The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) met with the Inspector General of Police, Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) Chairman, the Ministry of Defence, State Ministry of Defence Secretary-General, and Ministry of Mass Media Secretary for a special meeting concerning human rights issues, as protest continue across the south of the island.

Today, I rose in the House of Commons to deliver a statement about Sri Lanka's historical financial crisis. The corrupt regime led by Mahinda and Gotabaya Rajapaksa are accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity & genocide. pic.twitter.com/S3FMPt8INB

Canada, the UK and New Zealand have all updated their travel warnings, telling citizens to "exercise caution" when travelling to Sri Lanka, commenting on the wave of anti-government protests sweeping the island.

Canada

^{The Government of Canada's Travel Advisory for Sri-Lanka}

Mullaitivu Press Club (MPC) condemned the recent attacks on Sinhala journalists during anti-government protests last week. 

Shavendra Siva held a meeting with several defence advisors from foreign embassies in which he spoke of the readiness of the Army to "provide security and protection to the state as necessary" as anti-government protests ignite across the island.

“The armed forces of Sri Lanka would always comply with the Constitution and the Army is no exception. The Army as a professional outfit is always prepared to provide security and protection to the State as necessary”, Silva explained to the visiting representatives.

Mass protests broke out in Batticaloa as students at the Eastern Medical University and members of the TNA demanded that Sri Lanka’s President resign as the country faces a dire economic crisis.

14 MPs from the Sri Lankan Freedom Party (SLFP), a coalition partner to the Rajapaksa regime, have withdrawn their support from the government amidst ongoing protests and an economic crisis that has led all members of the cabinet, bar the President and Prime Minister, to resign from their posts.

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has called on all political parties to accept ministerial portfolios "to come together to find solutions" after the majority of his Cabinet resigned yesterday. 

As protests raged across the South yesterday, 26 ministers, excluding his brother and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, tendered their resignations amidst the island's worsening crises. 

Protestors in Battaramulla turned away a Sinhala Buddhist monk who leads the nationalist Janasetha Peramuna party, with one man telling him "it is because of the people like you, we suffer today like this".

Battaramulla Seelarathan had attempted to join the protest, one of many anti-government demonstrations that currently taking place across the island.

A Sri Lankan minister who was appointed to cabinet this morning said under-fire president Gotabaya Rajapaksa does not have to resign, in comments made to reporters just moments ago.

Johnston Fernando, who was appointed minister of highways this morning after every single Sri Lankan minister except prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned last night, told reporters that he believes Gotabaya “still holds the mandate of the people”.