By Kithsiri Wijesinghe

Colombo magistrate has approved the Counter-Terrorism Investigation Department (CTID) request to continue the detention of 26-year-old Muslim poet, Ahnaf Jazeem, under Sri Lanka’s draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act.

A protest in Mannar yesterday called for the release of the arrested MP and former minister Rishad Bathiudeen. 

Protesters started the agitation at 9.30 AM near the Mannar Bazaar holding placards and raising slogans in condemnation of the arrest of Bathiudeen. 

Hundreds of people took part in the protests including officials and members of the All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) (the party led by Bathiudeen) and the general public. 

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called on Sri Lanka’s parliament to reject a resolution that seeks to exonerate government and military officials implicated in human rights abuses and to prosecute those pursuing investigations against them.

HRW warns that if the resolution, brought before parliament on 9 April, it would “further undermine the independence of the judiciary and rule of law, which has been severely weakened under the administration of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa”.

Commission on Political Victimisation

A Tamil man was assaulted while confronting illegal sand miners on his land, last month.

Bilateral trade discussions were held between China’s Defence Minister Wei Fenghe and Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary, and accused war criminal, Kamal Gunaratne, following the passage of a UN resolution which raised concerns over military impunity in Sri Lanka.

In these discussions, Fenghe expressed interest for China  “to enhance practical cooperation and to promote bilateral relations to a greater extent” and highlighted existing military ties between the two countries.

Human Rights

Sri Lanka's Cabinet approved a proposal to ban the burqa, as discrimination against Muslims continues to rise on the island. 

Last month, Sri Lanka's Minister for Public Security, Sarath Weerasekara, submitted the proposal on the grounds of "national security" and claimed that the burqa us a "sign of religious extremism."

Memorial events were held across the North-East to mark the 16th anniversary of murdered Tamil journalist, Dharmeratnam Sivaram. 

^{The 'reconstructed' monument unveiled last week, missing sculptures of Sri Lankan shells landing on the outstretched arms.}

As authorities at the University of Jaffna unveiled a supposedly reconstructed monument to those massacred at Mullivaikkal last week, there was controversy as key elements of the memorial depicting Sri Lankan military shelling had been entirely removed.

Valvettithurai Police recovered LTTE explosives in Puthuvalavu near Polikandi, early Saturday morning.

^{Accused War Criminal, Air Marshal Sumangala Dias}

Former Air Force Commander, and accused war criminal, Sumanagala Dias has had his placement as Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to Canada rejected, as the Canadian government did not agree to his appointment following protests lodged by Tamil Canadians and parliamentarians alike calling to reject the ‘Génocidaire’.