As of December 10, J.S. Tissainayagam, a respected Tamil journalist and editor, had served the first 100 days of a 20-year sentence in a Sri Lankan jail. In his World Press Freedom Day statement, President Obama cited Tissainayagam as an "emblematic example" of a journalist who was being persecuted. Amnesty International also named Tissainayagam a prisoner of conscience, and held a vigil for him in the U.K. in early September.

The Britain's Foreign Secretary underlined the importance of securing genuine reconciliation between Sri Lanka's communities and stated that the presidential elections in January will be an opportunity for Sri Lankan's to have their say,  a statement in the ministry web site said.

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian M.K Sivajilingham handed over deposits at the Elections Secretariat today to contest the next Presidential elections scheduled for 26 January, 2010 as an independent candidate.

The video footage that appears to show Sri Lankan troops committing war crimes by summarily executing captured Tamil Tiger fighters on the battlefield was not fabricated, as claimed by the Sri Lankan Government, an investigation by The Times has found.

Sri Lankan children continue to be recruited for combat despite the end of the country's civil war seven months ago, the U.N. envoy for UN special envoy on children and armed conflict said.

The Advisory Committee for the formation of the Provisional Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (PTGTE) met in London last week and discussed the outline of guiding principles in connection with the formation of the Provisional Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam, transitory measures for continuing its work during the period from the release of the report until elections are held, and the establishment of a Think Tank to further the interests of Eelam Tamils.