The Sri Lankan government acknowledged the planned acquisition of 671 acres of land in Mullaitivu is in order the establish a central navy base. 

In response to a Right To Information request made by the editor of Vikalpa, Sampath Samarakoon, the Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Lands and Parliamentary Reforms, Mr Dayaratne stated the land grab was in order to “establish the Mullaitivu main camp of the Sri Lanka navy”.

Japan’s Foreign Minister Tharo Kono reportedly pledged his government’s “fullest support for the development and reconciliation process of Sri Lanka” in a visit to Colombo today.

Sri Lanka’s President’s Media Division reported that Mr Kono said there was “an excellent trade relationship between the two countries” and would be sending a delegation to discuss business opportunities to the island at the end of this month.

Colombo's Fort Magistrate has issued an open warrant for the arrest of the government’s former ambassador to the United States.

The former ambassador, Jaliya Wickramasuriya, is wanted by Sri Lanka’s Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) over the alleged misuse of government spending.

It is alleged that there were irregularities in the purchase of a building to house the Sri Lankan in Washington DC. He is also accused of accepting a US$ 332,000 “commission” during his tenure as ambassador.

The body of a young Tamil man bearing several wounds was recovered from a well in Jaffna on Thursday.

20-year-old Anantharaja Ananthababu was found dead in a field well in Sanguveli, with locals believing he was beaten and murdered then thrown in the well, judging by the state that his body was found in. 

Mr Ananthababu was reported missing on Thursday by his family, when he did not return home from his job as a labourer.

Manippay police are investigating the death, and Mr Ananthababu's body was handed over to Jaffna Teaching Hospital for post-mortem examinations at the order of the magistrate.

Officers from Sri Lanka’s Special Task Force detained two men in Kilinochchi for the alleged possession of cannabis last week.

The Island reports that two people were arrested after being “intercepted” by a team of officers from STF base at Mullaitivu”.

The latest arrests come as drug use in the North-East has increased since the end of the armed conflict.

Human rights lawyer and former leader of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC), Kumar Ponnambalam, was remembered today on the 18th anniversary of his death.

Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has written to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling on him to “personally intervene” to assure the release of fishermen who have been detained by Sri Lankan security forces.

Writing to the Indian premier just hours after 13 fishermen were arrested by the Sri Lankan navy, Mr Palaniswami urged Mr Modi to “take up the issue of apprehension of Tamil Nadu fishermen in their traditional waters with the highest authorities in the Sri Lankan government so as to ensure the safety and security of Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu".

He stated that 84 fishermen and 59 fishing boats were being detained by Sri Lankan forces.

Two people have been arrested in connection with the death of a British national in Maligawatte, Sri Lanka on Tuesday.

The death is being treated as suspicious by Sri Lankan police after the body was found with a wound to the face. 

Both suspects are residents of Maligawatta, the Daily Mirror reported. 
 

Defying calls for the military to withdraw from Tamil civilian life, the Sri Lankan army continued to hold a series of events throughout the Christmas period across the North-East.

Sri Lankan navy officers arrested 13 Indian fishermen on Wednesday, seizing two fishing trawlers. 

The men, from Rameswaran, Tamil Nadu, were accused of entering Sri Lanka's waters. 

The men were detained last night at the navy base before being handed over to the Jaffna Fisheries Authorities today.