British Members of Parliament have called on the government to boycott this year’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Sri Lanka, at a debate held in the Houses of Parliament on Tuesday.

The debate, saw MPs from across the political spectrum speak out against Sri Lanka and slamming international inaction on the issue, with many calling for the British Government to refuse to attend the CHOGM due to be held in Sri Lanka, and called for robust action at the UN Human Rights Council.

Many of the lawmakers blasted the Sri Lankan government’s human rights record, with Siobhain McDonagh saying,

"If the Queen were to put her foot on the soil in Colombo it would be regarded as a vindication of the Sri Lankan Government’s actions—and this is at a time when at least 40,000 people are still dying or missing."

Lee Scott also added,

"Should we forget Auschwitz, Rwanda or the atrocities committed in Northern Ireland? No, we should not. That would be an insult to the memories of the people who lost their lives on all sides, and that is not acceptable."

A small group of MPs however, defended Sri Lanka, with Member of Parliament Jeremy Corbyn slamming them as “the Sri Lankan Government lobby that is in Westminster Hall today”. Amongst them was Conservative MP James Wharton (See our earlier post: Why does the Tory MP for Stockton care so much about Sri Lanka?) and Ian Paisley who stated,

“I took a day out and spent it with the leader of Tamil National Alliance, Mr Sampanthan. I spoke to him and his party colleagues at length, and I waited for him because I wanted to hear from him at first hand, without his being pushed or prodded into some of the difficult issues about the past. He did not raise with me the issue of the disappeared; he did not take time to raise with me the issue of war crimes; he did not take time to talk about routine torture, in his country, of his people. He had a politician with him from this nation and he did not want to talk about those things.

In fact, he actively applauded the Government, whom he opposes.

He applauded them on their investment in the country—in parts of the north—and he said that the most effective thing that many of his people required was practical help to get bicycles and other tools to help them to work and run their country. That was the message of the man who is leading the opposition.”

Echoing those comments on meeting the TNA leader, Aidan Burley added,

"I met the President in Kandy. I also met, Mr Sampanthan, a leader of the opposition, for several hours in Trincomalee—I recognise the comments of the hon. Member for North Antrim (Ian Paisley)—and I remember him telling us that he wanted a bicycle for every one of his people, which is his main priority."

Extracts from the debate have been reproduced below. Video of the debate can be seen here. Full text can be accessed here.

A recent research into Middle School drop-out rates in the island, indicate that the North-East saw the highest rates, reports Uthayan.

Analysis of the drop-out figures revealed that approximately 38000 students and 24000 students drop-out of school in the Northern and Eastern provinces respectively.

The Immigration and Emigration department will resume processing of dual citizenship applications in three months, after it was suspended last year.

Addressing an award ceremony at Temple Trees, Rajapaksa asserted that as a lawyer himself he had absolute confidence in the independence of the judiciary.

He went on to say:

Rev. Fr. Praveen OMI was interrogated by Sri Lanka’s Terrorist Investigation Department for 7 hours on Tuesday, as the government continues its crack down.

As the Director of the Centre for Peace and Reconciliation, a Catholic organisation that does work regarding disappeared peoples in Jaffna, the priest’s offices were also searched, and he was told to report to the infamous  ‘Fourth Floor’ of the Criminal Investigation Department’s headquarters in Colombo.

Mahinda Rajapakse's planned visit to Jaffna on the 15th and 16th of January has been cancelled, reports Uthayan.

Rajapakse was due to participate in the opening cerenomy of Jaffna Teaching Hospital's new building, as well as in national Pongal celebrations.

A delegation of Italian officials arrived in Sri Lanka on Sunday to examine investment opportunities on the island.

The governor of the Autonomous Province of South Tyrol, Luis Durnwalder, was welcomed by Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakoddy at Bandaranaike International Airport.

The Korean Embassy in Colombo has announced it will provide a soft loan of $290m to Sri Lanka, to be used for renewable energy and infrastructure projects.

Canada’s Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, Jason Kenney, has told reporters in Colombo that  Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper will not be attending the next Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting due be held in Sri Lanka, unless more is done to address human rights violations on the island.

Speaking whilst visiting the country, Kenney said,

Responding to comments made by the Canadian Minister for Citizenship, Immigration, and Multiculturalism, Jason Kenney, during his recent visit, Sri Lanka's External Affairs Minister GL Peiris accused him of being "biased and unbalanced".

Speaking after his meeting with Kenney on Sunday, Peiris said: