The brutal oppression in Sri Lanka “should be recognised as an attempt at genocide against the Tamils,” says UK Labour Party’s Shadow Chancellor, John McDonnell, in a video statement earlier today.

Former Sri Lankan President and chairperson of the Office for National Unity and Reconciliation (ONUR), Chandrika Kumaratunga, has resigned from her position as chairperson of the ONUR.

Westminster Magistrates Court has postponed the final verdict of Brigadier Priyanka Fernando case to December 6th. 

Newly appointed Defence Secretary, Kamal Gunaratne, has threated legal action against individuals who threaten 'national peace'.

In his statement, he maintained that fear of political vengeance, abductions and violence were 'irrational' and 'unnecessary'. These fear are driven by the appointment of Gotabaya Rajapaksa as President of Sri Lanka.

The Labour Party has pledged to work for the “protection of human rights for Sri Lanka’s minority Tamil and Muslim populations” in its manifesto for the upcoming British elections, released earlier today.

“Around the world, human rights defenders and civil society activists remain vulnerable to attacks, often carried out with impunity,” said the manifesto, adding that human rights and international humanitarian law are “under threat”.

Sri Lanka's new president Gotabaya Rajapaksa was paid a formal courtesy call by the head of the army, Shavendra Silva, this week, as the accused war criminals met in their official capacities once more.

Sri Lanka’s Permanent High Court has dropped all corruption charges against Gotabaya Rajapaksa, just days after he was appointed as president of Sri Lanka.

Rajapaksa faced charges over the alleged misappropriation of 33.9 million rupees - approximately USD $185,000 - used to build a museum dedicated to his parents on the south of the island. 

Sri Lanka’s former president Mahinda Rajapaksa met with both Indian and Chinese officials in Colombo last night, just hours before he was sworn in as prime minister.

India’s prime minister Narendra Modi congratulated Mahinda Rajapaksa just hours after he was appointed Sri Lanka’s new prime minister this morning.

Modi sent out a tweet congratulating the elder Rajapaksa, and stating,

“I look forward to working closely with him for further strengthening fraternal India-Sri Lanka ties”.

Sri Lanka’s now-former president held a grand banquet at the Shangri-La hotel in Colombo last week, as he celebrated his the end of his tenure with those accused of crimes.

Mahinda Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka’s former president, has been sworn in as the new prime minister this morning, just days after his brother Gotabaya was appointed as president.

This marks the first time on the island’s history that brothers from one family have occupied the two highest offices of state.

Both men stand accused of overseeing war crimes, during a 2009 military offensive that saw hospitals bombed and tens of thousands of Tamil civilians killed. Mahinda Rajapaksa was president at the time, whilst Gotabaya was the secretary of defence.