The International Truth and Justice Project has submitted a memo to the United Nations Committee Against Torture (UNCAT) implicating Sri Lanka’s former Deputy in Charge (DIG) of the Terrorism Investigation Department (TID)  Sisira Mendis, with responsibility in failing to prevent torture and hold perpetrators accountable.  

The British Tamils Forum (BTF) and US Tamil Political Action Council (USTPAC) expressed their dismay at the presence of the former head of Sri Lanka's Terrorism Investigation Division, Sisira Mendis at the UN Committee Against Torture meeting in Geneva on Tuesday as a representative of Sri Lanka, and called for his arrest on the basis of universal jurisdiction. 

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka (JDS)  expressed their dismay at the presence of Sri Lanka's former head of the Terrorism Investigation Division at the UN Committee Against Torture meeting in Geneva on Tuesday.  

Sisira Mendis, who was in charge of the TID and the Criminal Investigation Department from March 2008 till June 2009, is accused of overseeing the routine use of torture and sexual violence against detainees. 

The Sri Lankan government reiterated that reconciliation was one of its priorities. 

A demonstration took place in Batticaloa on Tuesday calling for the arrest of a Buddhist monk who was captured on video shouting racist verbal abuse to a Tamil local government official. 

"You are a bloody tiger. My blood boils when I see you. You are a bloody dog. You are a Tamil Grama Sevaka," the monk, from Batticaloa Mangalaram, identified as Ampitiye Sumana said. 

(Photograph - @aroarun) 

Sri Lanka’s police arrested a Sinhalese man who threatened to bomb Muslims in Sri Lanka, following intervention from Parliamentarians who called for the arrest of the individual.

The Sri Lankan government last week announced it would allow foreign citizens to buy property, lifting a ban imposed by the previous government in 2014. 

Arguing that foreign investment was much needed in the construction sector, the finance minister Ravi Karunanayake was quoted by AFP as saying, "to further incentivise such investment, we will remove freehold right restrictions from the ground floor." 

Sri Lanka's Terrorism Investigation Division has arrested 38 people over alleged links to 'Ava group' in Jaffna, the minister of law and order, Sagala Ratnayake was quoted by Adaderana as saying. 

Mr Ratnayake said a further 8 individuals are currently under investigation and the officers are seeking their arrest. 

The Office of Missing Persons Act will be operational from January 1 said Sri Lanka's foreign affairs minister Mangala Samaraweera this week. 

Sri Lanka needs to raise US$ 8 billion  to bolster its economy said Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil WIckremesinghe in parliament after the country’s budget release.

Noting that Sri Lanka only gained USD600-700 million this year, Mr WIckremesinghe said the government would look to achieve the US $8 Billion by securing trade deals with several countries including China, India and Singapore.

Tamils in Swansea, Wales this month launched a campaign to plant trees in remembrance of the genocide of the Tamil people by the Sri Lankan state, and as part of the 'Tree for Justice' campaign in Wales. 

Muslims in the Eastern Province protested last week over the Sri Lankan government's proposed changes to Muslim Personal Law in order comply with EU conditions for GSP+. 

The International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP) on Monday called on the UN Committee Against Torture "to visit Sri Lanka to conduct an independent investigation into the continued 'white van' abductions, torture and sexual violence committed by the Sri Lankan security forces."

The Tamil National Alliance rejected the government's offer to build 65,000 prefabricated houses in the North-East. 

“We don’t want those steel cages,” TNA MP, MA Sumanthiran told parliament on Friday. “We don’t want prefabricated houses. We want brick-and-mortar houses that we can give to our children and grandchildren, those that can stand the test of time and that will be permanent houses.”