The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), the Commonwealth body responsible for dealing with serious or persistent violations of Commonwealth values, came under scrutiny over its handling of Sri Lanka during a press conference following its 43rd meeting in London on Friday.

"The actions taken by the law enforcement authorities are well within the existing legal framework and are carried out to ensure peace, territorial integrity and national unity."

Ananthi Sasitharan addressing UNHRC on March 14th

"The allegations made by Ms. Ananthy Sashidharan and other politicians with vested interests that this arrest was carried out as the suspect was one of their supporters is incorrect and totally baseless.  Such misleading statements are politically motivated and we reject these attempts to hide the truth."

Speaking at a side event Wednesday hosted by the European Union on countering religious hatred while respecting human rights, the United Nations Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Religion or Belief, Mr. Heiner Bielefeldt, drew upon Buddhism in Sri Lanka to highlight that emboldening identity through religion could cause detrimental effects on rights of other communities.

He was speaking to themes in his address on Tuesday to the UN Human Rights Council earlier this week, and in the report he presented.

The Tamil campaigner Balendra Jeyakumari and her 13-year-old daughter Vipoosika, who were arrested yesterday after a police raid, are being held by the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) under the draconic Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), local sources said on Friday.

According to other sources in Sri Lanka, Ms Jeyakumari last year submitted a petition on disappearances to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Office in Colombo. The report was submitted whilst the UNHRC met in March for its regular sessions.

Addressing the general debate on the Promotion and Protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development, the Northern Provincial Councillor Ananthy Sasitharan made a statement on behalf of the NGO, Collectif des Femmes Africaines du Hainaut (CFAH), in which she called for an international investigation into the genocide of the Tamil people.

Addressing the council again on the general debate of the Item 2, Annual report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General, Ananthy Sasitharan spoke for a second time on behalf of the NGO, Collectif des Femmes Africaines du Hainaut (CFAH), calling for a Commission of Inquiry as an immediate step to halt the on-going genocide taking place in the North and East of Sri Lanka.

A heavy military presence has been reported in Vanni, following the arrest of a Tamil disappearances campaigner, Jeyakumari, and her 13-year-old daughter, Vipoosika, in Kilinochchi yesterday.

Sources told the Tamil Guardian that there was a large military presence around Tharumapuram, with restrictions being placed on the movement of the public, including Tamil parliamentarians.

Local residents have said that over 2000 troops are currently present in Vanni. 

Tamil campaigner Balendra Jeyakumari, who was arrested along with her 13-year-old daughter Vipoosika under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, warned of unknown people following her home and threatening her, in a video sent to Channel 4 last month.

Channel 4 revealed earlier today that Ms. Jeyakumari had sent a video where she warned of unknown persons looking for and following her. She told the British broadcaster,

"Unknown faces follow me and track me whenever I go home after protests. [To me, in my mind, this frightens me]."

“This is a serious threat. We are terrified to live here.”

“I gladly give this interview to Channel 4 to publicise my plight.”

“We have now heard reports that Jeyakumari and Vidushika may be detained by an Order of the Secretary, Ministry of Defence under the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act, thereby circumventing the legal requirement that they be produced before a Magistrate within twenty-four hours of arrest. The TNA is shocked and appalled at the conduct of the authorities in this regard. The high-handed conduct of the government, even while its human rights record is under scrutiny at the current sessions of the Human Rights Council, is illustrative of the government’s disdainful conduct towards the Human Rights Council,”