A Sri Lankan military officer who motioned a death threat to Tamil protestors in London yesterday has been identified as a commander who led troops in a military offensive in 2009, that massacred tens of thousands of Tamil civilians.

A military parade was held in Colombo to mark Sri Lanka’s 70^th Independence Day yesterday, with thousands of soldiers marching alongside heavy weaponry.

The United States called for greater progress on accountability in the coming year in its celebratory message marking Sri Lanka's 70th anniversary of independence. 

"In 2015, Sri Lankan voters chose a new government that pledged transparency, reconciliation, and accountability. We look forward to even greater progress on these areas in the coming year, along with increased peace, prosperity, and further growth in our bilateral relations," Rex Tillerson, the US Secretary of State said. 

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) used imagery associated with the LTTE and the struggle for Tamil Eelam on its election leaflets ahead of the local polls this month. 

In a pamphlet distributed this month, the senior TNA figure, and leader of ITAK, Mavai Senathirajah was promoted with a photograph of his face on the background of the Tamil Eelam flag. 

The chief minister of the Northern Province, C V Wigneswaran said Tamils did not celebration Sri Lanka's Independence Day as they continued to live under Sinhala hegemony and domination. 

"We feel the celebration of Independence from the Britishers has lost its signficance due to our coming under the domination and hegemony of the sinhalese," Mr Wigneswaran said to the press when asked about his stance on the celebrations. 

"Until we obtain real devolution of power under a Federal Constitution we cannot retrieve our lost rights in full. Hence how could you expect us as Tamils to celebrate the Fourth of February?" 

A panel event on mass atrocities discussed the lack of progress made by Sri Lanka in the realm of transitional justice, in Washington DC last week. 

A uniformed Sri Lankan officer motioned a death threat to Tamils in London today, who were protesting against Sri Lanka's celebration of Independence Day. 

The officer ran a finger across his neck motioning the slitting of one's neck, whilst he stood in front of the Sri Lankan High Commission in London, next to embassy officials. 

Sri Lankan police officers tried to stop families in Keppapulavu who have been holding a continuous protest against land occupation by the military, from marking Sri Lanka's Independence Day with black flags. 

The families who have been protesting for 339 days today, carried black flags and placards condemning the celebration of 'Independence Day' whilst they said Tamils were denied their freedom. "We detest it and we oppose it," the families said. 

Sri Lanka wants a longer time-period to negotiate a free trade agreement with China, to make sure stakeholders are satisfied with the agreement, said Sri Lanka’s ambassador to China on Sunday.  

Speaking to Reuters on the side-lines of an independence day event, Ambassador Karunasena Kodituwakku, said,

Tamil Diaspora organisations across the world marked Sri Lanka’s Independence Day by sending a letter to the United Nations Human Rights Chief.

In the letter to Rights Chief Zeid Al Hussein,  the organisations outlined Sri Lanka’s failure to progress on its commitments to accountability and reconciliation, adding,

“Tamil dignitaries and politicians did not attend ceremonies celebrating the event from 1972 to 2014 in protest for the exclusion of the Tamil population from the political, economic, and cultural life of the country and the elimination of protections for non-Sinhalese Buddhist communities.”