There can be no further delay in bringing a solution for families of the disappeared, Tamil civil society groups have said in a statement of solidarity on International Day of the Disappeared.

With hundreds of families of the disappeared protesting across the North-East since February, the Sri Lankan government has failed to answer any of the their demands to uncover the fates of their disappeared loved ones, the groups said.

Sri Lanka's prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe pledged the country would be debt free of the debt burden by 2020, Colombo Page reported. 

Speaking at an event by the Ministry of Housing, Mr Wickremesinghe said, "the government's intention in the next two years is to create an economy with the debt burden is stabilised and increasing income enabling to repay the debt in the future."

Sri Lanka's Southern Provincial Council (SPC) rejected the government's proposed 20th Amendment to the constitution, the Daily Mirror reported. 

Twenty-seven Joint Opposition SPC members reportedly voted against it, whilst one UNP member abstained. 

A tense situation prevailed following the vote with the mace being forcibly removed from a UNP member, and UNP members leaving the Council chambers in protest until the mace was returned. 

Marking International day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, the Tamil National Alliance urged to government to bring those responsible for the many thousands who have been forcibly disappeeared for justice. 

The Sri Lankan election monitor, Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) criticised the Tamil National Alliance leadership's support for the government as it seeks to pass the 20th Amendment to the constitution, calling the leader, R Sampanthan a traitor. 

The National Polls Observation Centre (NPOC) warned on Tuesday that the Eastern Province would be the "biggest loser" if the proposed 20th Amendment to the constitution was adopted. 

Sri Lanka's former justice minister, Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, who was removed from his post over his failure to investigation alleged corruption by the former government, is to remain in the Constitutional Council, the Sunday Times reported. 

The JVP on Saturday called on the government to hold local government elections immediately, arguing that there was no reason why it should not be held after the passing of the Local Government Elections Amendment last week. 

Hundreds of Sri Lankan soldiers stationed in Kilinochchi carried out activities under a dengue prevention scheme earlier this month, reports the

Germany’s ambassador to Sri Lanka said many important issues remain unsolved in Sri Lanka and warned that urgent action was needed to implement a United Nations Human Rights Council resolution on accountability for mass atrocities.

Speaking to The Island, German Ambassador Jorn Rohde said that "the first successful steps have been taken with regard to Right to Information, Constitutional Assembly and Office of Missing Persons”.

However he went on to add,

Photographs: Shalin for Tamil Guardian

Sand smuggling and attacks on police vehicles in the Thunnalai area made crackdowns necessary, Sri Lankan police and army officials said at a public meeting with the town’s residents on Saturday, stating that arrests would continue until all suspects were caught.

Over 1300 foreign citizens were refused entry into Sri Lanka last year, including 217 Indian citizens, the Sunday Times reported. 

Entry was also refused to 210 citizens from China, 239 from Pakistan, 166 from Afghan, 41 from Egypt and 6 from Syria. 

Citizens from Pakistan, Egypt, Syria and Afghanistan required special clearance from Sri Lanka's State Intelligence Service (SIS), the paper reported. 

An European Union delegation will visit Sri Lanka next month as part of a formal monitoring process following the granting of GSP+ earlier this year. 

The delegation from Brussels will visit from the 5 to 13 September and "will begin the process of monitoring the implementation of the 27 international conventions which make up for the GSP plus" the EU Chargé d'affaires, Paul Godfrey told Ceylon Today in an interview. 

We want to see Sri Lanka fulfill the UNHRC co-sponsored resolution the European Union's Chargé d'affaires told Ceylon Today in an interview published Sunday, adding "we are disappointed that we haven't seen more progress".