The militarisation of the Jaffna peninsula looks set to continue, as the Sri Lankan army announced that it will be taking on a project to renovate 100 Hindu temples this week.

Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe agreed to a list of 10 demands laid out by the Tamil National Alliance in return for support in defeating a No Confidence Motion, claimed parliamentarian Selvam Addaikalanathan.

The Island reported the TNA MP as stating there had been a “heated argument and tension” at a meeting between the TNA and Mr Wickremesinghe’s United National Party before the motion was debated in parliament on Wednesday.

Sri Lanka’s Attorney General department will appear in court on behalf of an army commander alleged to have been directly responsible for the disappearances of more than two dozen Tamil youths in 1996.

The petitioners in the habeas corpus case regarding the disappearances from Navatkuli objected to the Attorney General appearing for then Lieutenant General and now Major General Duminda Kepetiwolana, who is alleged to have been directly responsible for the disappearances as officer-in-charge of Navatkuli Army Camp.

The Jaffna High Court dismissed the objections and ruled that the AG department could appear for the respondent.

The Sri Lankan Prime Minister’s comments on the state of the Northern Province’s “fallen” education have been criticised in the North for failing to account for the root causes of poor educational standards across the province.

“If they really want to improve education in the North, the government should be implementing projects to see results in 2-5 years,” said C. V. K. Sivagnanam, the Chair of the Northern Provincial Council.

“Ranil [Wickremesinghe’s] claims that the North’s education will take 10 years to fix is just a delay tactic,” Mr Sivagnanam said, speaking to Tamil Guardian.

A no-confidnence motion against the Sri Lankan prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe was defeated today by a majority of 46 votes, allowing him to hold on to his position. 

The vote following a debate in parliament; 76 MPs voted in favour of the motion, 122 voted against and 26 abstained, Ada Derana reported. 

The former president Mahinda Rajapaksa voted in favour of the motion. 
 

The Ceylon Teachers Union this week condemned the government's decision to postpone celebrations of May Day due to pressure from Buddhist lobby groups, who argued that May 1st events should be held after the conclusion of Vesak. 

The Sri Lankan military will be focussing on challenges in “cyber space” according to the commander of the army, as it launched a new initiative last week.

The Sri Lanka Signal Corps (SLSC) will be hosting a symposium, entitled 'Cyber Space; Perpetual Battlefront for Future', announced Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake who was the chief guest at a lavish event at Hotel Hilton last week.

The Jaffna Mayor and members of the Municipal Council surveyed the destroyed monument to Thileepan in Nallur today, with plans to have it restored to its former glory by September this year.

The Tamil National Alliance leader R Sampanthan said the no confidence motion tabled against Prime Minister Wickremesinghe lacked evidence and was in pursuit of a political agenda.

Speaking during the parliamentary debate on the motion on Wednesday, Mr Sampanthan said,

Sri Lanka's army commander warned Tamils that the army was able to take back what it 'granted' to the Tamil people, whilst addressing an event launching the second phase of a housing scheme in Nallinakkapuram. 

"Like we grant you these houses and lands, we able to take them back again," Lt Gen Mahesh Senanayake told the crowd via a hesitant Tamil interpreter, prompting her to relay the ominous message.