Carbon dating of bone fragments taken from Mannar mass graves date back to 1499 - 1719 AD, the United States based Beta Analytic Institute of Florida has concluded in its report.
Less than a day after Sri Lanka's ministry of foreign affairs agreed to the co-sponsoring of a roll-over UN resolution, the president Maithripala Sirisena said he wanted it stopped.
In an alarmingly candid statement published today the Sri Lankan government admitted it would be co-sponsoring a roll over resolution at the UN Human Rights Council as "this strategy will prevent international war crimes allegations being continuously leveled against Sri Lankans through strengthened ownership of the implementation process."
The Sri Lankan government skirted past key concerns raised by the former UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, Ben Emmerson, in a statement to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) last week, arguing instead that progress was being made.
Two Tamil activists were arrested by counter-terrorism police at Heathrow airport yesterday morning as they were about to travel to Geneva to participate in a demonstration at the UN Human Rights Council, calling for Sri Lanka to be referred to the International Criminal Court.
Hundreds of Tamils from across Europe gathered in front of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday to demand justice for the genocide committed by the Sri Lankan state.
A former Officer In Charge (OIC) with South Provincial Special CID was arrested today over the abduction and murder of two businessmen in Rathgama last month.
Citing the threat of drug cartels the Sri Lankan government has authorised the use of further arms by Sri Lanka's notorious Special Task Force (STF) officers.
The metal entrance way to the iconic Hindu temple in Mannar, Thiruketheeswaram, was the vandalised by a group believed to be Christian fundamentalists, the day before the festival of Maha Sivarathiri.
Villagers in Vavuniya have reacted with anger to Sri Lankan government plans to hold the first Buddhist congress in the region, criticising the decision as "evidence of further state sponsored Buddhisation of the Tamil homeland."
Displaced families from Keppapulavu marked the start of their third year of continuous protest on Friday, campaigning for their homes to released from military occupation.
The Australian Foreign Office said Sri Lanka's progress was slower than it should be and also expressed alarm at the government's plans to renew the use of the death penalty, during a Senate Estimate Hearing last week.
Sri Lankan police have arrested another man in relation to the finding of a bag in Vavuniya this January, which reportedly contained 4 hand grenades and a pistol.
