Despite persistent calls for demilitarisation the Sri Lankan army distributed food at a care centre for Tamil children in Puthukkudiyiruppu last week, continuing to exert its presence across the North-East.

According to an official military website, soldiers from the 68 Division visited the care centre on Saturday.

The Sri Lankan military discussed how diasporas can “internationalise” issues at a defence seminar in Colombo last week, as human rights atrocities committed in Sri Lanka are due to be discussed in Geneva this month.

The military seminar on the diaspora comes in the run up to the UN Human Rights Council session later this month, with accountability for atrocities committed in Sri Lanka to be discussed by Tamil diaspora members with international ambassadors.

A second de-mining worker died today after he succumbed to injuries suffered when a landmine exploded in Mankulam, Mullaitivu on Monday. 

Rajenthiran Nitharsan (28), originally from Omanthai, Vavuniya was admitted to Vavuniya hospital on Monday following the blast.

Another worker, 24-year-old Pathmanathan Thileepan from Paravipanchan, Kilinochchi was killed during the explosion. 

Kankesanthurai police yesterday arrested three Tamils from Manipay. 

The men were collecting iron materials from land that was recently released to the public after military occupation, in order to sell the goods in Kankesanthurai and surrounding areas. 

Police officers on patrol allege the Tamils were in possession of 200 12mm calibre bullet capsules. 

The men have been remanded until September 10 by Mallakam court. 

Five Tamil youths were arrested by Chunnakam police yesterday in Punnalaikadduvan, in Jaffna. 

The police have accused the youths of being in possession of 250g of cannabis. 

Further investigations are being carried out, the police said. 

The enforced disappearance and massacre of 158 Tamils from the Eastern University in Batticaloa in 1990 was remembered today, 28 years on. 

On September 5, 1990 Sri Lankan soldiers surrounded the Vantharumoolai campus of Eastern University, rounding-up and arresting 158 Tamils that were sheltering there.

Those 158 were never seen again. Although locals believe they were likely to have been massacred, not even one body has been found.

Two weeks following this round-up, a further 16 were arrested and forcibly disappeared. The fates of those 16 are similarly unknown.

A former LTTE cadre has been reported missing by his wife after he travelled to Colombo on business. 

Vadivel Asokkumar, who is originally from Puthukkudiyiruppu, was last seen by his wife when he left for Colombo on August 11. 

He spoke to her the next day but has not made any contact since then, his wife, who has filed a complaint with the Vavuniya office of the Human Rights Commission, said. 

Thousands of Sinhala voters took part in the Joint Opposition rally in Colombo, led by the former Sri Lankan president, Mahinda Rajapaksa. 

Rajapaksa, accompanied by his brother, Gotabaya and son, Namal waved at the crowds and pledged to continue the rally until dawn. 

Supporters had travelled to the rally from across the South of the island, along with several Buddhist monks. 

The South Asian Centre for Legal Studies (SACLS) today criticised the Sri Lankan president's attempt to block information regarding the armed forces being submitted to the court. 

"Political interference in prosecutions is antithetical to the independence of the criminal justice process #Accountability #justiceintransition" the SACLS tweeted, highlighting President Sirisena's comments. 

The Sri Lankan rupee continued its slide to a record low for a twelfth straight session on Wednesday, as the government stated it would not intervene in the foreign exchange markets.

“Until the dollar rally is over, we will see the same trend of depreciation (in the rupee),” a dealer who requested anonymity told Reuters.

“The regional currencies are also in a falling trend with oil prices on the rise. It makes sense for exporters to hold in dollars until the rupee touches the bottom.”

The Office on Missing Persons (OMP) delivered its ‘interim report’ to Sri Lanka’s president and prime minister earlier today.

The OMP, which has been deeply criticised by Tamil families of the disappeared for lacking independence and failing to take their views into consideration, handed over the report at a ceremony in Colombo.

A 64-year-old man was injured after stones were thrown at his train carriage as he travelled from Kurunegala to Jaffna. 

The attack, which is the latest in a series of similar train attacks, took place near the Sinhala area of Mathavachchi on August 31. 

The victim, P Sivachelvan from Vadamaradchi East, was admitted to Anuradhapura hospital. 

There was a tense situation in Mullaitivu today after locals were angered by police inaction against the attempt to build a Buddhist vihara by a group of Sinhala people, including Buddhist monks. 

The group were caught by locals and handed over to Oddusuddan police today. Despite a pledge to ensure the suspects would be produced before court, the police later released the monks. 

Local residents, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and a number of women's organisations protested today against the increasing violence against women, calling for action.

Condemning the increased violence, demonstrators demanded that the situation be brought under control and submitted a petition to the Sri Lankan president and prime minister. 

The demonstration was organised by the Council of Non-Governmental Organisations for Jaffna District.