Tamil families from Jaffna arrived in Colombo today to visit their relatives who have been languishing for years in Welikada and Magazine prisons. 

The families set off from Jaffna Press Club yesterday afternoon to bring international attention to the plight of Tamil political prisoners on National Prisoners' Day. 

Signatures calling for the repeal of the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) were collected in Jaffna this morning after a campaign was launched yesterday. 

The campaign initiated by the Ilankai Thamilarasu Katchi Youth Wing, Justice for All and the Alliance of Trade Union & MassYouth Front organisations, demands the Sri Lankan government to repeal the notorious legislation which has been used disproportionately to detain and torture Tamils and Muslims.

The hunger strike of 12 Tamil political prisoners, who were detained between 2019 and 2020, has entered its 5^th day as those imprisoned continued to demand for their release.

“We know we can feed this country.”

Farmers in Sri Lanka told me that what they desperately need now is quality fertilizer to increase crop yields. Glad to announce new @USAID funding to help them with upcoming planting seasons. pic.twitter.com/0Zb08ABDSS

A group of US Congress members have urged the State Department to use its leverage at the United Nations Security Council to refer Sri Lanka to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

In a recent article South Asia Director for Human Rights Watch (HRW), Meenakshi Ganguly denounced President Ranil Wickremesinghe and his government for the appoinment of three alleged human rights abusers.

On 8 September, Wickremesinghe appointed 37 new ministers. Three of the 37 appointees are implicated in serious human rights violations.

Ganguly emphasizes that this appoinment is another indication that Wickremesinghe and his new administration “is not committed to protecting human rights, ending impunity, or upholding the rule of law.”

Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan

Responding to the Sri Lankan government’s brutal crackdown on press freedom, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has condemned the “constant attempts to intimidate Tamil media personal” and called “for an end to the use of illegal and abusive methods that dangerously undermine press freedom”.

“The constant harassment of Tamil journalists is unacceptable and constitutes a major encroachment on press freedom,” RSF’s Asia-Pacific desk said.  They added:

Sri Lankan authorities have fiercely clamped down on peaceful protests and antagonized protestors during the island’s worst economic crisis and hardship details Amnesty International in a new digest published today. 

The briefing, Penalized for Protesting: Sri Lanka’s crackdown on protestors, outlines Sri Lankan security state forces' failure to protect protestors, their use of excessive force, their use of the military to police protests, carrying out reprisals against protesters and targeting those who exercise their rights democratically. 

A commemoration event was held in Batticaloa today to mark the 32nd anniversary of the Saththurukondan massacre where 185 Tamils were slaughtered by the Sri Lankan army with the assistance of Muslim Home Guards.  

On September 9, 1990, the men, women and children from Saththurukondan and surrounding villages, on the outskirts of Batticaloa, were taken to an army camp by Sri Lankan soldiers, where they were massacred.

Image from last year's memorial in Batticaloa

Today marks the 32nd anniversary of the Saththurukondan massacre where 184 Tamils were killed by the Sri Lankan army.