The Sri Lankan government’s failure to establish an accountability mechanism for violations of International law means that referral to the International Criminal Court or the creation of another international mechanism “would be fully warranted," said the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), in a statement to the UN Human Rights Council last week.

“Almost ten years after Sri Lanka emerged from a period of conflict and massive human rights violations, the Government of Sri Lanka still has largely failed to implement its human rights obligations and commitments as reflected in Resolution 30/1,” said the ICJ in its submission.

It went on to add:

Officers from a Sri Lankan government department were injured in altercations  in Mullaitivu this week, as they attempted to raid the homes of Tamil fishermen, accompanied by rival fishermen.

On February 13, officers from the Fisheries Department and members of fisheries organisations of Hijrapuram, Vadduvakal entered the homes of fishermen of Keppapulavu and searched them stating that there were banned fishing nets inside the houses.  The party were accompanied by an armoured Special Task Force (STF) vehicle.

This caused tensions between the search party and the residents, mainly women, which quickly escalated to altercations.

Residents in Kiran demonstrated this week against the local authority's failure to stop illegal sand mining taking place in the region. 

As Tamils across the North-East and diaspora called for Sri Lanka to be referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to ensure justice for the genocide of 2009, Sri Lanka's prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe renewed talk of a truth and reconciliation commission. 
 

Eight people who were returned from Reunion Island this week after fleeing Sri Lanka by boat were detained and held in remand on Thursday by Negombo Magistrate's Court. 

The skeletal remains of another child were found on Thursday at the mass grave site in Mannar. 

A woman was hospitalised after being hit by a Sri Lankan army water tanker (bowser) in Jaffna on Friday evening.

Police seized the tanker and arrested the driver.

The incident happened in Kodikamam, Mirusuvil and the victim was taken to Jaffna Teaching Hospital for emergency treatment.

Tamils campaigning for the release of their land in Amparai marked 180 days of their protest on Wednesday.

Despite a highly publicised land-release campaign by the Sri Lankan army, residents of Kanagar village in Pottuvil have been protesting for around six months for the return of their land and have not received any assurances that theirs will follow.

Families of the disappeared in Vavuniya this week urged member states at the UN Human Rights Council not to grant Sri Lanka more time to implement the co-sponsored 30/1 resolution. 

The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) has criticised the Sri Lankan government’s announcement that it resume carrying out executions, calling it an “egregious violation” of international human rights law.

Earlier this week the United Kingdom and European Union reiterated their opposition to Sri Lanka's proposed implementation of the death penalty.