Over 40 Tamil civil society activists have called on the US to help in the establishment of an international mechanism to address accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sri Lanka.

In a letter, addressed to and welcoming the new US ambassador Atul Keshap, the Tamils, all directly affected by the war, said it was not possible to rebuild their lives without seeing justice for the crimes that occurred.

“We cannot rebuild our lives without dealing with the past. We must know what happened, who was responsible, and how those persons will be brought to justice,” the letter said.

Welcoming the US public stance regarding the importance of accountability and justice, the activist pointed out that local mechanisms have completely failed to deliver justice and that despite the new government’s promises, no progress had been made since the change in regime in January.

Sri Lanka's president Maithripala Sirisena has been granted the power to choose the leader of the opposition and cabinet ministers from members of the Sri Lankan Freedom Party (SLFP).

Amnesty International stated that successive Sri Lankan governments have appointed and largely ignored commissions to investigate the issue of disappearances on the island.

In a statement released to mark the “The Day of the Disappeared” on 30 August, Salil Shetty, Amnesty International’s Secretary General said:

“Governments in every region of the world, from Syria to Mexico and from Sri Lanka to Gambia may be holding hundreds or even thousands in secret detention. In many countries, the authorities continue harassing and intimidating those who are looking for their relatives. The struggle for justice must not cease.”

Amnesty International said that “tens of thousands are presumed to have disappeared” in Sri Lanka with “very few cases have been resolved and there has been blatant intimidation reported against families who have dared to ask questions about the whereabouts of their loved ones”.

“Several commissions have been appointed by successive governments since 1990 implicating leading politicians and high ranking officers in the police and security forces,” continued the statement. “However, the authorities have mostly ignored recommendations that these figures, some of whom remain in their positions, should be prosecuted.”

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein will visit Sri Lanka before the country is to come under review at the UN Human Rights Council, according to media reports.

Colombo Gazette stated that the High Commissioner will visit the island and is expected to hand a UN report over to Sri Lankan government officials, including president Maithripala Sirisena.

The report is expected to detail the deaths of tens of thousands of Tamil civilians during the final phase of the island’s armed conflict. A previous United Nations report found that the majority of deaths occurred due to Sri Lankan government shelling.

However, the editor of Swarnavahini TV tweeted an email from Rupert Colville, spokesperson for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, stating that the High Commissioner will not be visiting before the UN session in September.

It is not yet known whether members of the investigative team, who were refused entry on to the island, will be accompanying the High Commissioner.

Sri Lanka's defence ministry has approved an order allowing the detention and questioning of four members of the security forces, who were arrested in connection to the abduction of cartoonist Prageeth Eknaligoda on Monday, military spokesman Brigadier Jayanath Jayaweera said according to Ada Derana.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Monday (24) arrested an army corporal, a sergeant, and two lieutenants, in connection with Mr Eknaligoda's abduction.

Earlier this month a senior military official admitted questioning the cartoonist in custody, in the first admission by a member of the security forces that the cartoonist was detained.

TNA MPs say the recent elections and the alliance's massive victory in the Tamil North-East gave Tamil nationalism a "big boost".

Batticaloa MP Seenithamby Yogeswaran said the Tamil freedom struggle, started by Tamil leaders several years ago, would continue until its objective is achieved, while addressing a meeting in Thuraineelavanai.

The Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, YK Sinha, has formally handed over an Indian coast guard ship to Sri Lanka's navy.

The ship was initially given to Sri Lanka in 2006 " in appreciation of the Sri Lanka Navy’s efforts to maintain the maritime security in the region", the Daily Mirror reported.

Defence Ministry Secretary B Basnayake accepted the ship on behalf of the Sri Lankan government.

Sri Lanka's navy is regularly accused of attacking Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu, worsening an already tense diplomatic relationship with the southern Indian state.

Tamil farmers and agricultural workers from Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu protested on Monday that over 90% of newly appointed agricultural research assistants to the North are Sinhalese.