Sri Lanka’s military spokesperson denied reports of maintaining secret torture camps in the areas it previously held around the Palaly military base in Jaffna.

Speaking at a news conference in Colombo Brigadier Jaynath Jayaweera said,

“There were reports that there were two military torture camps in Valikamam Noth. We totally reject these allegations. When the enemy launch a sudden attack from the land, these places should be highly protected. That’s why we used barbed wire around camp. Just because you saw this, do not imagine that the military had torture camps all over the place. We totally reject these allegations.”

The Chief Minister of Northern Province visited newly returned areas in the former High Security Zone of Valikamam North on Thursday.

Chief Minister C. V. Wigneswaran visited the area and discussed the huge issues of resettlement and rebuilding with locals and officials.

The Northern Provincial Council plans to establish a memorial in honour of those who were massacred during the final stages of the armed conflict at Mullivaikkal before this year's anniversary of the deaths on May 18th.

Each NPC member has pledged to provide one lakh of their own allocation towards to the project, which was first discussed by the Council on November 4th, 2015.

Marking the Sri Lankan president, Maithripala Sirisena's one year in office, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, urged Sri Lanka to ensure progress implementing the UNHRC resolution, reconciliation and good governance.

“I urge continued progress in these areas and emphasis the need for inclusive consultation processes to address issues of transitional justice.  I also support the government’s efforts to advance a nation-wide dialogue to achieve a long-term political settlement acceptable to all,” the Secretary General said in a statement on Thursday.

Mullaitivu locals are urging the Chief Minister to fight for their land to be returned from military occupation.

Residents from the east of Mullivaikaal who had over 600 acres of land grabbed to make way for a massive Sri Lankan Navy camp have urged the Chief Minister C. V. Wigneswaran to do more in his capacity as land minister to ensure that land is returned to them.

A domestic accountability process on the final stages of the war will begin next week said Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister in a press brief on Thursday.

Following talks with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway Borge Brende, Mangala Samaraweera said,

Sri Lanka welcomed the first visit of Norways Foreign Minsiter to the island in 11 years on Thursday.
Speaking after a meeting with Norway’s Foreign Affairs Minister Norge Brende, Sri Lanka’s foreign minister Mangala Samaraweera, said,

“As Sri Lanka embarks on this new path, we are encouraged that we have been able to gain the support and confidence of the international community after years of censure and isolation.”