Tamil families of the disappeared protested in front of the old bus stand in Vavuniya last week, continuing their calls to the international community to implement an accountability mechanism that would get justice for their family members who have been forcibly disappeared by the Sri Lankan state. 

This week marks 12 years since thousands of British Tamils began a 73 day long continuous protest at Parliament Square in London, as the Sri Lankan government ramped up a military offensive that had already massacred tens of thousands.

Writing in Middle East Eye, Strategic Advisor to People for Equality and Relief in Sri Lanka (PEARL), Mario Arulthas highlights the deterioration of Tamil and Muslim rights in Sri Lanka as President Rajapaksa appears “committed to seizing any opportunity to hurt non-Sinhalese communities”.

^{File photograph: British Tamils protest outside the Houses of Parliament in 2009.}

British Tamil diaspora organisations have vowed to continue their struggle for justice and self-determination, despite the Sri Lankan government’s proscription of hundreds of Tamils and several diaspora organisations, in a move that has generated shock and outrage across the world.

As the former Bishop of Mannar and beloved Tamil activist Right Reverend Dr Rayappu Joseph was laid to rest in Mannar on Monday, vigils have been held in his honour across the Tamil homeland.

The former Catholic Bishop of Mannar and prominent Tamil activist Right Reverend Dr Rayappu Joseph was laid to rest at the St. Sebastian Cathedral in Mannar on Monday.

Thousands had visited to pay their respects to the former Bishop lying in repose since his passing on Thursday, April 1. On Sunday, his body was moved from the Bishop’s house to the cathedral in a procession of thousands, including clergy, civil society, students and members of the public.

In line with a call to mark Monday as a day of mourning across the Tamil homeland, businesses in the Mannar district remained shut, whilst homes and streets bore black and white flags.

Following the funeral service, a statue of Rev. Joseph was unveiled in Mannar Town.

Following the passage of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution on Sri Lanka, the European Union (EU) has stated that they will monitor the human rights situation in light of their GSP+ agreement.

With Tamil Nadu Assembly elections set to take place on April 6 and electioneering underway in full swing across the state, Tamil Guardian spoke to Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) State Youth Wing Coordinator, Dhuruvan Selvamani. Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK), is a Tamil nationalist party that formed following the genocide that took place in Mullivaikkal in 2009. We asked Selvamani about a number of issues including the NTK’s strategy for the elections, its stance on the intensifying Sinhalisation and colonisation of the Tamil homeland and its views on India-Sri Lanka relations. 

Speaking to DW News’ journalist, Tim Sebastian, Sri Lanka’s Foreign Secretary, Jayanath Colombage, who himself stands accused of running torture camps, attacked human rights defenders in Sri Lanka as “being funded by the West”.

Tamil civil society networks have called for a day of mourning for the late Rt. Rev. Dr Rayappu Joseph.

Tamil civil society organisations across the North-East called for homes and businesses in the homeland and in the diaspora to mark Monday, April 5, as the Tamil nation’s national day of mourning for Rt. Rev. Joseph.

“The loss of the Bishop is an immeasurable loss for the Tamil nation,” the organisations said in a statement, highlighting how Rt. Rev. Joseph’s campaigning in 2009 was crucial for continuing the Tamil struggle after the decimation of the armed struggle.