The European Union’s Foreign Affairs Council has decided to support calls for an independent probe into “alleged severe crimes” during the conflict and current human rights issues.

Meeting to decide the EU’s priorities during the UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva next month, the Council reaffirmed its commitment to the HRC.

“Ahead of the 25th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) and following the conclusion of the Third Committee of the 68th UN General Assembly, the EU reaffirms its strong commitment to and support for the HRC and other United Nations bodies tasked with the promotion and protection of human rights worldwide,

In a statement released today, the United States Tamil Political Action Council (USTPAC) welcomed high level US envoy visits to Sri Lanka, whilst reiterating calls to ignore the thinly veiled threats of the Sri Lankan government's lobbyists, and table a strong resolution at the upcoming United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) sessions seeking a credible international investigation to probe atrocities committed against Tamil civilians by parties in the ethnic conflict.

Highlighting the escalating militarised colonisation taking place in the Tamil areas, the US Tamil advocacy group, warned against giving Sri Lanka more time, arguing "more time will only lead to a point of no return in a country whose militarization in the Tamil areas has steadily increased since the end of the armed conflict, and has facilitated land grabs and creating demographic imbalance in favor of the Sinhalese under the guise of reconstruction."
 
Extracts from the statement are reproduced below.

The Colombo stock market, last week saw a significant drop in foreign investment, resulting in foreign investors selling shares that amounted to Rs. 3.06 billion.

The Sri Lankan Financial Times news site reported, that pre-prepared local investors nullified the impact of the mass sales, by accelerating their buying to renew confidence in the market.

The Sinhala weekly Divaina reported on Sunday that the government has decided to conduct a special investigation into recent activities of the Northern Provincial Council.

The paper reportedly said that the government is seriously concerned about the recent resolutions passed by the council, violating the constitution and undermining Sri Lanka’s national security and foreign policy. A meeting between NPC Education Minister Thambirasa Kurukularasa with the US Pacific Command has also come under scrutiny.

Speaking to the Tamil Guardian, Indian film maker Maga Tamizh Prabhagaran condemned the procurement of Tamil land by the Sri Lankan government as part of a structural genocide, after the London screening of his film ‘This Land Belongs to the Army’.

Prabhagaran, who was detained by Sri Lankan security forces whilst visiting the Tamil homeland in the North-East of the island, was eventually deported by Colombo. Upon arrival in London, Prabhagaran also described being held and interrogated for over 3 hours by British police, questioning him on the LTTE and on protests held by the Tamil diaspora.

His film, detailing state procurement and Sinhalisation of the Tamil homeland, was screened at an international conference on land grabs earlier this month in London.

Land grabs, the Sri Lankan state’s forcible and militarised procurement of Tamil owned land in the North-East, has seen international condemnation with a resolution having been presented to the US Senate this week outlining “ongoing concerns regarding landownership and property restitution”.

The Chief Minister of the Northern Province CV Wigneswaran has stated that Tamil youth are being pushed into drugs and prostitution with the help of the Sri Lankan military, earlier this month.

Addressing the ‘Southwest Youth Association’ in Maanippai, Wigneswaran told the audience that brothels were being built with Tamil women as prostitutes and youths being pushed into using cocaine and other drugs.

Noting that problems on this scale were new to the Northern Province, he went on to add that these issues have led to Tamil youth abandoning their culture and tradition.

A constituent party from Sri Lanka’s ruling alliance announced that it was pleased over the decision to refuse a visa for the US Ambassador for Women’s Issues Catherine Russell.

The National Freedom Front, headed by Sri Lankan Minister Wimal Weerawamsa had stated they were pleased with the decision taken by the Sri Lankan government, even though External Affairs Ministry stated reports of a refusal were “erroneous”.

The United States had labelled the decision "regrettable".