Today marks 15 years since the passing of the chief negotiator and political strategist of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Anton Balasingham. 

Balasingham, or as he was fondly known among Tamils - Bala Anna, was widely respected and adored by the nation. His charismatic addresses in venues around the world drew tens of thousands, as he provided political analysis with sharp wit. Leading LTTE delegations through numerous negotiations, Bala Anna eloquently and forcefully articulated the rights of the nation. His intellectual prowess and political acumen earned him respect from all sides of the negotiating table.

Officials from Sri Lanka's Forest Department arrived in Talaimannar West earlier today in order to carry out a survey of the forest land in the area, where they were blocked by opposition from locals.   

The public who gathered on the streets expressed their vehement opposition to the land-survey by the Department going ahead and demanded that the officers leave.

Sri Lanka’s Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) has continued to target a Tamil journalist and Jaffna University student, repeatedly issuing interrogation summons and harassing family and colleagues in Kilinochchi, since June. 

The latest TID summons stated P. Sujeeban was required for an ongoing investigation, ordering the journalist to appear in Kilinochchi on December 17. 

Journalists in Batticaloa demanded that the Sri Lankan state protect human rights and ensure freedom of the press at event held in the city on Sunday evening.

The event, organised by the Eastern Journalist Forum and Professional Web Journalist Association, commenced at the Batticaloa Public Library Auditorium with talks from Tamil, Muslim and Sinhala speakers.

Tamil parliamentarians met in Colombo on Sunday, as they discussed the 13^th Amendment to Sri Lanka’s constitution which calls for some devolution to the North-East, amidst renewed discussion over power sharing to the Tamil homeland.

Speaking in Jaffna on Saturday Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP M A Sumanthiran told an audience,

During demining excavations in Palai, human skeletal remains and an LTTE uniform were found. 

The excavations took place on 11 December, alongside the LTTE uniform remains of an RPG were found. The incident has been referred to the police, with excavations set to resume from the 12 of December with permission from Kilinochichi court.

See more photos below

A Buddha statue has been removed in Amparai after it was secretly erected on Friday night by a group of Buddhist monks. 

On Saturday, locals from villages of Sangamankandi and Thandiyadi staged a protest condemning the erection of the Buddha statue and called for it's immediate removal. The protesters were also joined by Pottuvil Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman A. Rahim, Karaitivu Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman Jayasiril and Thirukovil Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman Kamalarajan. 

Ambika Satkunanathan, Former Commissioner at the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, addressed the United States House of Representatives Tom Lantos Commission on Human Rights this week, as it held a hearing on 'Accountability and Human Rights in Sri Lanka'.

See the full text of her address and video footage of the event below.

A new statue of Subramania Bharati, an early 20th century Tamil poet fondly called Bharathiyar, was unveiled in Jaffna earlier today on the occasion of his 139th birth anniversary. 

The sculpture was erected in Vaddukoddai and was commissioned by Chidambaram Mohan, the chairman of the Jaffna-India Friendship Forum. 

University professors and other religious priests were also present in the unveiling ceremony. 

A four-member delegation from the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) held a meeting with Swiss Ambassador to Sri Lanka Dominik Furgler and Political Secretary Sidonia Gabriel at the Embassy in Colombo on Friday. 

The TNA delegation was headed by Vanni MP Selvam Adaikalanathan, with two other parliamentarians, Vino Norathalingam and Ko. Karunakaram, and a spokesperson of the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO), Surendran Gurusamy, also participated in the discussion.