Sri Lanka’s finance minister Basil Rajapaksa revealed how his government illegally purchased weapons from North Korea during the height of the armed conflict, using money sourced from the “black market”. 

Rajapaksa, who holds US citizenship, told The Sunday Divayina this week that during the peak of Sri Lanka’s military offensive, he and other Sri Lankan officials would personally visit the ‘Pettah’ Business District in Colombo to speak with traders and obtain dollars in the black market. 

The money would then be used to purchase arms from North Korea, he continued.

Journalists a held a protest in Jaffna today to mark 'Black January' and to demand investigations into the numerous assassinations and disappearances of media workers on the island. 

Sri Lanka's 40 billion LKR package to compensate farmers who have been impacted by the governments failed inorganic fertiliser ban, has been rejected by the All Ceylon Farmers Federation due to it being inadequate and discriminatory. 

A group of Sri Lankan politicians met in Colombo last week and urged the government “to protect the poor” as the island went through what parliamentarian M A Sumanthiran termed a “historically unprecedented” economic crisis.

Tamil farmers from Mulliativu protested earlier this week against the continuation of illegal sand mining conducted by the Sri Lankan Forest Department in the farming lands of Puthukkudiyiruppu West. 

The protests took place last Friday in front of Puthukkudiyiruppu Police Station whence the protesters marched to the office of the Divisional Secretariat. 

Tamil fishermen from Vadamarachchi, Jaffna have taken to streets to call on China to resolve fishing disputes in the Indian Ocean.

Demonstrators complained against disruptive practices which they note have damaged their fishing nets and have called for other fishermen to abstain for fishing for a day in protest.

A Tamil man was granted indefinitely leave to remain after having lived in the UK for almost 40 years without formal immigration status. Ponnampalam Jothibala, 69, moved to the UK with a view to pursue his accountancy studies in 1983 and was instead left destitute due to a series of Home Office failures and delays. 

In a massive rally this morning, Eelam Tamils in Jaffna have come out to protest against the 13^th amendment and have demanded recognition of Tamil nationhood and sovereignty through a federal structure.

A candlelight vigil was held in Batticaloa yesterday to mark ‘Black January’, a day to commemorate the intimidation, murder and enforced disappearance of journalists in Sri Lanka.

TNPF campaign in Kokkuvil

Across the North-East the Tamil National People’s Front are continuing their campaign against the controversial 13^th amendment and maintaining their stance for Tamil nationhood and self-determination.

Puttalam High Court has refused to grant bail to Muslim human rights lawyer Hejaaz Hizbullah despite earlier claims from the Sri Lankan Attorney General that the Court of Appeal would consent to the granting of bail.

In their annual report, British ministers and MPs renewed their commitment to “fighting for truth, justice and accountability for Tamils” whilst highlighting the ongoing abuses suffered by those in Sri Lanka.

UNHRC

In an open letter, several global Tamil diaspora organisations have called on their respective governments to impose targeted travel bans and asset freezes on high-ranking Sri Lankan war criminals and their family members.

Despite Sri Lankan police officers attempting to halt commemorations in Batticaloa earlier today, the 35^th anniversary of the Kokkadichcholai massacre was marked in the district, paying tribute to the 87 people killed by Sri Lankan security forces.