A senior UNP leader and Sri Lankan government minister thanked the navy for creating a “very cordial environment” in Nainativu last week, where the military maintains a large camp and has helped to construct a Buddhist vihara.

Harsha de Silva was visiting the island, which has been occupied by the Sri Lankan military for years, when he tweeted photographs posing with the chief monk of the vihara on the island.

Investors from Singapore and Hong Kong met with the leader of the Tamil National Alliance over the development of Trincomalee. 

A number of states have discussed the development of the region since the end of the armed conflict. 

Sri Lanka’s tourism minister admitted that Colombo had missed their tourism target of 2.5 million visitors for the year, blaming “political instability” after the island was plunged into a crisis that saw lawmakers attack each other in parliament.

Kokkuvil residents accused the Sri Lankan police of inaction over gang violence and vandalism after locals were forced to apprehend five men believed to be involved in gang related activities in the region. 

Locals detained the five men on January 1, accusing them of preparing to carry out violence and vandalism in the area. The suspects were handed over to the police. 

There was a tense situation in Vavuniya on Tuesday after Sri Lankan soldiers and Special Task Force (STF) officers conducted a search operation in Puthur. 

Locals expressed alarm at the numbers of officers deployed in the reported operation as well as the 'stop and searches' carried out. 

According to the police, the operation followed a tip off regarding a suspect in the area, who reportedly escaped after throwing his bag into the bushes. The bag contained a pistol, four hand grenades and bullets, the police say. 

Sajith Premadasa, a senior UNP leader, joined Mahinda Rajapaksa and Maithripala Sirisena at a religious ceremony in Colombo this week, to invoke blessings on a Sinhala Buddhist monk who has marched against an international investigation into human rights abuses.

Locals in Trincomalee gathered today at the beach to remember the massacre of five students, known as the 'Trinco 5'. 

The event, organised by a local youth organisation, was attended by residents and members of political parties. 

The Jesuit priest, Rev Fr Benjamin Henry Miller S J passed away yesterday on January 1 in Batticaloa. 

Rev Miller was a human rights defender, who was pivotal in documenting the tens of thousands of disappeared in the area. 

His funeral was held today, with colleagues and locals, including local school students and teachers turning out to pay their respects. 

The United States ambassador, Alaina Teplitz sent a condolence message, which was read out by the Bishop of Batticaloa.