US Ambassador Julie Chung was on a visit to Jaffna, Mannar and Vavuniya last week where she met with the Tamil families of the disappeared, civil society activists and politicians to discuss the importance of justice, accountability and reconciliation in Sri Lanka. 

In Mannar, Chung met with the Tamil families of the disappeared who have been campaigning to know the whereabouts of their forcibly disappeared relatives. 

Tamil Nadu actor ‘Thalapathy' Vijay held the inaugural rally for the newly formed Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam's (TVK) this week, which saw hundreds of thousands of people flock to hear him outline his party’s vision.

Vijay, one of India’s highest paid actors and Tamil Nadu’s biggest celebrities, took to the stage donning a red and yellow scarf, and gave a fiery speech in which he took shots at the ruling BJP and Tamil Nadu’s DMK.

The head of the Sri Lanka Tourism Alliance slammed foreign embassies on the island for issuing a travel warning after a reported ‘terror threat’, following intelligence that an attack on a tourist hotspot in the Eastern Province was being planned.

Several foreign embassies, including the US, UK, Russia, Germany and Canada all issued travel warnings to their citizens in the wake of the alleged terror plot.

In a pointed statement, former combatant Kulasingam Navakumar, known as Palan, criticized Tamil politicians for exploiting Maaveerar Naal (Heroes’ Day) for their political gain. Speaking at a media conference held yesterday at the Jaffna Press Club, Navakumar argued that the annual commemoration of fallen fighters has devolved into a business opportunity and a vote magnet for those who were never part of the armed struggle.

Sri Lanka's ruling National People’s Power (NPP) announced that it will retain the controversial Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), breaking campaign pledges to repeal the draconian legislation.

The PTA, which has been widely criticized by Tamils and international rights organizations as a tool of repression, will remain in place, with the current Sri Lankan administration asserting that the issue lies not with the Act itself, but with its "misuse".

Seelavati Nadarasa, a Sinhalese mother of three fallen LTTE fighters, called to be able to remember their sacrifices in peace ahead of Maaveerar Naal – or Heroes Day – next month.

“Even if I am a Sinhalese woman, I will die in this land,” Nadarasa told reporters at the Jaffna Press Club. "Until that day comes, let us light lamps and honour our children in peace.”

Tamil families of the disappeared in Mannar told the Office of Missing Persons (OMP) that there has not been any constructive action taken by the office in investigating the disappearances of their relatives. 

Sri Lanka’s Office on Missing Persons (OMP) claims it has managed to locate 16 forcibly disappeared individuals who were reported missing since 2000, out of approximately 6,000 inquiries they have investigated, but refused to divulge any further information.

^{Tamil protestors in Mannar earlier this year.}

Julie Chung, US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, clarified that the US Embassy did not issue a travel ban on Sri Lanka but warned its personnel and citizens to avoid travelling to Arugam Bay after receiving information of a potential attack on tourist hotspots in the area. 

Commander Security Forces (West) studying the proposed layout of a new location for the infantry brigade - Sri Lanka Army

The Sri Lankan Army has expressed concern about misinformation circulating on social media regarding the downsizing of the military, stating that it actually plans to "scale" as part of its long-term strategy.