On this day 67 years ago, Sinhala mobs began attacking, raping and murdering Tamils across the island. The violence was to become another in a series of deadly anti-Tamil pogroms.

On the 16th anniversary of the Mullivaikkal genocide, senior officials from Human Rights Watch (HRW) have renewed calls for international justice, denouncing the Sri Lankan government’s continued refusal to address wartime atrocities and ongoing abuses faced by Tamil victims, particularly women.

Tamils in Switzerland gathered in the heart of Bern on 18 May to mark the 16th anniversary of the Mullivaikkal genocide, with a powerful series of events organised by the Swiss Tamil Youth Organisation and the Swiss Tamil Coordination Committee.

The historic Richelieu Amphitheatre at Sorbonne University in Paris hosted a major conference on the Tamil genocide and the ongoing struggle for international justice last month. 

Tamils in Norway held a commemoration for Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day on 18 May 2025, honouring the tens of thousands of Tamil civilians massacred by the Sri Lankan military in Mullivaikkal in 2009.

The Tamil Youth Organization (TYO) France and the political wing of the Confédération Comité Tamoul de France (CCTF) jointly launched an immersive exhibition on 17 May 2025, chronicling the history of Tamil Eelam and the genocide perpetrated against its people since 1948.

Fr. S. Marcus Adigalar, President of the Mannar Citizens Committee, issued a strong warning this week against what he described as “destructive activities” carried out in the district by Sri Lankan government departments, non-governmental organisations, and multinational corporations.

In April 2025, Sri Lanka’s foreign exchange reserves fell by 3%, slipping from the previous month $6.53 billion to $6.32 billion, according to data from the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. The $210 million decline, despite the ongoing IMF-supported programme, highlights persistent vulnerabilities in the country’s post-crisis recovery trajectory.

As Israel prepares for a controversial new offensive into Gaza — condemned by the UK, France, and Canada — a senior former IDF officer and security analyst has pointed to Sri Lanka’s 2009 offensive, as a model for eliminating Hamas.

Sri Lanka’s Minister Bimal Rathnayake continued to defend his government’s ties with Israel as international condemnation over its ongoing assault on Gaza continues, with Colombo sending hundreds more workers to the country this month.

Sri Lanka’s president attended a ‘Victory Day’ Commemoration ceremony took place on 19 May, just a day after thousands of Tamils across the North-East and in the diaspora mourned the Mullivaikkal genocide.

Amid rising concerns over the deteriorating security situation on the island, Sri Lanka’s opposition parties convened a special meeting in Parliament yesterday, citing increasing risks to public life and the ability of lawmakers to perform their duties without fear.

NEXT Manufacturing, a British-owned apparel exporter operating in Sri Lanka since 1978, has announced the indefinite closure of its Katunayake Production Plant, citing rising operational costs and persistent unprofitability, in a blow to Sri Lanka’s already struggling economy.

Two women have been arrested following the discovery of a gold-plated T56 assault rifle at the Havelock City housing complex in Colombo. The arrests were made after a security officer at the complex reported the presence of the weapon to the police.