A woman allegedly raped by three Sri Lankan Army soldiers on Sunday, "willingly participated" said a spokesperson for Haputale police, SP Ajith Rohana.

The three soldiers were arrested on Monday, after being apprehended by railway security officers whilst on a train to Badulla.

Three Tamil men were found murdered on the same night in Visuvamadu, Mullaitivu district, reported Uthayan on Monday.

37 Chinese fishermen, arrested by the Sri Lankan navy on Monday, have been handed over to Chinese embassy officials in Trincomalee.

The Sri Lankan Navy detained 37 Chinese fishermen on Sunday night, prompting China to call for their immediate release, reported the China's state news agency, Xinhua.

The director of the Coordination and Response Division of the UN office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), John Ging, made a number of comments following a 3 day official visit to Sri Lanka.

The UN official visited the North-East, where many people still lack basic services and facilities, following the Sri Lankan government onslaught in 2009.

According to OCHA people in the region have asked for basic assistance such as sanitary facilities, clean water, shelter, electricity and livelihoods support.

Commenting on the situation, Ging said:

“In 2012, it is absolutely unacceptable that tens of thousands of people are living in such appalling conditions without access to the most basic services,”

Civil officials in the Amparai district have stated that over 3,500 families have been driven from their land, with over 12000 acres of land being seized from the Tamil population, reported TamilNet on Sunday.

The Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa instructed the army to remain alert of groups working to "destabilise" the country reported Xinhua.

Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said,

The secretary of the Patriotic National Movement of Sri Lanka (PNM), condemned the resumption of India-Sri Lanka talks on CEPA (Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement) and stressed it should not be signed.

The UNP councillor for the Southern Province, Krishantha Pushpakumara was arrested for obstructing police officers in the Akmeemana region.

A provincial health minister, Sunil Kithisiri Amaratunga, was arrested on charges of assaulting a community health specialist - Dr Sapumal Danapala, reported the spokesperson of Kandy police force.