The UK’s Foreign Affairs Committee has released a report calling on the British government to do more to assess the risk of asylum seekers who are removed from the UK, particularly highlighting removals to Sri Lanka.

The report examined a case covered by the Guardian earlier this year which followed a deported Tamil asylum seeker (see here).

It also noted the UN Committee Against Torture’s report which detailed “allegations of widespread torture, secret detention centres, enforced disappearances and deaths in detention in Sri Lanka”, and Human Rights Watch’s comments to the committee that they had "documented many cases of torture and ill-treatment (including rape) of failed asylum-seekers at the hands of security forces".

The report stated that,

“In addition, the Government failed to give a direct answer to our request for an assurance that it was content that its policy on deportation of Sri Lankans was not putting people at risk of torture.”

“We find it unsatisfactory that the Government has not been more forthcoming to Parliament about its efforts—in general and in specific cases—to assess the level of risk to the safety of those who are removed from the UK.”

“However, the routine air of the FCO's initial responses to our questions has not given us particular confidence that the FCO is being as energetic as it might in impressing upon the UK Border Agency the degree of risk.”

“We encourage the FCO to be energetic in evaluating reports by non-governmental organisations and media sources of torture of deportees from the UK, including in Sri Lanka, and in spelling out the risk to the UK Border Agency.

Despite the army barracks, checkpoints and ever increasing numbers of security forces in the North-East, gold theft is rising. 

The Superintendent of Police in Jaffna, Erik Perera, instructed Tamil girls in Jaffna walking alone to avoid wearing gold, reported Uthayan.

The former LTTE member, Selvarasa Pathmanathan, alias KP, is now "free", reports the BBC.

Speaking to the BBC the head of the Media Centre for National Security, Lakshman Hulugalle, said there was "no case" against Pathmanathan at present, and that "practically, there is no detention now".

Pathmanathan's release was explained by Hulugalle, who remarked:

Sri Lanka’s permanent representative to the United Nations has urged that the Israel-Palestine conflict must be resolved “urgently”.

Palitha Kohona addressed an open meeting of the Security Council in New York and unashamedly criticised the building of settlements and demolishing of Palestinian homes, saying it “fuels resentment”, ignoring his own country’s activities of land-grabbing and the demolition of Tamil homes, religious buildings and war cemeteries.

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has said that it has not reached an agreement on resuming political talks with the Sri Lankan government.

TNA legislator, Suresh Premachandran told Xinhua that there are still pending issues which must be addressed before any talks can resume with the Sri Lankan government.

The people of Mathakal, Jaffna have filed a High Court petition against several high profile state officials claiming a breach of fundamental rights, reports Uthayan.

Offenders specified in the petition included Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse, Military Commander Jagath Jayasuriya, Jaffna Security Forces’ Chief Mahinda Hathurusinghe and the Attorney General.

A British Eelam Tamil was detained and tortured by the Sri Lankan Criminal Investigation Department (CID) when he visited the island earlier this month.

Sivasubramaniam Jeevan, who lives in Scotland, was interrogated about diaspora activities while being beaten, electrocuted and threatened.

He told TamilNet that he is undergoing psychiatric treatment due to the trauma he sustained during his detention and that he was only released after bribing Sri Lankan officials.

Speaking at an event to mark 'International Coconut Day', Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has slammed non-governmental organisations as destroying the dignity and cultural values of the country, liking them to coconut 'mitas'.

The event was organised by the Coconut Development Ministry and Temple Trees in Colombo.

Rajapaksa said,

"The coconut industry is being developed according to a local made strategic plan instead of foreign plans. We Sri Lankas need not have foreign plans."

Commenting that 'mitas' have been destroying coconut plantations, Rajapaksa added,

"There are Mitas lurking in other fields trying to destroy the country. Certain Mitas of Nun Government Organisations are among them. Those Mitas are destroying cultural values of the country."

"The country has been placed on a fast development track after being liberated from terrorism which stifled the country's progress for nearly three decades. These Mitas come in various forms and are carrying out hidden agendas to destroy this peaceful atmosphere.'

"They are engaging in destroying the dignity of the country. But the people are vigilant about the behaviour of these forces,"

Recalling folklore of Prince Vinaya, Rajapaksa also added,

''As a result of certain narrow minded political decisions by past governments and private sector activities, coconut cultivation in Sri Lanka had seen a gradual decline."

The Sri Lankan Minister of Media and Information declared on Monday that Sri Lanka will no longer allow room for the TNA to deceive the international community, reported Uthayan.

Responding to TNA’s reluctance to participate in the proposed Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on Tamil issues, Rambukwella emphasised that Parliament was the land’s highest institution and that the select committee would be the best place to find a solution for the ‘national issue’.