‘An International Women’s Day (IWD) Celebration & Conference’ was held in Toronto earlier this month, highlighting the various achievements of women globally and examining the social and economic issues faced by Tamil women in the North-East and the diaspora.

The third week of the UN Human Rights Council's 25th session begins today with palpable sense of renewed impetus towards the need for concrete action. The second draft of the resolution calling for accountability in Sri Lanka has evidently been strengthened. The High Commissioner's office is called upon to establish a stand alone investigative mechanism. The strengthening of the text is without doubt welcome however ambiguity remains around the core issue of an international investigation into mass wartime atrocities. As the continued calls from international and Tamil voices for a Commission of Inquiry highlight, questions remain over the nature and scope of the investigation envisaged in this latest text - will it have the necessary mandate, sufficient resources and right direction to go beyond mere fact-finding but gather evidence towards a judicial process and prosecutions.

"According to reports that we have received they were reportedly not arrested for their work, however, they are being interrogated. This is likely to be connected to the incident that happened yesterday [Thursday] - the arrest of a mother and daughter [Balendran Jeyakumari and Vipoosika]."

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Jaffna has called for the early release of Rev. Fr. Praveen Mahesan and the Sri Lankan human rights activist Ruki Fernando, who were detained by TID officers on Sunday evening in Kilinochchi.

In a statement released Monday, the Jaffna Diocesan Laity Council said,

"We understand that this priest and Ruki were involved in mercifully investigating into the circumstances surrounding the plight of that defenceless mother and child. As a further threat to such HR Defenders these two too have now been arrested and detained.

The US government said with the recent spate of arrests of activists by Sri Lankan security forces "we remain convinced that continued scrutiny by the Human Rights Council is necessary" in a statement issued today.

The statement follows the detention of the prominent disappearances campaigner Balendran Jeyakumari and her 13 year old daughter last Thursday, followed by the detention of Father Praveen and the Sri Lankan human rights activist Ruki Fernando on Sunday evening.

"He has said that the Tamils are being maltreated by the Sinhala majority. This is the current mission that he is tasked with. The UNHRC is hurling accusations at the government stating that human rights violations have occurred and that the Tamil women in the North are being abused by the Army."

"In this regard we reiterate our consistent position that action initiated in the promotions and protection of human rights of a country, must have the consent of the country, and be based on the principles of cooperation and genuine dialogue aimed at strengthening the domestic capacity of the country to comply with its human rights obligations, as stipulated in GA resolution 60/251 and the IB package."