The Global Alliance of National Human Right Institutions (GANHRI) has given the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) an “A” status accreditation this month.

GANHRI considers the Member National Human Rights Institutions’ (NHRIs) compliance with the United Nations Paris Principles when issuing status accreditations. An ‘A’ accreditation is required in order for NHRIs to become voting members and to hold governance positions in GANHRI.

India’s largest copper plant situated in Tamil Nadu is to close, after months of bloody demonstrations, which saw Indian police shoot dead 13 protestors last week.

As Tamils across the North-East mourned the 9 year anniversary of the Mullivaikkal genocide on May 18 and remembered the tens of thousands of Tamils killed, the Sri Lankan state instead marked the occasion to commemorate the end of “terrorism” and praise Sri Lankan troops.

See a short clip by 47 Roots below.

A 65 year old man has died after being hit by a Sri Lankan police motorbike on May 25 in Vaddukoddai, Jaffna. 

Velupillai Mahendran had finished his shopping and was walking home via a pedestrian crossing when he was hit by a police officer on a motorbike. 

Witnesses said the motorbike was travelling above the speed limit. 

Tamils protested in Jaffna today against the rising prices of basic day to day items and taxes. 

Sri Lanka's prime minister, Ranil Wickremetunge pledged to look at the ongoing investigations by the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) of former LTTE cadres who are now members of the Crusaders for Democracy political party.  

Excavation continued at a construction site in Mannar yesterday after human bones were discovered earlier this month. 

The chief minister of the Northern province, C V Wigneswaran urged the Sri Lankan prime minister to ensure all land occupied by the military in the region is released. 

In a letter to Mr Wickremesinghe, who is currently visiting the province, Mr Wigneswaran said that land belonging to the people should be released to them and government land should be released to the Northern Provincial Council. 

Sri Lanka’s former ambassador to the United States is due to be indicted over  money laundering charges, reports the Sunday Times.

Jaliya Wickramasuriya, who served as Sri Lanka’s ambassador in Washington from July 2008 to May 2014, is wanted by Sri Lanka’s Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) over the alleged misuse of government spending. It is alleged that there were irregularities in the purchase of a building to house the Sri Lankan in Washington DC.

He is also accused of accepting a US$ 332,000 “commission” during his tenure as ambassador, a transaction that US officials also spoke to him about.

The head of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) has been found guilty of threatening disappearances activist Sandhya Eknaligoda, by a Sri Lankan court last week.

Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera was guilty Ms Eknaligoda, the wife of missing journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda, inside the Homagama court premises in January 2016.

The monk is now due to be sentenced on June 14.

The Sri Lankan army held a ‘Counter Insurgency Jungle Warfare Course’ for military officers from across Asia earlier this year, touring them across Jaffna.

The Sri Lankan military continued with its militarisation of the East, by opening a children’s park in Trincomalee earlier this year, despite calls from locals for the region to be demilitarised.
 

The Sri Lankan military stationed in Jaffna held a series of events on May18, where it commemorated what it termed “the capitulation of ruthless terrorism”, whilst Tamils across the world mourned the deaths of tens of thousands killed by security forces.

The Sri Lankan prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe arrived in Jaffna yesterday and visited Rio's ice cream parlour surrounded by armed personnel.