The Indian government has invited Tamil National Alliance (TNA) delegates to participate in talks with the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other delegates on 10th October. This invitation comes after President Mahinda Rajapaksa recently met with Manmohan Singh and Pranab Mukjherjee along side India’s External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna on his recent visit to India that received critical views from the main parties of Tamil Nadu.

A report by Freedom House has named Sri Lanka as one of seven countries at risk of facing further restrictions on internet freedom.

The ‘Freedom On The Net 2012’ report details how some governments have restricted freedom on the internet and are finding different ways to impose restrictions.

“Army! Leave Tamil lands now!”

“Are Tamil lands High Security Zones?”

“Let us live freely in our lands!”

“Free Tamil political prisoners!”

Nivard Cabraal’s bold claim, that events like the T20 Cricket World Cup will make the war crimes issue ‘fade away’, clearly shows that the international community’s continuation of ‘normal’ relations with Sri Lanka are critically undermining the possibility of creating a lasting peace, based on accountability and justice.

The Central Bank governor’s conviction that war crimes can be made to disappear behind a facade of cultural and sporting festivity is shared by the rest of the Sri Lankan government.

The continuation of normal international relations makes it unnecessary for Sri Lanka to take any meaningful steps in addressing the issues that are now central to international and Tamil demands.

Sri Lanka will not need to pay any heed to repeated calls for meaningful accountability if it continues to enjoy a normal range of diplomatic contacts and indeed is even rewarded by being allowed to hold major sporting and political events.

"Masters of prevarication, the Sri Lankan Government is once again stalling the UN's attempt to ensure an open assessment of the brutal final stages of the country's civil war. The regime is probably hoping interest will fade, but every day it refuses a fair examination of some 40,000 civilian deaths is another small step away from reconciliation between the Sinhalese-dominated state and Tamils, and toward the next ethnic conflict."

"Colombo's contempt for the international community seems to know no bounds. Six months after the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) requested that Sri Lanka address its culture of impunity and badly damaged rule of law, the regime has taken no concrete action."

The Sri Lankan government has expressed concern over the hardships faced by the Palestinian people.

Speaking at the 21st UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva, the Sri Lankan representative said,

Speaking to Tamil Canadian, Canadian MP for Ajax - Pickering, Chris Alexander, expressed scepticism of Sri Lanka's claims of change, asserting that Sri Lanka's "there is a new action plan put forward by the government this summer – but has not translate into change in the ground".

See here for full interview by Tamil Canadian, extracts reproduced below:

Thirty-one members of the US Congress have written to Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, expressing their concern over Sri Lanka's lack of progress towards reconciliation and accountability, despite the resolution passed by the UNHRC earlier this year.

See here for letter in full, extracts reproduced:

"The resolution [UNHRC 19th Session] signaled an important step forward in placing additional pressure on the Government of Sri Lanka to implement constructive recommendations contained in the LLRC report, while also noting that the report failed to adequately address serious allegations of violations of international law."

"Despite these initial steps toward reconciliation and accountability, we remain concerned that the Government of Sri Lanka will resist taking the good faith steps necessary to implement both its obligations under the UNHRC Resolution and the LLRC report."

Addressing the alleged 'final' group of resettled internally displaced civilians in the Mullativu district, Sri Lankan President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, exemplified the government’s notion of assurance by imploring the people to work hard for the welfare of their own families and future generations.

Rajapaksa encouraged the 'resettled' internally displaced persons to "work hard" for his future generations.