The Sri Lankan government must quicken the pace of reform in the country, the chair of the British All-Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils has said following the official country visit of UN Special Rapporteur Pablo de Greiff.

Paul Scully MP expressed disappointment in the insufficient progress made on transitional justice and also expressed concern about unresolved land disputes, the Prevention of Terrorism Act and harassment of activists.

Mr Scully also urged for independent monitoring and demilitarisation of the North-East in a statement on Thursday, as well as stating that the Office for Missing Persons required better resourcing.

Mullaitivu landowners have said they intend to legally challenge the Sri Lankan government's planned landgrabs in Mullivaikkaal.

A gazette notification issued in August declared that 617 acres of privately-owned land in Mullivaikkaal would be appropriated for the use of the Gotabaya navy camp.

Since being informed whether they were affected by the Maritimepattu Divisional Secretariat, owners of the land have insisted they will not allow their properties to be forcibly appropriated.

Northern Provincial Council representative for Mullaitivu, T. Ravikaran said the NPC and Chief Minister would support the residents in their campaign to keep their lands.

Residents of Mulankavil and surrounding villages in Kilinochchi district have been clearing up the local LTTE cemetery (Thuyilum Illam) in preparation for Maaveerar Naal.

Members of a local sports team were joined by the other residents in the clear-up which has been taking place since last weekend.

Campaigns in support of the hunger-striking Tamil political prisoners continue in the North-East, as Jaffna residents protested in town on Tuesday.

The Indian government delivered a grant package worth Rs 90million on MOnday to develop facilities at the University of Jaffna's campus in Kilinochchi. 

The package, which includes equipment, machinery and vehicles for the agricultural and engineering campus, was handed over the head of the development cooperation department of the Indian High Commission, D C Manjunath to the vice chancellor of the university, R Vigneswaran. 

The total grant package from the Indian government for the university's development is Rs 600 million, Colombo Page reported. 

The Norwegian ambassador, Thorbjørn Gaustadsæther this week visited projects funded by Norway in Jaffna district, including the Myladi harbour and the Thelippalai divisional secretariat area. 

Mr Gaustadsæther opened a new multi-purpose building funded by the Norwegian government and facilitated by UNDP, as well as laying the foundation stone at a new processing and packing factory in Tellippalai. 

Vice Admiral Travis Sinniah, who was hailed as the first Tamil navy commander in Sri Lanka in over 45 years, has been replaced after just two months in the job. 

The Sri Lankan president on Wednesday appointed Rear Admiral Sirimevan Ranasinghe as the new commander of the navy. 

Rear Admiral Ranasinghe was previously the director general of Sri Lanka's coast guard. 

The outgoing Vice Admiral Sinniah was appointed as Admiral by the president, Maithripala Sirisena.

The chief incumbent of Bellanwila Rajamaha Vihara warned this week the new constitution will lead to a federal system if implemented, the Daily Mirror reported. 

"the Government could surreptitiously enact the new Constitution which would harm the entire country," Bellanwila Wimalarathana said. 

Sri Lanka's Bar Association of Lawyers on Monday expressed concern that the constitutional amendments currently being proposed will allow for a federal structure, the Daily Mirror reported. 

"The proposed amendments in the Interim Report of the Constitutional Assembly had the effect of converting the Unitary character of the State to a Federal structure," the BASL was quoted by the paper as saying. 

The BASL has posed a list of questions to the government, which include "Was there a need/requirement for a new Constitution?"; "Will Sri Lanka continue to be Unitary?"; and "What powers will be devolved to the Provinces?"

Sri Lanka's former commander of the security forces in Vanni, retired Major General Kamal Gunaratne said those supporting the new constitution were "traitors" and "must be killed", Colombo Telegraph reports. 

He made these marks at a meeting chaired by the former secretary of defence, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. 

"The government was trying to bring in the new Constitution on the requirement of the Western forces and Tamil Diaspora to please Tamil separatists," he reportedly added. 

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