The Labour Party has pledged to work for the “protection of human rights for Sri Lanka’s minority Tamil and Muslim populations” in its manifesto for the upcoming British elections, released earlier today.

“Around the world, human rights defenders and civil society activists remain vulnerable to attacks, often carried out with impunity,” said the manifesto, adding that human rights and international humanitarian law are “under threat”.

Speaking on the Tamil people, the manifesto pledges:

“We will work through the UN and the Commonwealth to insist on the protection of human rights for Sri Lanka’s minority Tamil and Muslim populations.”

Sri Lanka's new president Gotabaya Rajapaksa was paid a formal courtesy call by the head of the army, Shavendra Silva, this week, as the accused war criminals met in their official capacities once more.

Sri Lanka’s Permanent High Court has dropped all corruption charges against Gotabaya Rajapaksa, just days after he was appointed as president of Sri Lanka.

Rajapaksa faced charges over the alleged misappropriation of 33.9 million rupees - approximately USD $185,000 - used to build a museum dedicated to his parents on the south of the island. 

Sri Lanka’s former president Mahinda Rajapaksa met with both Indian and Chinese officials in Colombo last night, just hours before he was sworn in as prime minister.

The elder Rajapaksa met Indian external affairs minister S Jaishankar, and said they discussed "strengthening of the already existing bilateral relations  between our two nations”. His son, Namal Rajapaksa, was also present at the meeting.

India’s prime minister Narendra Modi congratulated Mahinda Rajapaksa just hours after he was appointed Sri Lanka’s new prime minister this morning.

Modi sent out a tweet congratulating the elder Rajapaksa, and stating,

“I look forward to working closely with him for further strengthening fraternal India-Sri Lanka ties”.

Sri Lanka’s now-former president held a grand banquet at the Shangri-La hotel in Colombo last week, as he celebrated his the end of his tenure with those accused of crimes.

Amongst those present were Shavendra Silva, head of Sri Lanka’s army and former commander in charge of Sri Lanka’s notorious 58 Division. The unit has been accused of repeatedly bombing hospitals, widespread sexual violence, torture and Silva personally stands accused of overseeing crimes including the execution of Tamils in 2009.

Mahinda Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka’s former president, has been sworn in as the new prime minister this morning, just days after his brother Gotabaya was appointed as president.

This marks the first time on the island’s history that brothers from one family have occupied the two highest offices of state.

Both men stand accused of overseeing war crimes, during a 2009 military offensive that saw hospitals bombed and tens of thousands of Tamil civilians killed. Mahinda Rajapaksa was president at the time, whilst Gotabaya was the secretary of defence. 

<p>Pakistan Prime Minister, Imran Khan, telephoned&nbsp;Gotabaya Rajapaksa,&nbsp;to congratulate him on becoming Sri Lanka's&nbsp;newly elected president, Colombo Gazette<em>&nbsp;</em><u><a href="http://colombogazette.com/2019/11/19/imran-khan-telephones-gotabaya-and…">reported</a></u><em>.</em></p>

India’s foreign affairs minister met with Sri Lanka’s new president Gotabaya Rajapaksa this week, passing on an invitation from the Indian prime minister to make an official visit to Delhi.

S Jaishankar met with Rajapaksa in Colombo yesterday, where he said he conveyed Narendra Modi’s “message of a partnership for shared peace, progress, prosperity & security”.

<p>The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) have called on newly elected President, Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his government to uphold human rights and address impunity on the island.</p> <p>Commenting on the allegations of war cimes faced by Gotabaya, Frederick Rawski, ICJ Asia Pacific Director, said:</p> <blockquote><p> “The election of Gotabaya Rajapaksa, after a highly polarizing campaign, has alarmed human rights defenders in Sri Lanka and abroad, who have little reason to believe that someone facing such serious allegations of perpetrating human rights violations can be relied upon to meet the country’s obligations under international law.”