Photograph courtesy of Transformative Justice Collective

Singapore hanged Tanagaraju Suppiah over drug smuggling charges despite global pleas for clemency to be exercised. 

Photograph courtesy of Transformative Justice Collective

The family of Singaporean Tamil Tangaraju Suppiah are calling on President Halimah Yacob to exercise clemency to stop Tanagaraju's execution tomorrow after his review application was summarily dismissed earlier today. 

British Tamil diaspora organisations have expressed their solidarity with the North-East as it carries out a hartal today to protest the Anti-Terrorism Act and the ongoing Sinhalisation of the Tamil homeland.

In a statement, the British Tamil Conservatives, Tamil Friends of Liberal Democrats and Tamils for Labour said: 

A hartal opposing the Sri Lanka's new anti-terror legislation and the ongoing Sinhalisation of the Tamil homeland has caused a complete halt to all economic activities and movement of the public across the North-East. 

Jaffna University's student union have expressed their concerns over the proposed Anti Terrorism Act which they state will curtail freedom of expression and association. 

On April 22nd, a tragic incident occurred in Delft, Sri Lanka. Two men and three women were murdered in a house near the jetty and in the vicinity of the Naval base. One woman is in critical condition and has been admitted to the Jaffna Teaching Hospital for treatment. The victims included the owner of the house, one other person who lives in Jaffna, and three people who were visiting from abroad. The person visiting from London was Velayudampillai Nagenthira Ratnam, age 78. The other victims were Naganathi Balasingham, age 82, Balasingham Kanmanipillai, age 76, Karthikesu Nageswari, age 83, and Mahadevan, age 75. 

On April 22nd, many Muslims in Vavuniya and Mannar celebrated Eid al-Fitr, the religious holiday marking the end of Ramadan.

Several mosques in the area held special services that brought together many believers.

Multiple cases of Covid-19 have resurfaced in Jaffna, causing one death while five others have been quarantined. 

A 71 year old from Puttur Jaffna passed away whilst receiving treatment for the virus on Thursday. Earlier this week, five people were sent to a quarantine centre in Jaffna after an individual received treatement for an unrelared ailment, was found to be exhibiting symptoms of Covid-19. 

Activists handed a petition to the Governor of the Northern Province, demanding them to release occupied lands. 

The Voice of Women, a women’s rights organisation, the National Fisheries Cooperative, and activists from the South marched to the Governor's office in Jaffna to  hand over the petition.

Four farmers in Mullaitivu are appealing to various authorities to release their lands, which are currently being occupied by the Civil Security Divison and used as a farm. The 12 acres of lands, located south of Udayar Kattu near the village tank, belong to the farmers, who claim that they are the only lands yet to be released to the rightful owners following the resettlement of families in the area.