Tamils in Batticaloa and Jaffna held demonstrations today calling on the Sri Lankan government to protect the human rights of civil society organisations and human rights defenders. 

In Batticaloa, protesters called for the protection of journalists and civil society organisations, as they face increasing levels of intimidation and harassment from Sri Lanka's state forces. 

Leaders of the Mullaitivu Association of Relations of Enforced Disappearances condemn Sri Lankan Foreign Affairs Minister Ali Sabry's statements at the 51st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, in which he rejects international accountability mechanisms citing a need to protect the "sovereignty of the people of Sri Lanka." 

A draft United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution on Sri Lanka has called for the "re-energising" of failed Sri Lankan mechanisms ignoring long-standing calls from Tamils for a referral to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The families of the 12 political prisoners who are undertaking a hunger strike in Colombo's Magazine prison held a protest yesterday calling for their release. 

Relatives held placards outside the Northern Province Governor's Secretariat in Jaffna that read 'free our fasting relatives' and 'don't ruin the future of our children in jail'. 

In a joint letter from Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, International Commission of Jurists and Forum Asia, has stressed that the UNHRC should adopt a strong resolution on end a pervasive culture of impunity and bring justice to victim communities.

During the 51^st session of the Indian delegation expressed their concern over the lack of “measurable progress” on the Sri Lankan government’s “commitments of a political solution to the ethnic issue.”

The Indian delegation called on Sri Lanka to implement the 13th Amendment, delegate powers to the provincial councils and hold elections for the provincial councils.

Speaking to the Tamil Guardian at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), Jaffna Mayor V Mannivannan called for a "strong" resolution that either refers Sri Lanka to the International Criminal Court (ICC) or mandates a special court to investigate Sri Lanka's human rights violations against the Tamil nation. 

During the first day of the 51^st session of the UNHRC council, a coterie of rogue states including China, Russia, Iran and North Korea rushed to Sri Lanka’s defence, touting the country’s alleged progress on human rights and asserting their opposition to UN resolution 46/1.

“We have no desire to dramatize the situation of human rights in Sri Lanka” claimed the Russian ambassador.

During the 51^st session of the UNHRC, western governments responded to a damning report by the UN High Commissioner, which revealed the “active reversal” of progress on accountability, and voiced alarm over Sri Lanka’s “persistent culture of impunity” and deepening militarisation.

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Ali Sabry said the government "fundamentally" disagreed with the legitimacy of the UN Resolution 46/1 and claimed that the resolution violates the "sovereignty of the people of Sri Lanka" as the 51st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council opened this morning.