With Sri Lanka’s presidential hopefuls tussling to announce their candidacy this week, there was a familiar name back in the headlines - Rajapaksa. The latest candidate in the lineage, Namal, the son of the former president who oversaw the slaughter of countless Tamils, has formally been put forward to stand by his ultra-nationalist party backers.

Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) Batticaloa District MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam rejected the need for a common Tamil candidate at the upcoming Sri Lankan presidential election telling reporters:

Ahead of Sri Lanka’s presidential election, Tamil lawmaker M.A. Sumanthiran met with candidate for the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) party, Namal Rajapaksa, to discuss issues facing the North-East.

The SLPP’s Politbureau member, G. Cassilingham told reporters that Namal Rajapaksa had claimed he was willing to address the grievances of those in the North-East and provide a better livelihood.

Tamil journalists, hailing from the North-East of Sri Lanka, recently found themselves barred from a meeting with President Ranil Wickremesinghe. Their purpose was clear: to present a letter demanding justice and accountability for numerous crimes committed against their fellow Tamil journalists—many of whom were killed or remain missing.

Tamil residents of Chettikulam Vazhavaithakulam, Andiapuliankulam in Vavuniya staged a protest today demanding that the illegal construction of a dam be halted as it poses a grave risk to at least 80 families.

Fisherfolk associations in the North-East have rejected claims made by Indian authorities that the Sri Lankan Navy is looting GPS tracking devices from Indian fishing trawlers. 

N.V. Kuppakamniyam, the head of the Northern Province Seafood Association told reporters in Jaffna that Indian authorities have painted them out to be akin to pirates, which is unfounded. 

Tamils in Trincomalee remembered the victims of the Thiriyai massacre in which 12 Tamils were shot by Sri Lanka's security forces 39 years ago and called for the perpertrators to be held accountable. 

The families marked the massacre with a memorial, prayers, and floral tributes.