their homes that had until recently been occupied by the Sri Lankan military. 

The families from Myliddy, Thaiyiddy, Kadduvan and Mayilani spoke of the many problems they were facing following their prolonged displacement as well as having to rebuild their lives despite the military's ongoing presence nearby. 

Sri Lankan police officers attempted to stop families of the disappeared protesting today against the Sri Lankan president's May Day event in Batticaloa.

Continuing their protest undeterred, families condemned the government's failure to provide answers for the tens of thousands who remaing unaccounted for and criticised the Office on Missing Persons (OMP) as a mechanism of provide accountability. 

The Matara chief magistrate on Friday released nine suspects on bail who had been arrested for attempting to sexually assault a Dutch and British tourist at Mirissa beach in Weligama. 

The incident took place on April 8. 

The suspects were released on two personal sureties of Rs 200,000 each, the Colombo Page reported. 

The case will be heard again on October 8. 

The former army commander, Sarath Fonseka said it was a mistake to field Maithripala Sirisena, the current president, as the common candidate in 2015. 

"I told Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to contest the last presidential election but the party supported a common candidate instead. This was a blunder," Mr Fonseka told a May Day rally, the Daily Mirror reported. 

Mr Fonseka, who sough the law and order portfolio, was made the Sustainable Development, Wildlife and Regional Development Minister. 

“We have miserably failed in the last three years to fulfill the pledges given at two elections in 2015," Mr Fonseka told reporters. 

The chief minister of the Northern Province, C V Wigneswaran condemned the Sri Lankan military's ongoing occupation and civilian activites, warning that it would only take 10 years of occupation to make the Northern province into the East.

"Everyone needs to know about the military's activities which are taking place around us," Mr Wigneswaran wrote in article published on May 4. 

Tamil National Alliance MPs and NPC members met with families protesting against the navy's occupation of their lands in Iranaitivu on Saturday. 

MPs S Sritharan and Mavai Senathirajah as well as the NPC member, Kurukularajah were present, expressing their support to the protesters. 

On April 23 villagers from Iranaitivu staged a daring attempt to return to their homes, sailing to the island which continues to be occupied by the Sri Lankan military and marching to their homes, refusing to leave until they are guaranteed their land will be returned to them.

A Sri Lankan police officer was injured in a sword attack in Kayts yesterday. 

The officer, who has not been identified, was attacked on his way to work. 

The attack is believed to be involved in criminal activity, the police told reporters, adding that an investigation into the incident had been launched. 
 

Deepening the military's involvement in civilian activities, particularly within the school environment, the Sri Lankan army presented bicycles and funds to school children in Jaffna district today. 

More than 70 youth from Kilinochchi participated in a judo workshop organized by Security Forces Headquarters - Kilinochchi.