The Sri Lankan military has undertaken massive deforestation of parts of the Tamil homeland since the end of the armed conflict. Sharing images from Google Earth on Facebook, Kilinochchi journalist M. Thamilselvan illustrated the loss of forest cover surrounding army camps on the east side of the A9 road between Mankulam and Murikandy in the Mullaitivu district.

Murdered Sri Lankan journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge was commemorated in a ceremony held by the Batticaloa Press Club earlier today, marking 13 years since he was gunned down in Colombo.

As we mark 13 years since the murder of Sunday Leader editor Lasantha Wickramatunge, we look back on the murder of two Tamil youth who were killed as part of cover up by the Sri Lankan security forces.

In the aftermath of Wickramatunge’s murder, details of the killing began to slowly become revealed over the years as international pressure over the assassination mounted.

Amidst an economic crisis in Sri Lanka which has seen people forced to ration food, India’s foreign secretary Subrahmanyam Jaishankar affirmed Indian support during these “difficult times”.

The Sri Lankan government has signed a long-awaited agreement with India that will allow New Delhi to restore at least 75 oil tanks in the eastern city of Trincomalee this week.

Sri Lanka’s energy minister Udaya Gammanpila “claimed that 85 of 99 tanks will be under Sri Lankan control which were under Indian control”.

A closer look at the deal, however, reveals a slightly different picture.

Tamils protested against plans to construct a new Buddhist vihara in Periyankulam, Trincomalee today. 

The demonstration was organised to block efforts by a Sinhala Buddhist monk seeking to build a new vihara in place of a row of Tamil businesses. Following orders from the monk, Uppuveli police threatened two Tamil traders, claiming that their shops will be removed to accomodate the new vihara. 

Human rights lawyer and former leader of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC), Kumar Ponnambalam, was remembered yesterday, 22 years after his assassination in Colombo.

The five Tamil students summarily executed by Sri Lankan Special Task Force troops 16 years ago were remembered on Sunday at Trincomalee beach, where they were murdered.

Sri Lankan Media Minister, Dullas Alahapperuma, claimed that the Sri Lankan President and the government are “open to constructive criticism” and have never considered placing restrictions on the freedom of speech of government critics, at a press meeting on Wednesday. 

Faced with increasing dissent within his own cabinet and party, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has chastised ministers for being “unethical” and criticising the government to further their own personal agendas.

Former Sri Lankan State Minister Susil Premajayantha claimed yesterday that he was fired for his criticism of the government’s fertiliser policy which has led to food prices to soar.

The government has faced significant push back for its draconian ban on chemical fertilisers which over 90% of Sri Lankan farmers were reliant upon. Verite Research, a Colombo-based think tank predicted that a result of the ban there would an expected 85% crop reduction.

This week marks 16 years since five Tamil students were summarily executed by Sri Lanka's Special Task Force, whilst they spent an afternoon on the beach in Trincomalee.

To date no one has been held accountable for the murder.

Sri Lanka’s economy is in dire straits with the World Bank reporting that an estimated 500,000 people have fallen bellow the poverty line since the start of the pandemic and with the price of basic goods skyrocketing.

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa flew to India using a private jet allegedly procured by the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to Uganda and Kenya, Velupillai Kananathan, costing millions of Sri Lankan rupees.