Maaveerar Naal commemorations commenced despite tensions in Mullaitivu, following the assault of a journalist and the arrest of another prominent Tamil activist, with a range of remembrance activities take place across the district.

Flowers were scattered at Nandikadal lagoon at sunrise by ormer Northern Provincial Councillor T. Ravikaran amidst Sri Lankan military presence.

The Sri Lankan army has lashed out at the media in a public statement released today, claiming that the assault of a Tamil journalist by military personnel on Saturday was "unverified, exaggerated and factually incorrect", instead blaming "various social media platforms, largely with vested interests".

The military decried coverage of the assault as a “carefully orchestrated and maliciously planned plot” and urged the public not to be “misled by such planted incidents and malicious attempts”.

British MP, Bob Blackman, has joined a number of British MPs and Tamil activists who have called on the UK Foreign Secretary to impose Magnitsky style sanctions on Sri Lankan army commander, Shavendra Silva.

"We need to sanction Silva [...] to make clear that his behaviour was reprehensible, unacceptable, and he needs to be held to account for the decisions he took" stated Blackman.

A committee headed by Fisheries Minister Douglas Devananda has decided to deploy army troops to control road traffic in Kilinochchi in a latest attempt to militarise the Tamil homeland. 

A special committee on road traffic was created following the recent death of a school girl who met with an accident on the A9 Highway in Kilinochchi. 

More than 100 people belonging to associations of the relatives of forcibly disappeared Tamils across the North-East have lost their lives since their struggle for justice commenced.  

The relatives of the disappeared, which include mostly mothers and wives demanding to know the whereabouts of their sons and husbands, have been protesting for justice for several years now.

Photo by ethili.te

Mullaitivu Press Club has condemned the brutal assault and torture of journalist Viswalingham Viswachandran for taking a photo of a Mullivaikkal road sign.

Netherlands Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Tanja Gonggrijp, met with Sri Lankan Foreign Minister, G.L. Peiris to mark the annual "Orange the World: 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence" despite ongoing concerns over the systemic use of torture and rape within the island.

Norwegian Tamils held events in Oslo and Bergen to mark Maaveerar Naal. 

UK Tamils joined the Tamil nation in observing Maaveerar Naal - Great Heroes Day -  to commemorate those who sacrificed their lives in the Tamil struggle for liberation. 

London

Thousands of British Tamils gathered in London yesterday to pay tribute to fallen cadres. 

Maaveerar Naal commemorations started off early in the Jaffna District as tributes were paid at the family home of the first Maaveerar Lt. Shankar.