The election of the new government in Sri Lanka had resulted in an easing of religious tensions, the US State Department said at the launch of their 2014 Report on International Religious Freedom.

David Saperstein, Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom said,

"After years of growing religious tensions and violence in Sri Lanka generated by hardline ethnic Buddhist groups, a new government has taken office and staked out a much more tolerant view of religious diversity. Since that time, some of these tensions have noticeably eased."

The report detailed attacks on Christians and Muslims by Sinhala Buddhist during 2014, when former president Mahinda Rajapaksa was in power.

However only last month, a group of Sinhala Buddhist monks forcibly entered a church in Bandaragama. The pastor was repeatedly harassed by monks and by officials from the Ministry of Buddha Sasana and Religious Affairs.

Student holds placard reading: "Tamils to be oppressed always?"

Students and staff at the University of Jaffna on Friday joined calls for the immediate release of all Tamil political detainees by staging a demonstration outside the main gate.

The Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) pledged to increase Canadian presence in the North-East by opening a consulate in Jaffna.

Addressing a meeting with the Tamil community in Toronto, Canada's Minister of National Defence and Minister for Multiculturalism Jason Kenney said,

“Expanding our diplomatic reach to Jaffna will enable Canadian officials to bolster Canada's deep commitment to Sri Lankan democracy and civil society in the difficult process ahead”.

The minister went on to highlight issues that his party would focus on, stating:

“We will ensure that Canada continues to be at the forefront in advocating for the expeditious return of Sri Lanka’s internally displaced people to their own land, for the rebuilding of their lives, and towards the prosperity of the nation and the stability of the region.”

“In addition, a re-elected Conservative government will press for the return of seized land, provide support to the internally displaced, sponsor rehabilitation and relief efforts for the victims of war including war widows, and ensure that vital assistance is delivered to the communities that need it the most,” said a CPC press release.

The Liberal Party of Canada called for the protection of the Tamil nation as part of a long term political solution in Sri Lanka and pledged to implement a travel ban on those in the Sri Lankan armed forces who may have committed war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

Announcing three pillars of Canada’s engagement with Sri Lanka, the Liberal Party stated on accountability it would “exercise universal jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute those perpetrators of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide who may be in Canada” and that it would “implement a travel ban against those who might have been a part of the chain of command within the Sri Lankan armed forces”.

The party also said it would “continue to seek a criminal, international, independent, investigation into serious international crimes, including war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide for the period 1948 to date”.

On a long term political solution on the island, the party said that addressing “the legitimate grievances of Tamils and other minorities is required” and stated:

“We believe that the Tamil nation and other minorities must be protected”.

Protestors in Vavuniya held a hunger strike on Friday, demanding the Sri Lankan government release Tamil political prisoners held in jails across the island.

The protest joins others that took place across the North-East, supporting the over 200 Tamil detainees who have entered a fifth day of hunger strikes.

Skeletal remains of two women have been discovered in a former Sri Lankan military High Security Zone in Jaffna.

The remains were discovered in Mulli, a village in Ariyalai, Jaffna, alongside a pair of sandals, womens’ clothing and stationery including pens and pencils – suggesting that at least one of the bodies belongs to a student.

The government has postponed a diaspora festival that was scheduled to take place this December announced Sri Lanka’s foreign ministry on Friday.

Sri Lanka’s foreign minister Mangala Samaraweera previously announced the plan to hold such a festival in order to encourage diaspora members to engage with Sri Lanka, with hope of making it an annual event.

A protest was held in Jaffna today calling for the immediate release of Tamil political prisoners.

Sri Lanka’s Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe declared “there are no political prisoners in the country’s prisons,” as protests continue across the island.

Mr Rajapakshe, the government’s justice minister and minister of the Buddha Sasana, told reporters:

“The prisoners are ones who are held for aiding and abetting the activities of LTTE terrorists. They are not political prisoners.”

The Northern Provincial Council Minister for Rural Development P Deniswaran said that data collection had started in the Jaffna district to assess the needs of former LTTE cadres.

The data collection forms the first stage of a livelihood assistance programme for former Tamil militants, learns Tamil Guardian.

The proposal of appointing District Development Ministers for the Northern Province by Sri Lanka’s government unnecessarily weakens the powers of the province said the Northern Provincial Council Chairman CVK Sivagnanam.
 
Speaking at a sitting of the Northern Provincial Council last week, Mr Sivagnanam said that government attempts to appoint District Development Ministers weakens the powers devolved to the provinces.