Tamils in Vavuniya complained that the Motor Traffic Department office in the city continues to be staffed by officials who speak Sinhala only, leaving many local residents frustrated.

With a lack of Tamil speaking staff, or policies in place, locals face severe difficulties with routine tasks such as renewing driving licenses and other services.

Despite repeated complaints, including from local politicians, Sinhala only services remain in place across the North-East.

The former Norwegian peace envoy to Sri Lanka Erik Solheim has taken up a new role in Sri Lanka, having been named “International Climate Adviser” to current president Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Solheim tweeted photographs of a meeting with Wickremesinghe, claiming “the President has a great vision for green economic revocery (sic) and for Sri Lankan climate leadership!”

He went on to add that he was “proud” to be appointed to the role.

Victims of the Pirambadi massacre, committed by Indian Peace Keeping Force troops (IPKF) on 11th and 12th of October 1987, were remembered in a ceremony in Jaffna earlier today.

Relatives of the massacres paid tributes by lighting lamps and placing flowers before a banner with their names, marking one of the first massacres of Eelam Tamils by Indian troops.

The IPKF arrived in 1987 and soon began committing many atrocities against Tamil civilians as they were deployed across the North-East.

A Tamil mother in Jaffna has reportedly handed her 15-year-old son to the Sri Lankan police, stating that he has become addicted to heroin.

The heart-breaking move, which was reported in the Tamil press, comes amidst a growing concern over illegal drug use and addiction across the North-East. With a lack of support for those suffering from drug addiction, families are left with almost nowhere to turn for help.

As many as 10-drug related deaths are reported to have occurred in Jaffna within the span of the last three months.

A commemoration event was held to mark thirty-five years since the death of 2nd Lt. Maalathy, the first female fighter of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to lose her life in the Tamil armed struggle, at the site where she was killed.

She was killed at the age of 20, on the 10th of October 1987, during a confrontation with the Indian Peace Keeping Forces (IPKF) in Jaffna.

Velan Swami offered floral tributes and lit lamps in Koppay this week.

Mayooran Thangaratnam, a 41-year-old Tamil asylum seeker whose father was murdered by Sri Lankan forces, has spent almost two decades fighting to remain in the UK and against erroneous deportation orders.

“I have been suicidal for so many years because of my treatment here. I have spent the best years of my life in limbo. I hoped to go to university and start a career but I’ve missed those opportunities now” Thangaratnam told reporters.

As a child, Thangaratnam and his family narrowly avoided the Navaly Church massacre in which the Sri Lankan air force dropped 13 bombs on St Peter’s Church in Navaly in 1995. More than 140 sheltering Tamils, who were encouraged by the military to seek refuge at the church, were killed on the spot. At least 13 children were among the dead, with many more succumbing to injuries later as the local hospital was swamped with the wounded.  The massacre was orchestrated by then President, President Chandrika Kumaratunga.

Last month saw officers of Sri Lanka Air Force 7^th Aviation Contingent awarded for the deployment in Bria, Central African Republic, despite repeated calls for a ban on the deployment of Sri Lankan troops.

The ceremony comes despite a damning report by the former UN High Commissioner last year, which called on the UN to “keep under review Sri Lanka’s contributions to UN peacekeeping operations and screening systems for Sri Lanka personnel”.

The Sri Lankan Army has constructed a utility building complex at their occupying camp in Mullivaikkal, the site of massacres in 2009, which includes a gym and a barbershop for the military's stationed soldiers.

The new complex includes a tailor shop, barber saloon and a fully equipped gymnasium, in addition to several other wings at the 66 Division HQ at Nandikadal.

Sri Lanka's Major General Sanjaya Wanasinghe cut a ribbon and declared the new facility open in a ceremony last week.

An Eelam Tamil family of five, including three children, have arrived in Dhanushkodi in Tamil Nadu after having been stranded for almost two days without food or water. 

Indian Marine Police, rescued the family, which includes a six-month-old infant, and brought them in a boat to the shore.

According to the officials, they were identified as Sabrin (33), his wife Radhika (32) and children Sajith (7), Salma (3) and Sagin (6-month-old). They all come from Mannar.

Former Sri Lankan Prime Minister and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa held his first rally since his resignation in the city of Kalutara, in the Western Sinhala province.