Sri Lanka’s main opposition demanded the military vacate private land that it was occupying, whilst welcoming President Sirisena’s commitment to returning government seized lands.

Speaking to Agence France Presse Tamil National Alliance MP MA Sumanthiran, said,

“We welcome this as a very positive development but our stand is that the military must vacate all private lands they are occupying.”

The president told AFP on Sunday that land would be given to displaced civilians by the middle of the year.

The leader of the Mahajana Eksath Peraruma (MEP) party accused the Sri Lankan government of omitting constitutional clauses affirming a Unitary State and the primary place of Buddhism at the request of the Tamil National Alliance.

Speaking at a media briefing, MP Dinesh Gunawardane, said,

Pakistan’s prime minister Navaz Sharif will visit Sri Lanka next week to sign a series of bilateral agreements reports Colombo Page.

Mr Sharif is expected to arrive in Sri Lanka on a 3  day visit and sign an agreement between the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan and the Sri Lankan Export Development Board to promote trade relations between the two governments.

Sri Lanka aims to enhance its export of tea and rubber to Pakistan, whilst Pakistan will look to increase its export of rice Sri Lanka.

Suspected army torture cells have been uncovered by locals in two houses in the former High Security Zone of Valikamam North.

The Tamil People’s Council formed in Jaffna last month will submit a proposal to the ethnic conflict by the end of January, reports Colombo Page.

Member of the Tamil national Alliance (TNA) Suresh Premachandran who forms a part of the Council, said, the proposal will be presented to the residents of the North and East for feedback by the end of January.

Wigneswaran clarifies Tamil People's Council motives (28 Dec 2015)

Over 100,000 Tamil refugees from the North-East of Sir Lanka remain in Tamil Nadu 6 and a half years after the armed conflict between the Liberation Tamil Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and Sri Lankan government reports the Hindu.

The Treasurer of the Organisation for Eelam Refugees Rehabilitation (OfERR) in Tamil Nadu, speaking to the Hindu, said,

“The government of India should come with a generous package to supplement the efforts of Sri Lankan government in facilitating the return of the refugees.”