Following a claim of victory at the UN Human Rights Council, Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister, Dinesh Gunawardena, has decried the passage of the resolution as “unwarranted, unjustified”, and “illegal”.

Responding to the passage of the UN Human Rights Council resolution on Sri Lanka, the British Tamil Conservatives welcomed the passage of the resolution but called for further legal action on Sri Lanka officials implicated in war crimes as well as trade sanctions against Sri Lanka.

TNPF leader Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam expressed his party’s concern over the new UNHRC Resolution 46/1 on Sri Lanka, which seeks to investigate the crimes committed by the Sri Lankan government, as being “very disappointing” and “contrary to natural justice” during a speech in Parliament.

“It is a resolution that deceives the affected people,” he said. “Affected Tamils are asking for an international mechanism that can fully investigate all crimes, including the genocide perpetrated against Tamils by this government.”

The Sri Lankan archaeological department has initiated an attempt to seize another 400 acres of land in the Thannimurippu area around Kurunthoormalai in the Mullaitivu district, as local Tamils continue to face threats from Sinhala Buddhist monks.

The department instructed the provincial secretary of Karaithuraipatru in a letter to cede 400 acres of land surrounding Kurunthoormalai that belongs to native Tamils. 

This move is seen as an attempt to erase the Tamil identity of the area and further the ‘Buddhisation’ of the traditional Tamil homeland. 

Devotees in Mannar celebrated the St. Soosaiyappar church festival last week. 

Responding to the UN resolution on Sri Lanka, former Finance Minister Eran Wickramaratne decried the government’s disastrous management of “foreign diplomatic relations” and raised concerns over the economic impact stating:

Responding to UN resolution on Sri Lanka, which mandates that the Office of High Commissioner for Human rights must gather and preserve evidence for a future war crimes tribunal, former Indian Finance Minister and member of the Rajya Sabha, Palaniappan Chidambaram described India’s abstention as a “gross betrayal of the Tamil people”.

The Sri Lankan army and forestry department has continued its ban on Tamil villagers of North Nedungeeni Vedivaithakal in Vavuniya from entering the village. 

Another Tamil father who was searching for their forcibly disappeared son for over a decade passed away this week in Vavuniya. 

Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marc Garneau, welcomed the adoption of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution on promoting accountability in Sri Lanka and noted in a statement that it's mandate will be "critical for future accountability processes." 

The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution is a "step towards justice and accountability" but member states must pursue "decisive action beyond the Council," said the People for Equality and Relief in Lanka (PEARL), the US-based advocacy group.