The UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and counter terrorism, Ben Emmerson arrived in Sri Lanka today to embark on an official five day visit of the island. 

Mr Emmerson plans to obtain first-hand information on steps taken regarding counter-terrorism and assess how they affect the promotion and protection of human rights.

Protests have erupted in Jaffna, after an unarmed Tamil man was shot dead by Sri Lankan police yesterday.

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe pledged to come up with a proposal for a new constitution that will ensure Buddhism on the island will be free to operate without any government oversight.

“I will come up with proposal to include a clause in the Constitution that the Government cannot get involved in deciding on the matters relating to the three Nikayas, followed by Sri Lankan Buddhists," said the prime minister at Anuradhapura this weekend.

Sri Lanka’s Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera accused former president Mahinda Rajapaksa of branding Sri Lankan soldiers as “war criminals” in a statement released today, reports ColomboPage.

Mr Samaraweera said the forces loyal to the former president were “political ghosts who introduced the white van culture” to Sri Lanka and accused them of “misleading the people as usual”.

Speaking on Mr Rajapaksa’s opposition to the International Covenant on Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, Mr Samaraweera went on to say,

Sri Lankan police shot dead an unarmed Tamil man in Vadamaradchi East, on Sunday afternoon.

Yogarasa Thines, in his twenties and from Thunnalai succumbed to his wounds shortly after being shot by police around the Manatkaadu desert area of Vadamaradchi East.

The Church of St Peter at Navaly remembered over 140 Tamil civilians killed in its premises by Sri Lankan Air Force bombs 22 years ago.

Hundreds attended the remembrance service which included special prayers led by the parish priest, Father Roy Ferdinand, and tributes led by families of the victims at the memorial monument in the church grounds.

On 9th July 1995, the Sri Lankan Air Force bombed the St Peter’s Church in Navaly and the nearby Sri Kathirgama Murugan Kovil, which were both sheltering displaced Tamils from army bombardment.

A total of 13 bombs were dropped on the sheltering shrines, killing 147 on the spot with many more succumbing to injuries later.

Thousands of Sri Lankan soldiers organised a “special Buddhist sermon” at the Security Forces Headquarters in Jaffna last month, according to an official military website.

The Tamil National Alliance is to meet with Sri Lank's senior Buddhist clergy, the Maha Sangha in order to talk about the need to change the country's constitution, Adaderana and the Sunday Times reported. 

After a meeting between three Buddhist divisions on Tuesday in Kandy, the senior leaders unanimously rejected the need for any constitutional change and expressed concern over the 'threats' faced by Buddhism in the country. 

The Bank of china is to open a branch in Sri Lanka's capital later this year, the Daily Mirror reported. 

China's spokesperson at the embassy reportedly told the paper that it would be opened with an initial capital of US$ 90 million with the aim of facilitating financial transactions between the two states. 

If opened this would be the first branch of China's state bank in South Asia. Overseas branches are currently located in the US, UK, Canada, Kenya and South Africa. 

The Sri Lankan navy on Saturday arrested three further Tamil Nadu fishermen for allegedly crossing into Sri Lankan waters, Colombo Page reported. 

Saturday's arrest follows the arrest of eight Tamil Nadu fishermen earlier this week, and comes amid heated exchanges over Sri Lanka's new fishing bill. 

On Friday the chief minister of Tamil Nadu, Edappdi K Palaniswami, wrote to the Indian premier, Narenda Modi, expressing his concern about Sri Lanka's new fishing legislation which bans bottom trawling.