The Sri Lankan government is undermining its own Office of Missing Persons (OMP) with the appointment of Mahinda Samarasinghe, a politician who has denounced reports of enforced disappearances, to head a cabinet sub-committee said the International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP).

Scotland‘s police will train a contingent of Sri Lankan policemen later this month, including a controversial head of the Sri Lanka Police IGP Pujith Jayasundara who is being investigated over bribery and corruption allegations.

The Sri Lankan army declared open a pre-school that it had constructed in Jaffna last week, as it continues with its militarisation of the Tamil homeland.

Sri Lanka's president Maithripala Sirisena arrived at New York today, where he will address the United Nations General Assembly and meet with senior officials this week.

Sirisena told reporters last week that during his visit he will ask the United Nations not pursue accountability for war crimes committed by Sri Lankan troops and will instead call on the Human Rights Council to “remove these charges”.

Tamils in Jaffna commemorated the 1995 Sri Lankan air force bombing of a school this week, as calls for justice for the massacre continue.

Protesters in Jaffna on Friday demanded the release of Tamil political prisoners, eight of whom are currently engaged in a hunger strike. 

Holding placards condemning the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and the prolonged, indefinite imprisonment of Tamil political prisoners, protesters gathered by Jaffna bus station. 

Eight Tamil political prisoners at Anuradhapura prison, M Sulaksan, E Thiruvarul, S Jeyachandran, R Rupan, S Thillairaj, E Jegan, S Sivaseelan and T Nirmalan, launched a hunger strike this month demanding they be released following a quick rehabilitation. 

A blood donation drive was organised in Jaffna on Sunday to remember the 9th day of Lt Col Thileepan's fast unto death in 1987. 

The event, organised by the Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) saw a residents, party supporters and members come forward to give blood in memory of the sacrifice made by Thileepan. 

A 46-year-old mother of five children has been reported missing. 

Muniamma Nagarasa, known as Manjula, from Kilinochchi was reported missing by her husband on Saturday. 

He filed a missing persons report at the police station, stating that she had left home on September 13 to go to the hospital but failed to return. 

The leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), R Sampanthan told the outgoing Japanese ambassador, Kenichi Suganuma that the current government had failed to take action on key points. 

"Everything that should have been resolved has not been resolved," Sampanthan said, meeting with Suganuma on Friday in Colombo. 

"Without a just solution [to the ethnic issue] through a new constitution, Sri Lanka cannot develop further," he added, highlighting that the economic hardship of ordinary people was increasing. 

The Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) office in in Meesalai West, Chavakachcheri was vandalised on Wednesday by unknown persons. 

The office's name board was ripped apart and slashed. 

No arrests have been made in relation to the incident. 

A Sri Lankan army official, who was caught along side his colleague flashing their genitals at two Tamil schoolgirls in Mullaitivu, was granted bail on Thursday. 

The fellow army official was remanded in custody until October 2. 

The pair, both from 59th Division were brought before Mullaitivu court on Thursday. 

They had been apprehended by locals who had witnessed the incident at the Karaichchi residential area of Mullaitivu. 

A youth was arrested in Vavuniya Thursday evening, accused of being in possession of cannabis from Kerala. 

The youth was travelling on a bus from Jaffna to Colombo when he was arrested after the bus was stopped by police in Nochchimoddai, Vavuniya 

Police officers said they had received a tip off regarding the transporting of drugs. 

The massacre of 17 Tamil civilians by Sri Lankan army officers and Muslim homeguards on September 21, 1990 in Puthukkudiyiruppu, Batticaloa, was remembered yesterday, 28 years on. 

Gathering around the memorial previously erected in memory of those who were massacred, families of those killed and locals laid flowers in remembrance. 

On September 21, 1990 the Muslim homeguards backed by the Sri Lankan army broke into homes in Puthukkudiyiruppu village during the night and rounded up 44 Tamils, including children and women.

The 8th day of Lt Col Thileepan's hunger strike was remembered today in Batticaloa. 

Gathering at the Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) office, residents and party supporters laid flowers in tribute to Thileepan's sacrifice. 

Last Saturday, Tamils across the North-East held events marking the 31 years since Thileepan commenced his fast unto death, demanding that the Indian government upheld its promises to the Tamil people. 

Over 100,000 people gathered at the Nallur temple in Jaffna on September 15, 1987 to hear his words as he began the hunger strike.