Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena claimed to have deliberately avoided talking about the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, when the pair met in New Delhi last month.

“I want to assure you that I will not enter any agreement with any country that will be harmful to our businesses,” said Mr Sirisena, addressing local Sri Lankan businesses over the weekend.

Mr Sirisena went on to highlight the cancelling of contracts for 16 foreign mining firms; a move he claimed would strengthen local businesses.

Sri Lankan military officials abducted at least 10 wealthy school children from Trincomalee and Colombo during the armed conflict reports Colombo Mirror.

Sri Lanka’s police spokesperson Ajith Rohana, speaking at a press conference in Colombo, said,

“Naval officials and sailors have been found involved in this nine-member team. Former Navy Spokesman Captain DKP Dassanayake has been questioned recently by the CID in this connection. It is now uncovered that he has functioned as the Officer-in charge of this team named -Special Operations Unit- that abducted these children.”

The Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK), passed a resolution urging the government of Sri Lanka to take actions towards a political solution that would be accepted by the Tamil people.

The resolution further called on the government to release land belonging to Tamils and release all detained and missing persons.

A second resolution passed by ITAK, condemned the burning of effigies of TNA MP MA Sumanthiran and leader R Sampanthan, by Tamil demonstrators protesting against enforced disappearances in the North-East.

All photographs: Tamil Guardian

Over 200 protestors gathered outside the Trincomalee Town Divisional Secretariat, in what was a third continuous day of protests rejecting the Presidential Commission on Missing Persons.

Speaking to the Tamil Guardian, a priest that attended the protest said,

“The people have no trust in any domestic inquiry into our missing loved ones. The Presidential Commission has been taking place for over a year with no results for the Tamil people. We are calling for the international community and the United Nations to get involved.

The UN Under-Secretary General for Political Affairs, Jeffrey Feltman, reassured the North's chief minister, C V Wigneswaran during a meeting in Jaffna on Tuesday that the OHCHR Investigation on Sri Lanka would definitely be released in September.

The report, which was due to be publishing this month at the UN Human Rights Council's 28th session, was last month deferred till the 30th session, by member states.

"When I asked what would happen if certain member states try to delay the report [further], he [Mr Feltham] gave me his assurance that it would be published in September," Mr Wigneswaran told reporters following the meeting.

"Importantly, he [Mr Feltham] asked questions about the political situation," Mr Wigneswaran went on to say.

"He asked questions regarding the significance and meaning of bringing a resolution on genocide. In response we replied that this document illustrates the feelings of our people," he said, adding that the government's statement that the military would not be removed from the Tamil areas also caused the Tamil people significant distress.

The US Secretary of State John Kerry said the UN Human Rights Council has made "significant accomplishments" in changing the course of "bad actors", citing the cases of Sri Lanka and Myanmar as successes of the Council's engagement.

"Consider the indispensable role the HRC has played in encouraging leaders to live up to their promises and commitments in countries such as Burma and Sri Lanka, where there are opportunities for real change," Mr Kerry said, listing some achievements of the Human Rights Council.

Botswana's Minister of Foreign Affairs Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi expressed her country's hope that the new Sri Lankan government would seize the opportunity to make progress and address outstanding human rights issues.

Speaking at the opening day of the 28th session of the Human Rights Council, Ms Venson-Moitoi congratulated Sri Lanka for January's presidential election.

"May I also take this opportunity to congratulate Sri Lanka for their recent Presidential elections, and express our readiness to work with the new Government. An opportunity has arisen for the country to make further progress," she said.