Tamils  gathered in Jaffna today to commemorate the 41st anniversary of the 1983 anti-Tamil pogrom, commonly referred to as Black July. 

This month marks, 41 years since the Welikada prison massacre which resulted in the murder of 53 political prisoners was instigated during the Black July pogrom by prison officials.

Sri Lanka’s foreign minister Ali Sabry called for the end of “slaughter” in Gaza after a trip to Auschwitz earlier today, as he condemned the bombing of “refugee camps, hospitals, UN offices, schools, and escaping refugees-collectively punishing hapless women and children for no fault of their own”.

People for Equality and Relief in Lanka (PEARL) said that Sinhala Buddhist majoritarianism – the root cause of violence – continues to harm the Tamil nation in a statement marking the 41^st anniversary of Black July.

Thousands of Tamils were killed by state backed Sinhala mobs during an anti-Tamil pogrom  between 23^rd July and 30^th July 1983. 

13 Muslim candidates who sat for the Education Administration Service (principals’ service) whose exam results were withheld due to their wearing of hijabs during the examination have sought redress by the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka over the discriminatory treatment. 

Tamils protested the illegal construction of a Buddhist temple on occupied land in Thaiyiddy, Jaffna over the weekend. 

A group of Tamils gathered outside Tissa Raja Vihara, to demand the immediate removal of the temple. 12 acres of land surrounding the temple are owned by 14 farming families but are currently also occupied. The group have been protesting at the site every Poya (full moon) day since it was illegally constructed in April 2023.