"I consider it important that such a process is undertaken in a transparent manner with the present and future well-being of the conflict-affected families in mind."

"Parliament will be convening for the first time Constitutional Assembly in order to start the process of designing Sri Lanka’s third republican constitution that will further strengthen parliament, the courts and independent bodies and reduce the centralization of power in the presidency.

Sri Lanka's military provided eye surgery for Tamil civilians in Kilinochchi last month.

Plans are underway to construct a 61 foot tall statue of the Buddha in Nainativu, said Northern Provincial Councillors Vinthan Kanagaratnam and Balachandran Gajatheepan in an interview to TamilNet this week.

Following a fact finding mission to the islet, which has been the site of reported rapid Sinhalisation, the councillors stated that they were under pressure from the Sri Lankan navy to welcome plans for the construction of the statue.

Sri Lanka's State Minister of Defence said his government would provide welfare benefits for military personnel, at a ceremony at a Buddhist temple on Tuesday.

Ruwan Wijewardene was speaking at the launch of a book on Sri Lankan soldiers, where he told the audience that troops would be “honoured eternally”.

The official Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence website quoted the minister as saying that “with the guidance of the President Maithripala Sirisena” he would be “always working to assist and to provide welfare benefits for the military personnel”.

Human rights activist and campaigner for the families of the disappeared Balendran Jeyakumary continues to be required to attend court, despite her not knowing why she was arrested.

Campaigners who met with her recently said there were two cases ongoing against her and, as part of her bail condition, she is required to report to the police station in Kilinochchi once a month.

Ms Jeyakumary is forced to travel long distances from her home in Kilinochchi for her cases as one is being heard in Colombo and another one in Padaviya in the North Central Province.

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