Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa with Israeli President Shimon Peres (@PresRajapaksa)

The Israeli president Shimon Peres has received Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa at his residence today, a day after Premier Benjamin Netanyahu held talks with Rajapaksa.

Peres hailed the president as a "great leader" who has brought peace, reconciliation and restoration to his people “which is not a small achievement”, reported Colombo Gazette.

“You have come here as a leader with an impressive record. You have invested your heart and mind and days and nights in peace, and you are seeing the fruits. You have come to a region still in search of peace and reconciliation. Israel is determined to make peace,” Peres said.

 

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa with Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu (defence.lk)

Hundreds of Sinhalese protestors gathered outside the US Embassy in Colombo earlier today, protesting against the visit of US Ambassador at large for War Crimes, Stephen J. Rapp.

Traffic was closed in one direction as hundreds of supporters brandished placards in English and Sinhalese stating the allegations of war crimes were “unfair”.

Other placards depicted the visiting US Ambassador with fangs and blood streaming from his mouth, labelling Rapp as a “threat to world peace”.

The Bishop of Mannar, Mgr. Rayappu Joseph, has reiterated the need for an international investigation into war crimes on the island, stating that the Tamil people have no faith in domestic commissions.

In a note written to Fides, the Bishop stated,

"We urgently need an international investigation to ascertain the truth about alleged war crimes, given that most of the Tamils in the north and east of the country no longer have confidence in an internal process. This will contribute to reconciliation"

"Thousands of cases of human rights violations, sexual abuse, murder, disappearances, extrajudicial killings remain unpunished."

Describing the current situation in the Tamil homeland, the Bishop went on to say that,

"The people of the North and East still live in fear. The women live in fear of being raped. Others live in fear that the military seize their lands. Many who are in prison live in fear of being tortured. The common people fear the high level of military presence. And all those who criticize the government, including representatives of many churches, live in fear and insecurity."

Sri Lanka’s Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella has said that the government is ready to face any US-sponsored resolution at the UN Human Rights Council in March.

The father of a 15 year old boy that passed away on  the 4^th of January, Sivasubramaniyam Veeralingam, was stopped from performing religious rituals at his son’s funeral by the Terrorist Investigation Department (TID) today.

The Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), an influential group of Buddhist monks, close to the defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has demanded a complete ban on halal meat products in Sri Lanka.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has criticised the Indian government for their “hopelessly inadequate response” to the arrest of Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy, calling on the government to secure their release.

In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Jayalalithaa stated,

"The repressive Sri Lankan Navy is establishing its authoritarian presence in the Palk Bay by chasing and arresting unarmed innocent fishermen from Tamil Nadu who offer no provocation".

"These oppressive acts of the Lankan Navy on the direction of the emboldened Sri Lankan regime have caused a great deal of suffering and coupled with the hopelessly inadequate response of the Government of India, have given rise to considerable resentment and angst not only amongst the fishermen community, but also amongst the entire population of Tamil Nadu.”

She went on to slam the government saying that it,

"has been a mute spectator all along and not at all willing to understand the sufferings of its own fishermen and their families and intervene effectively".

Another six human remains were found yesterday at the site of the mass grave at Thiruketheeswaram at the Mannar mass grave, reported the Uthayan newspaper.

The latest discovery brings the total count of bodies so far to 32.

Sri Lanka has strengthened its relationship with Palestine following a Sri Lankan delegation visit, led by Mahinda Rajapaksa on Monday.

The Sri Lankan President met with Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the State of Palestine, at the Presidential Palace in Ramallah where he was awarded the ‘Star of Palestine’, the highest honour award by the Palestinian state.

A Sri Lankan press release described the meeting as “friendly and warm”, and went on to quote Abbas as telling Rajapaksa,

"I am honored to receive you… Our two countries maintain good relations and I wish it will improve more and more".