Former Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa paid a Deepavali visit to Batticaloa prison to see his associate and paramilitary leader Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan, who is currently in remand for the 2005 assassination of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP Joseph Pararajasingham.

Tamil families of the disappeared in Vavuniya continued their protest for the 981st day.

Protesters boycotted Deepavali celebrations to continue the rally.

"How can we celebrate festivals when we don't know if our children are dead or alive?" protesters said. "We have been on the road here every day, for New Year, Deepavali, Christmas. We will be here until we have answers."

The Tamil National Alliance’s leader R Sampanthan said that the Tamil people wanted “credible and durable power-sharing” in comments made to The Hindu this week, ahead of Sri Lanka’s presidential elections.

British troops from the Royal Air Force (RAF) were training Sri Lankan troops in Trincomalee last week, as the UK continues its military engagement with Sri Lanka despite concerns over human rights abuses.

The Swiss government hosted a workshop with Tamil diaspora members from around the world last week, to discuss transitional justice initiatives and processes.

The conference, organised by the Human Security Division of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, saw Tamil diaspora members gather in Zurich “to discuss potential contributions of the Tamil diaspora to Dealing with the Past initiatives and processes,” said a Swiss government statement.

A team of Sri Lankan army special forces were in the UK last week, where they took part in various military exercises with British troops, despite Sri Lankan troops still not being held accountable for human rights abuses committed against Tamils.

A Tamil woman has been murdered at her home in Kondavil, Jaffna this week, with Sri Lankan police reportedly launching a murder investigation into her death.

According to reports, the woman was found with her throat slit by the back entrance of her home.

She has been identified as 61-year-old Chandra Thesi of Neddilipai, Kondavil.

The Sri Lankan navy has been blocking Tamil fishermen in Talaimannar from access to fishing waters for over two months, leaving their livelihoods threatened and their families facing various hardships, according to local groups.

Sri Lankan police are currently investigating the alleged discovery of a cache of LTTE uniform and related documents that were reportedly uncovered in Mullaitivu on Monday.

The discovery was reportedly made in Iranaippalai in Puthukudiyiruppu.

Sri Lanka’s former defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa once more vowed to release Sri Lankan troops accused of rights abuses and pledged to ensure the end of “foreign... interference” as he launched his election manifesto for next month’s presidential polls on Friday.