The Sri Lankan and Indian militaries began an exercise in Pune this week, as military ties between the two governments continued to grow.

The exercise ‘Mitra Shakthi - VII, comes despite concerns of human rights abuses committed by Sri Lankan troops, under new president Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

The Sri Lankan government has called the prosecution of a Sri Lankan brigadier “politically motivated” and maintained he has diplomatic immunity, despite a British court ruling on Friday which found him guilty of violating the Public Order Act.

Former Sri Lankan cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan has reiterated his support for Sri Lanka’s new president Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who stands accused of heading a military offensive that killed tens of thousands of Tamil civilians.

“I support President Rajapaksa because he is the right person to lead our country,” Muralitharan told the Hindustan Times, shrugging off the reports of human rights violations.

A Sri Lankan brigadier who motioned death threats to Tamil protestors in London last year has been found guilty by a British court of violating the Public Order Act, after a protracted legal battle.

Westminster Magistrate’s Court upheld a previous ruling that Sri Lanka’s Brigadier Priyanka Fernando “is  not  protected  by  diplomatic  immunity”, despite pleas made by Sri Lanka’s Foreign Ministry.

Valikamam North residents have been angered by the building of a Buddhist temple on privately owned land currently occupied by the Sri Lankan army.

The new shrine which Sri Lankan soldiers have been working on is located on a two-acre property in Thaiyiddy.

A group of Tamil and Sri Lankan torture victims who launched a court case against current Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa for torture damages have decided to withdraw their cases, in order to prevent him from asserting immunity.

This move has been made to ensure that Rajapaksa is held accountable and allows the victims to retain their right to resubmit their cases once he leaves office. 

Street art murals have begun appearing in Sri Lanka pushing Sinhala nationalist rhetoric and honouring Sri Lankan soldiers, including an infamous brigadier who currently faces a court case in Britain after he motioned death threats to Tamils last year.

The murals, in the city of Kandy and other places on the island, have been emblazoned with Sinhala nationalist slogans and imagery, including the words “one nation”, murals of lions, Sri Lankan troops and ancient Sinhala fighters in battle scenes.

The Sri Lankan government has reacted angrily to the release of the Conservative Party manifesto in Britain last month, with several Sri Lankan politicians and Colombo’s High Commissioner stating the party’s pledges are “unacceptable” and calling for the manifesto to be “amended”.

Since the Sri Lankan civil war ending ten years ago, “there has been little progress in tracing those who disappeared during and after the violent end to the war,” the BBC reports. 

In a video report, the BBC states that around 20,000 Tamils are estimated to still be missing. 

“Many believe their relatives are alive and in the hands of the security forces - a view rejected by the government. These families meet and hold daily vigils to protest and to keep their relatives’ memories alive.”

Ten Tamil families are facing a new land-grab by the Sri Lankan navy in Punguduthivu.

According to a notice issued on November 22, the navy is to appropriate over 14 acres of land belonging to ten different owners in the coastal village of Vallan on the islet of Punguduthivu.

The land is being seized for the establishment of a base for the Sri Lanka navy ship Gotaimbara. The Sri Lankan navy already occupy large swathes of the islet.

CID officials have announced a new investigation into comments made by former Minister Rajitha Senaratne, who held a media conference prior to the elections with someone who alleged to be involved in ‘white van’ abductions.

The killing of 32 Tamils in Othiyamalai, Mullaitivu by the Sri Lankan army in 1984 was commemorated on Monday, thirty-five years after the massacre.