The Heads of Mission of the European Union has expressed its concern over Friday’s raid on opposition websites.

“Freedom of the media is a vital element in democratic societies and journalists must be able to carry out their legitimate work without fear of harassment or intimidation.

"Any action intended to intimidate independent journalism and or limit freedom of expression is in contradiction to UN human rights standards," the EU said in a statement.

The statement comes a day after the US called for an end to harassment of media in Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile the government has warned media organisations to publish items responsibly.

The Government Information Department said certain websites are ‘violating human rights’, by publishing ‘defamatory and fabricated’ news items.

The Director General of the department, Professor Ariyarathne Ethugala, said the government will not hesitate to take action against such media organisations.

He said there should be a system to prevent websites from ‘discrediting’ individuals.

The US has called on Sri Lanka to end media harassment, after police shut down opposition websites on Friday.

In a press release, issued on Saturday, the US Embassy in Colombo said it is following the case closely.

“We have raised on several occasions our deep concern over efforts to suppress independent news media, including the blocking of news websites, intimidation, and disappearances of journalists.

“The United States believes that an uncensored and independent media available to all citizens is an indispensable part of any vibrant democracy and we call for an end to the harassment of these and all other journalists.”

Nine employees of the websites were released on bail on Saturday, after being arrested during the raid on suspicion of conspiring against the government.

A report by the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, David Anderson Q.C., has recommended the British government to review its policy of proscribing and de-proscribing organisations.

In his detailed report, presented to parliament in June, Mr Anderson said that organisations that cannot be proven to be ‘concerned in terrorism’, taking current, active steps to ‘commit, participate in, prepare for, promote or encourage
Terrorism’, should not be proscribed and be ‘promptly de-proscribed’.

Mr Anderson further recommends that proscriptions of organisations should expire after a set period of time and that it should be the Secretary of State who would have to renew the proscription if needed.

The report also details the effect of proscription on communities in the UK.

Mr Anderson discussed the problems faced by proscription with representatives of the Tamil, Baloch and Kurdish communities.

The report states:

“They point to reputable Council of Europe and UN reports documenting extreme state violence against their communities in Turkey and Sri Lanka. As representatives of those communities in the West, they feel a special responsibility to publicise these matters and to press for a political solution.

"By doing so, however, they come under suspicion of inviting support for proscribed organisations.

"This, said one Tamil, 'shapes what it is possible to say', 'silences those who take up one position, and emboldens those on the other side'.”

Rights group, Tamils Against Genocide (TAG), welcomed the ‘comprehensive and nuanced’ report.

Speaking to the Tamil Guardian, spokesperson Jan Janayagam said that TAG supports his call for a fair approach to proscription.

"[QC Anderson] has noted that repressive regimes benefit from the propaganda value of proscription.

"The Sri Lankan government has consistently attacked media professionals who have documented war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by it, including Channel 4 and The Independent as 'pro-terrorist'.

"The government also similarly attacks victims and witnesses of war crimes who are far more vulnerable than European media organisations.

"We note David Anderson QC's comments on the chilling effects on British ethnic communities of the current legislation and for this reason we support his call for a fairer approach to proscription and de-proscription."

India’s National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon refused to commit to a stance on India’s satisfaction with the peace and reconciliation process, while speaking to Indian reporters on Friday.

Speaking after talks with President Mahinda Rajapakse, External Affairs Minister G L Peiris, Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapakse and TNA leader R. Sampanthan, Menon told journalists that he “discussed recent developments, bilateral relations and areas of common concern" and that he was briefed about "steps being taken by the Government of Sri Lanka on political reconciliation and settlement".

"While this is a Sri Lankan issue and something that Sri Lanka has to do, we will continue to remain engaged with all concerned and offer any support required in this regard.” he told reporters.

Asked whether he was satisfied with progress on reconciliation, Mr. Menon said he was “not going to sit in judgement of anyone in this process”.

“This is something that has to get done. This is not a judgemental process — you like this, you don’t like this – That is not how it works.”

He said that the hopes of Tamils could only be achieved through an “internal political process."

Sri Lankan police have raided offices of two news websites on Friday.

The offices of Sri Lanka Mirror and Sri Lanka X News, which are housed in the same building, were sealed and nine people, mostly journalists, were arrested.

The defence ministry said that the websites were carrying false information.

"The CID sealed the offices of two websites carrying false and vulgar reports,"

"People responsible for feeding information to the Internet through this office are being investigated." It said in a statement.

The sites concerned are supportive of the opposition and highly critical of the current government.

The Committee to Protect Journalists have condemned the raid and called on the government to stop harassing news outlets.

"Friday's raid shows that President Mahinda Rajapaksa's government remains determined to silence opposition voices," said Bob Dietz, CPJ's Asia program coordinator.

"Authorities should heed the many public appeals urging them to reverse this years-long policy of quashing media criticism of the government and military."

Reiterating the need for "progress" on the implementation of the UNHRC resolution by the "end of the year", the UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) said it "will consider all options available to press the Sri Lankan Government to fulfil its obligations."

Responding to a letter sent by British Tamils Forum (BTF) objecting to Mahinda Rajapaksa's UK visit, the FCO said:

"We have consistently called for a credible, thorough and independent investigation into allegations of war crimes committed by both sides during the conflict."

"The UK continues to monitor the situation in the north and east of the country and we consistently raise concerns over access for NGOs and seek further progress on scaling back of high security zones."

"We pressed for and welcomed the resolution on Sri Lanka agreed at the UN Human Rights Council in March, and we have called on the Government of Sri Lanka to play its part in implementing the resolution."

"With international partners, we will continue to encourage Sri Lanka to make early progress, including during the Universal Periodic Review of Sri Lanka at the Human Rights Council in October."

"We expect to see progress by the end of the year and will consider all options available to press the Sri Lankan Government to fulfil its obligations."

In a statement, BTF asserted that the FCO's response to their letter had "exposed the spin" by the Sri Lankan President’s spokesman, Bandula Jeyasekara, who had claimed that Cameron and Rajapaksa "had held a 'cordial' meeting and that the President had briefed the Prime Minister 'on the development in the country."

The FCO's written response to BTF has been reproduced in full:

'All Commonwealth Heads of State were invited to London, by the Commonwealth Secretary General, to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. This included President Rajapaksa.

The British Government does have concerns about human rights in Sri Lanka. We seek to promote progress through direct lobbying, working with international partners, and funding human rights projects. We have consistently called for a credible, thorough and independent investigation into allegations of war crimes committed by both sides during the conflict. We also regularly urge the Sri Lankan Government to improve the human rights situation for vulnerable groups and to investigate incidents that happen and prosecute those responsible. The UK continues to monitor the situation in the north and east of the country and we consistently raise concerns over access for NGOs and seek further progress on scaling back of high security zones.

We pressed for and welcomed the resolution on Sri Lanka agreed at the UN Human Rights Council in March, and we have called on the Government of Sri Lanka to play its part in implementing the resolution. The Prime Minister emphasised this in a short discussion with President Rajapaksa at the Commonwealth Secretary General’s lunch on 6 June 2012. The Foreign Secretary made the same points when he met the Sri Lankan Minister for External Affairs on 6 June 2012. With international partners, we will continue to encourage Sri Lanka to make early progress, including during the Universal Periodic Review of Sri Lanka at the Human Rights Council in October.

After the transmission of the Channel 4 documentary on 14 June 2011 entitled ‘ Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields’, the Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt issued a public statement that the UK Government needs to see a serious and full response to evidences of alleged war crimes. We expect to see progress by the end of the year and will consider all options available to press the Sri Lankan Government to fulfil its obligations.

The British Government believes that reconciliation and lasting peace in Sri Lanka can be achieved through an inclusive political solution that addresses the underlying causes of the conflict and takes into account the legitimate grievances and aspirations of all Sri Lanka’s communities.'

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalitha has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, calling on him to "impress upon Lanka the need to instruct their navy to exercise restraint and refrain from harassing innocent Indian fishermen pursuing their livelihood", after more attacks on Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan navy.

In the incident near Kachatheevu on Tuesday, 10 boats were attacked, according to Jayalalitha.

"The Sri Lankan Navy is reported to have chased the fishermen and cut the ropes and damaged the nets of 10 boats, resulting in a huge loss to the fishermen," her letter said.

In another attack, reported by NDTV on Thursday, five fishermen were attacked in the seas near Thalaimannar.

Sri Lankan navy personnel allegedly damaged boats and seized fish, GPS sets, walkie talkies and mobile phones, according to fisheries department officials.

In the latest clampdown on press freedom, the Sri Lankan government has blocked access to five Tamil language news sites - TamilWin, Athirvu, Sarithan, Ponguthamil and Pathivu - making them no longer accessible through Sri Lankan internet service providers.

In November last year, the government blocked websites it believed were critical of Sri Lanka, after stating that all news websites must  register with the media ministry.

Last month, a case brought forward by the Free Media Movement to the Supreme Court against the government's blocking of Sinhala news websites was rejected.

The government's blocking of news websites has been condemned previously by the US and the EU.

A preliminary report on the census released by the Sri Lankan government appears to show dramatic changes in the population of the North-East of the island since the 1981 census.

According to the government figures, there were large increases in the eastern districts, but also huge losses in the north. The decline is thought to be due to Tamils fleeing the conflict.

"Our estimate is that out of the one million Tamils who fled the fighting and are living abroad, at least 80 percent were from Jaffna," said Suresh Premachandran, a member of parliament for the TNA.

"If not for the war, the population in Jaffna would have been over 1.4 million,"

The overall population of Sri Lanka appears to have grown by nearly 5.5 million, while the population of the North-East increased by almost 546,000.

The government data shows that the increase in the Northeast was slower than on the rest of the island, with the population share decreasing from 13.89% to 12.86%.

Jaffna district registered the largest drop in population, from 734,474 to 583,017.

Mannar’s population also declined, however the district of Vavuniya nearly doubled its population, according to the preliminary report.

The eastern districts saw substantial increases, thought to be due to rising Sinhalese and Muslim populations, according to Lanka Business Online.

The government data shows that Batticaloa’s population increased by 195,843 to 525,186, while Amparai saw the largest increase in the North-East, with the population growing from 383,275 to 645,825.

"It is evident that out-migration of those who have been displaced due to the conflict situation in those districts have been the reason for the observed reduction in population in those districts," the Census department said in its preliminary report.

The population drop is likely to affect parliamentary representation of Tamils, as seats in the parliament are allocated according to the population of the districts.

According to Premachandran, the number of MPs from Jaffna will drop from nine to six, due to the decline.

More than 100,000 people, the vast majority of who were Tamil, are thought to have died during the conflict between Sri Lanka and the LTTE.

The UN Panel of Experts report estimates that over 40,000 died during the last stages of the armed conflict in 2009.

Citing the threat of dengue fever, the government has warned that it would need to take over uninhabited land over the next month.

The head of the dengue control programme, Dr Ranjith Batuwanthudawa, said that empty property and land provided a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

A hunger strike by Eelam Tamil refugees in Chengalpet ‘special camp’ in Tamil Nadu has entered its 12th day, TamilNet reports.

Nine of the fourteen hunger strikers have been hospitalised, while protesting and demanding immediate release from the camp, where they are held in squalid conditions.

The Chengalpet camp houses 29 Eelam Tamils, held for not having a passport.

The detainees are demanding to be released to rejoin their families or to normal refugee camps.

The Sri Lankan government rejected reports that the External Affairs Minister, Prof G.L. Peiris has submitted a document on its plans to implement the LLRC recommendations, during a visit to Washington last month.

The chair of the 'task force' overseeing implentation, Lalith Weerathunga, said,

“We are yet to determine the potentiality of recommendations in the LLRC report and which recommendations can be implemented,”

“We will announce what recommendations could be implemented in due course. We plan to announce the short term strategy of implementation by mid July.”

From whale-watching to hotels to public health campaigns, Sri Lanka's military have been entrusted with a new role.

Over 10,000 Sri Lankan military officers are to be deployed to find dengue fever the Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena announced.

In a statement, Sirisena said,

“Security forces will assist the national campaign against dengue,”

Troops have been deployed to drain large pools of stagnating water.