Muslim protesters in Mannar have filed a complaint against the Sri Lankan navy at the Human Rights Commission (HRCSL).

Residents of Silavathurai who have been protesting since Wednesday for the release of their lands from navy occupation made the complaint on Friday, stating that they were being intimidated and photographed by navy personnel.

The protest is calling for the return of 36 acres, belonging to 218 households, currently occupied by a navy camp.

Residents in Mannar demanded authorities stop the Department of Forest Conversation's acquisition of paddy fields land in Nanattan. 

Sri Lanka's president Maithripala Sirisena said he wishes the country could withdraw from the UN Human Rights Council resolution that it co-sponsored, in an interview to the Sunday Times. 

"I would wish we can withdraw from it. Discussions are now on over this matter," he was quoted by the Colombo based paper as saying. 

Families of the disappeared travelled to the Nallur temple in Jaffna today to hold a signature campaign as part of their ongoing protest. 

A former Sri Lankan navy chief, Wasantha Karannagoda, the 14th suspect named in the abduction and murder of 11 primarily Tamil youths between 2008 - 2009 had his passport impounded on Friday by Colombo Fort Magistrate. 

Sri Lanka’s opposition has objected to police investigating into the brawls which took place in the country’s parliament during its political crisis, claiming violations of parliamentary privilege and taking issue with ‘outsider’ intervention into the incidents.

A father of one was found hacked to death near the Dharmapuram reservoir, Kilinochchi. 

Locals in Batticaloa yesterday held a demonstration condemning Sri Lanka's current anti-terror legislation, the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and the proposed Counter Terrorism Act (CTA). 

India has agreed to provide a grant of around $1.4 million USD to build an information technology park in Jaffna.

Demilitarisation is crucial for economic development in the Northern Province, a senior Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP has said.

Speaking at a Sri Lankan finance ministry forum on economic development in the North, TNA MP and ITAK leader Mavai Senathirajah called for releasing military-occupied land to help revive agriculture and create jobs.

The parliamentarian pointed out that the Vaddakkachchi farm in Kilinochchi formerly employed 600 people but was currently still under military occupation.