The United Nations Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment has visited an infamous torture site used by the Sri Lankan military, reports The Island.

Special Rapporteur Juan Mendez visited Camp Joseph at the Sri Lankan Vanni Security Forces Headquarters during his tour of the island.

The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) on Thursday praised the Western Provincial Council's adoption of a resolution opposing the Northern Provincial Council's resolution calling for a federal solution and urged other provincial councils to do the same.

Sri Lanka's most revered Buddhist monks of the Mahanayake chapter on Thursday wrote an impassioned plea to the president, Maithripala Sirisena, urging him to safeguard his predecessor, Mahinda Rajapaksa by maintaining his security.

Sri Lanka's Sinhala dominated Western Provincial Council on Thursday passed a resolution opposing the previous resolution passed by the Tamil dominated Northern Provincial Council calling for a federal solution to the decades long ethnic conflict.

The presidential commission on missing persons has requested President Sirisena to extend its mandate in order to complete inquiries in the east, after it had finished its investigation in the North last week.

The commission was initially due to run until May 15, with the report due to be released in July.

Reports of the commission encouraging relatives to accept their loved ones have died have been ongoing, with evidence that officials offered chickens in exchange for accepting a death certificates.

Sri Lanka's State Minister of Defence Ruwan Wijewardene said the “President, Prime Minister and the Government will never allow anyone to influence national security or sovereignty of the country,” at a military ceremony on Saturday.

The minister added that the Sri Lankan government had “gained the confidence of the international community” and praised called on the attendees to “rise as one”.

Thousands of Tamils took part in rallies in Jaffna and Kilinochchi on Sunday organised by the Tamil National Alliance and the Tamil National People's Front, as part of events across the world to mark May Day.

In Jaffna TNA leader R Sampanthan was joined by ITAK president Mavai Senathirajah and other parliamentarians at a rally that started in Inuvil with red and yellow flag waving participants.

The event sparked controversy after TNA coalition members, PLOTE, EPRLF and TELO did not participate, leaving only ITAK members at the event. The ITAK MP S Sritharan was also absent, attending an event in London instead.

Meanwhile many attended another rally that took place in Kilinochchi, organised by P Ayngaranesan. Thousands of attended, including dozens of vehicles participating in the rally.

Tamils living in cities across Europe took part in May Day rallies on Sunday, calling for justice for the Tamil people.

As part of demonstrations in Britain, Germany, France, Norway and Switzerland, Tamils marched in rallies denouncing massacres committed by the Sri Lankan state and called for justice and accountability.

See photos from the various rallies below.

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) requested the government not to increase the Value Added Tax (VAT) on food items consumed by the general public and education services, according to a May Day resolution..
The government decided to remove the VAT exemptions on private health services, education and the telecommunications in its budget but TNA MP M. A. Sumanthiran told the Daily Mirror that his party would adopt a resolution calling on the government not to impose taxes on the education sector and essential food items..