The US-based advocacy group PEARL has strongly condemned the assault on Mullaitivu disappearances activist Mariyasuresh Easwary and called for an immediate independent investigation into the crime.

The 683 Bridgade of the Sri Lankan army celebrated 8 years since its founding with a Buddhist ceremony in Mullaitivu last month.

The Sri Lankan government has continued to build Buddhist statues in non-Buddhist areas in the North-East, despite objections from locals and leaving civil society with the perception of “Buddhist Sinhalese religious and cultural imperialism,” said the US State Department’s International Religious Freedom Report for 2016.

The Sri Lankan navy has arrested nine locals off the coast of Point Pedro accusing them of illegal fishing practices which destroy the fishing grounds. 

The men were arrested on Tuesday. Four fibre glass dinghies were also confiscated. 

A video has emerged of Sri Lanka's police chief, Pujith Jayasundara assaulting two junior members of staff at the police headquarters. 

The footage, which was published Lanka-E-News, was captured on CCTV and shows Mr Jayasundara manhandling and making threatening gestures to the two men. The incident is believed to have taken place in April this year. 

Sri Lanka's army commander, Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake has dismissed claims by the Inspector General Police that former LTTE cadres are responsible for the recent violent incidents in the North-East and asserted national security was not at risk.

A woman at the forefront of the Mullaitivu families of the disappeared protest was assaulted by two men who also threatened her with death if she did not stop protesting, reports JDSLanka.

A Tamil youth was arrested by Special Task Force troops in Jaffna for alleged links with the "Aava" criminal gang.

STF troops surrounded the home of the 21-year-old in Kokkuvil, arresting him in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

The youth has been handed over to Jaffna police for further investigation.

Sri Lanka's Minister for Industry and Commerce, Rishad Bathiudeen on Monday reassured local industries they would not be affected by the proposed Free Trade Agreement with china. 

"The FTA with China will be designed keeping the local industry concerns in mind," Mr Bathiudeen was quoted as saying by Colombo Gazette as saying. 

The Sri Lankan military has released 38 acres of private land in Kilinochchi back to the GA on Tuesday. 

The land in Karaichchi and Kandaavalai was illegally acquired by the military many years ago. 

Sri Lanka re-opened its customs office in the Northern Province this month, after 34 years of closure. 

The office was closed in 1983 due to the ethnic conflict. 

The opening ceremony at Kankasanthurai was attended by the Northern Province governor, Reginald Cooray, and the Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera, reported the Daily Mirror. 

The chief Buddhist monk of the Asgiriya Chapter said Sri Lanka’s president had agreed there was no need for the island to have a new constitution, according to a report in the Daily Mirror.

The Chief Minister of the Northern Provincial Council called on the United Nations to have closer collaboration with the North-East, but stated that it could not come about “at the expense of being manipulated by the Central Government”.

The Sri Lankan government has announced that the former minister for law and order, who was forced to resign amidst investigations into an arms scandal, has now been appointed the new foreign minister.