Batticaloa Chief Buddhist Monk, Ampitiye Sumanarathana, was released on bail after being charged for gathering people in a manner that disrupted law and order.

On December 3rd he led a group that insisted on letting a bus full of Bodhu Sala Sena (BBS) monks from the south into Batticaloa. Sumanarathana climbed on top of police barriers and recited hate speech against Tamils and Muslims. 

The leader of the TMVP, Sivanesadurai Chandrakanthan (commonly known as Pillaiyan) along with three party members, have been re-remanded over the murder of Joseph Pararajasingam in 2005.

Pararajasingam was the Batticaloa district parliamentarian and member of the current opposition, the Tamil National Alliance. He was shot dead on Christmas Day at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Batticaloa. 

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Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe thanked navy commander Vice Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne for breaking up a protest in the weekend and 'rescuing' two ships that were boarded by demonstrators.

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) stated that it was keen to engage in talks with the international community, and India in particular, over Sri Lanka's proposed new constitution, reports the Daily Mirror.

TNA deputy leader and head of the Ilankai Tamil Arachi Katchchi (ITAK) Mavai Senathirajah said that though talks had not yet been scheduled, his party was keen on a federal solution to the island's long running ethnic conflict.

“Even in my latest speech in parliament I stressed the need to devolve even financial matters to the North,” he said.

Sri Lanka, along with Malaysia and Mongolia, is most vulnerable to direct and indirect effects of sustained capital outflows, Moody's Investors Service said in its report published this week on sovereign risk. 

Pointing to high debt levels in a number of Asian countries, the credit ratings agency said, "if they last more than a few weeks, capital outflows or lower inflows will correspond to a tightening in domestic financing conditions for many Asian countries."

The former head of the Sri Lankan military, Minister Sarath Fonseka on Tuesday rejected news reports earlier this month that the navy commander had assaulted a journalist in Hambantota, claiming instead the navy commander had pushed the journalist away from a security circle. 

“It was reported in the media that the navy commander had arrived at the scene with a dress meant for sports. But it was a uniform worn by marine pilots. We have only two marine pilots in the Navy and the Navy Commander is one of them,” Mr Fonseka said at a press conference. 

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena said his government would use growing international relations to help strengthen the military, in a speech made this week.

Addressing a military graduation ceremony on Monday, Mr Sirisena praised the “that knowledge, bravery, talent, skill and militancy shown by the military forces immensely helped to defeat the ruthless terrorist organization”.

He went on to add that his government “offer its fullest support to military forces to enhance their knowledge and skills”.

The Chief Minister of the Northern Province CV Wigneswaran said out of the tens of thousands of acres of land occupied by the Sri Lankan military, only 5.2% of it had been returned to Tamil families.

Speaking in Jaffna this weekend to mark International Human Rights Day, the chief minister said out of 67,000 acres of private land owned by Tamils that were seized by the Sri Lankan armed forces, only 3,500 acres have been released.

Justice Wigneswaran went on to question the sincerity of the current Sri Lankan government, especially in light of several Sinhalese politicians making statements that belie Tamil hopes in a new constitution.

Several Malaysian political parties and non governmental organisations have lodged protests over Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena's visit to the country.

Johor PKR vice-chairman Rony Murugan called on the Malaysian government to bar Mr Sirisena from the country, citing his role in the killing of Tamil civilians during the island's armed conflict, where he acted as minister of defence. Protests have been lodged at police stations across the state he added. 

Thousands of Tamils gathered in Dortmund last month to remember those that sacrificed their lives for the liberation of the Tamil nation.