The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) led by Sirisena would not agree to a federal set-up in the new Constitution said senior minister of transport, Nimal Siripala de Silva this week. 

Addressing reporters in Kandy, Mr. De Silva stated clearly, "[t]here are three things that our party believes very strongly in the current constitutional reform process...The position for Buddhism must not be diluted, the unitary character of the state must be preserved and there cannot be a federal system."

The Sri Lanka government earlier this month gazetted a new "List of Designated Persons" under Regulation 4(7) of UN Regulation No. 1 of 2012, removing 69 names from the list last amended in November 20, 2015. 

In March 2014, the Sri Lankan government proscribed 424 individuals and 16 Tamil diaspora organisations, alleging they had links to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). 

Sri Lanka's defence secretary, Karunasena Hettiarachchi called for investigations into events in the North-East marking Maaveerar Naal or Tamil national remembrance day over recent days. 

Mr Hettiarachchi said the law and order ministry and police should lead the investigation at a media briefing in Colombo on Tuesday. 

See here. 

Tamils in an undisclosed location in the Batticaloa district marked the Tamil national remembrance day on Sunday. Locals placed flowers on a replica tomb, draped in the Tamil Eelam national flag.

Tamil asylum seekers being held in detention at Nauru Island marked Maaveerar Naal on Sunday, in a ceremony held at the immigration detention facility.

The detained asylum seekers, who have been detained on the island after attempting to flee Sri Lanka for Australia, marked the event with the rest of the Tamil nation this week.

A ceremony was held in Vavuniya on Sunday to remember all those who sacrificed their lives for the liberation of the Tamil homeland.
 

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena officially declared 2017, 2018 and 2019 to be tourism and investment years in Sri Lanka, as part of government attempts to kick start the island’s faltering economy. 

The aim within this period is to overcome challenges in the hotel and tourism industry by 2020, said Mr Sirisena.

The announcement was made at the inauguration ceremony of the first Asia Hotel and Tourism Investment Conference (AHTIC) – with more than 300 investors estimated to be in attendance.  

Sri Lanka’s trade deficit widened by 8 percent to US$ 782.8 million reports Colombo Page.

The widening trade deficit came despites an increase in exports in 2016, which sow exports increase to US866.3 million.

Sri Lanka’s widening trade deficit happened amidst a modest depreciation of the strength of the Sri Lankan rupee.

Reducing the trade deficit has one of Sri Lanka’s key priorities, alongside regaining the GSP+ trade concessions to aid Sri Lanka’s exports.

Families gathered by the shores of Mullaitivu to mark Maaveerar Naal on November 27. 

In an emotional event, families cried as they lit fires and lamps to remember fallen Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) cadres, sending the lamps adrift in the waters where so many LTTE cadres and Tamil civilians perished at the last stages of the armed conflict in 2009. 

Tamil political parties and party members paid tribute to fallen Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam cadre on Saturday November 27 with remembrance events marking Maaveerar Naal (Tamil national remembrance day).

The Tamil National Alliance marked Maaveerar Naal at its office on Martin Road in Jaffna, whilst its main subsidiary party, the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK) held an event at its party office in Chavakachcheri. ITAK also held commemorations in the East at the party's headquarters in Batticaloa.

The Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) held its Maaveerar Naal in Jaffna, with its president, Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam and other key party representatives and members present.