The Tami National Alliance spokesperson, Suresh Premachandran said that he had witnesses that could testify to prove that there were secret detention centres in the North-East.

Accusing the prime minister of rejecting the claims of detention centres without properly investigating the allegations, Mr Premachandran said,

“Prime Minister is saying that there are no secret detention camps without carrying out appropriate investigations. In Trincomalee there was a secret detention camp named ‘Gotabhaya.’ Up to 700 people are detained there.”

The Sri Lankan navy attacked fishermen from India with nylon ropes and pelted stones at them on Tuesday morning, in the third reported attack by Sri Lankan security forces on Tamil Nadu fishermen this week.

The fishermen from Ramneswaram were reportedly set upon by the Sri Lankan navy, who attacked them off the coast of Katchatheevu and warned them not to return.

The attack comes after Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe reiterated his defence of the Sri Lankan navy's shooting at Indian fishermen who stray into its waters.

Sri Lanka's cabinet on Sunday approved the draft bill on the 19th Amendment to the constitution, amending powers vested with the executive president.

Reforms will include the reduction of the president's term from six years to five years and transferring the power to dissolve parliament from the president to parliament itself.

"The Presidential immunity from being sued over matters conducted during his period of office is to also be removed under the proposed reforms," reported Sri Lankan government's news site.

Photographs Tamil Guardian

Hundreds of Tamils demonstrated outside the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday, calling for an investigation into genocide and a referendum for the Eelam Tamils on self-determination.

Protestors in India demanded the United Nations release a report on mass atrocities in Sri Lanka and that former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapksa be tried for war crimes.

Demonstrators gathered in front of Tanjavur railway station on Friday demanding action form the United Nations. Manithaneya Makkal Katchi leader M. H. Jawahirullah told the Hindu,

“But we suspect that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sri Lankan President Maitripala Sirisena would conspire to protect Mr. Rajapaksa. The UN body must go ahead and present its report and bring Mr. Rajapaksa to justice for his role in the war crimes”.

The leader of the National Freedom Front (NFF) Wimal Weerawansa walked out of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech to the Sri Lankan parliament, as a protest against the 13th Amendment, reports the Island.

The Indian prime minister had visited the island and called on the Sri Lankan government to “go beyond” the 13th amendment, telling the parliament that he was “a firm believer in co-operative federalism”.