Though the Sri Lankan military has completely destroyed and occupied the site of a former LTTE cemetery in Mullaitivu, locals from the region embarked on clearing areas around the cemetery ahead of Maaveerar Naal this month.

The cemetery - or Thuyilum Illam - was bulldozed by the Sri Lankan army in 2009. The site, in Alampil, is now entirely occupied by the military.

 

Delhi’s High Court confirmed, on 7 November, that they will uphold a five-year ban on the LTTE (Liberational Tigers of Tamil Eelam) despite hearing from the leader of the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Vaiko, who are sympathetic to armed struggle.

India has been the LTTE since the assassination of prime minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991. 

<p>A five judge bench has been appointed to hear three Fundamental Rights petitions challenging the signing of the Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact (MCC), Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) and the Acquisition and Cross Servicing Agreement (ACSA).</p> <p>The petitions were filed by the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA), three Buddhist monks, namely Angulugalle Siri Jinanda Thero, Bengamuwe Nalaka Anunayake Thero and Madegoda Abhayathissa Thero, and Attorney-at-law Dharshana Weraduwage, according to the Daily Mirror.</p>

How do you achieve a healthy mind, body and soul?

This was the question that was addressed at the World Mental Health event held in Kingston on Nov 3^rd, 2019 to commemorate Mental Health Day organised by the Centre for Community Development.

<p>President Maithripala Sirisena said a group of leading monks, including Venerable Athuraliye Rathana Thero, had requested clemency for the convicted murderer of Yvonne Jonsson.</p> <p>The Colombo Gazette reported that the President’s media division statement said that many religious leaders, former Supreme Court judges, lawyers, civil society leaders and youth leaders had made appealed to the President, recommending a Presidential pardon to the murderer, Jude Jayamaha, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2005.</p>

Officials from the Royal British Navy visited a Sri Lankan military base in Trincomalee last month, where they met with navy officials and masked Sri Lankan soldiers.

Commodore Simon Huntington from the British navy and Defence Attaché to the British High Commission in Sri Lanka Colonel David Ausman were taken on a tour of the Sri Lankan navy base, and shown a military demonstration by Sri Lankan troops.

<p>Lawyers expressed concern that the 12 people&nbsp;charged for alleged ‘LTTE links’ may not get a fair trial.</p> <p>Speaking to Malaysiakini, lawyer New Sin Yew said, “When someone is charged for terrorism-related offences, their criminal trial is governed by SOSMA, which is different from a normal criminal trial.’</p> <p>He added that SOSMA takes away many safeguards for a fair trial under the Criminal Procedure Code and the Evidence Act, therefore favouring the prosecution.</p>

Celebrations were held in Jaffna this morning as the first commercial international flight to Palaly, landed from Tamil Nadu.

In the lead up to the Sri Lankan Presidential election 16 November, both Sinhala and Tamil political commentators have quipped that this election is a clear cut choice between “the lesser of two evils” and have insisted on drawing parallels to the 2015 and 2005 elections...

A decade on since the end of the armed conflict there has been “no accountability for war crimes and other abuses” said Human Rights Watch, in an appeal to Sri Lanka’s next president on Monday.

“Sri Lanka’s presidential election is certain to have important implications for human rights in the country, including justice for wartime violations,” said Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “Whoever is elected president will be under domestic and international scrutiny to ensure that Sri Lanka meets its human rights obligations.”