Tamil families of the disappeared called for an international investigation as they marked International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances in Mannar today. 

Launching a protest in Mannar, families with missing loved ones from Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Jaffna and Vavuniya joined local families and civil society activists to demand answers. 

A 32 year old mother who was found dead yesterday in Kilinochchi was strangled by a rope, a post-mortem report by Jaffna hospital revealed. 

The body of Nithiyakala Karuppaiah was found inside the Iranaimadu irrigation canal by locals in the Pannangkandi area. 

The post-mortem reveals she was five months pregnant. 

A belt believed to be part of the Civil Security Department uniform was found nearby, along with pens, a set of motorcycle keys, an anklet and a sandal. 

Ms Karuppaiah, who was from Mullaitivu, is understood to have worked as a civil security officer at a garment factory in Ariviyal Nagar, Kilinochchi.

Residents of Kappalthurai in Trincomalee protested yesterday outside the Government Agent's office, condemning the ongoing ban preventing the full use of their lands. 

The protest was held whilst the Trincomalee District Coordinating Committee meeting was underway.

Protestors also called for officials from the Ports Authority to stop, what they described as, thuggish behaviour.

Sri Lankan police have said ammunition was found in Kudavaththai in the Thunnalai area of Jaffna this week. 

Five motor shells were reportedly found on private land. 

Police say they discovered the shells on August 25th after receiving information from locals. 

The Vali North - Myliddy School will be released within a week from Sri Lankan Army occupation, Jaffna district’s government agent announced on Wednesday.

With fractions of land in Myliddy being released after 28 years of military occupation as a High Security Zone, ITAK leader Mavai Senathirajah took up requests to release the school to the Sri Lankan President, stating that local families would not be able to resettle without a functioning school.

The Jaffna District Government Agent, N. Vethanayagam, said that Sri Lanka’s Army Commander, Mahesh Senanayake had accepted the request.

Two police officers were attacked in Ariyalai - Maniyanthoddam, Jaffna, on Tuesday night.

The officers were attacked by three individuals in a three-wheeler which they had stopped to search.

One of the officers was taken to Jaffna Teaching Hospital with injuries.

Two youths were arrested on Wednesday morning following investigations by the police.

^{Photograph @OmarWaraich}

Marking International Day of the Disappeared, Amnesty International held a protest in Colombo yesterday demanding answers over the tens of thousands disappeared on the island since the 1980s. 

With a large banner reading "More than 60,000 Disappeared. Still No Answers. Why, Mr. President?" behind them protestors held placards at Galle Face Green. 

A Colombo court has ordered the arrest of Sri Lanka's chief of defence staff, Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne for allegedly helping the main suspect in the abduction and murder case of 11 Tamil youths evade arrest last year.  

Admiral Wijegunaratne is alleged to have provided the former navy commander, Lieutenant Commander Chandana Prasad Hettiarachchi alias 'Navy Sampath' Rs 500,000, in order for him to skip bail and escape arrest. 

“There is evidence against Admiral Wijegunaratne’s role in allowing the accused to evade arrest,” the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) was quoted by AFP as saying to the magistrate earlier this month. 

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) yesterday expressed concern over potential political censorship and the control of freedom of expression in Sri Lanka after a novel, a radio drama and a stage play were criticised by Buddhist groups and Sinhala Buddhist politicians for allegedly portraying anti-Buddhist sentiments. 

The UN Independent Expert on foreign debt and human rights, Juan Pablo Bohoslavsky will be visiting Sri Lanka next week, from 3 to 11 September. 

“My visit aims at collecting first-hand information and examine questions related to debt and other financial obligations from a human rights standpoint,” Mr Bohoslavsky said. “The purpose of the mission is to identify good practices, challenges and potential gaps to be addressed."

“An important objective of my visit is to study the effects of public debt and related polices on the full enjoyment of human rights.