Sri Lanka’s former president who oversaw the bombing of a church in Jaffna, has reportedly said the attack was a “mistake” made by the Sri Lankan air force, backtracking from comments she made at the time of the massacre 25 years ago.

The families of the disappeared in Vavuniya have demanded Tamil National Alliance (TNA) members Sumanthiran, Sritharan and Sampanthan to resign and urged Tamil people to boycott the TNA in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Former parliamentarian and leader of the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO), Selvam Adaikalanathan has issued an ‘emergency letter’ to the defence secretary, Kamal Gunaratne urging him to consider the issue of increased military checkpoints in the North, which has caused “untold hardships to the general public.”

A 28-year-old man has been arrested by the Mullaitivu Mulliyavalai police for stabbing his daughter, leaving her hospitalised and in critical condition.

The incident – which took place in the Keppapulavu area on Wednesday - happened due to a family dispute which escalated to the man repeatedly stabbing his 5-year-old daughter with a knife. The girl, who was severely injured, has been admitted to the Mullaitivu District Hospital's intensive care unit.

Uniformed Sri Lankan police officers pushed back Tamil mourners as they attempted to light candles to mark 25 years since the Navaly Church bombings in Jaffna earlier today.

Crowds gathered a memorial constructed for victims of the bombing were met with a heavy security presence, that included several armed and uniformed Sri Lankan army soldiers.

Speaking at the 44th Session of the UN Human Rights Council, a delegate for Sri Lanka warned the UN against being “unduly politicised” whilst also claiming that Sri Lanka was committed to “UN Peacekeeping and upholding human rights”.

A former LTTE cadre who was injured in a reported explosion in Kilinochchi, died whilst receiving treatment at the Anuradhapura Hospital yesterday.

Thangarasa Devadasan, aged 43, died after being injured in a reported explosion on July 3.

He was initially admitted to the Kilinochchi Hospital and later transferred to Anuradhapura.

At least two people, including his wife, have been arrested since.

The British Broadcasting Service (BBC) has reportedly entered a “no-cost” partnership deal with the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB), which will grant Colombo free advertising to promote the island as a holiday destination.

Locals in Mullaitivu protested against land grab attempts by officials from Sri Lanka’s the District Land Survey Department last month, as Tamisla cross the North-East continue to struggle against state occupation of their land.

On this day 25 years ago, the Sri Lankan air force dropped 13 bombs on St Peter’s Church in Navaly. More than 140 sheltering Tamils, who were encouraged by the military to seek refuge at the church, were killed on the spot.  At least 13 children were amongst the dead, with many more succumbing to injuries later as the local hospital was swamped with the wounded.

Sri Lankan Prime Minister, Mahinda Rajapaksa, has attacked communal parties, with particular attention to the rival Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), led by Sajith Premadasa, which he claims would have divided the country and invited foreign influence.

Unitary or Undivided

Former NPC member, M K Sivajilingam has been summoned to court over three charges, including the commemoration of the Navaly church massacre in 1995. 

The families of the disappeared in Vavuniya have responded to the Tamil National Alliance’s (TNA) election campaign and recent comments by insisting they are not going to be deceived by “Mavai – who is changing his disguise as we get nearer to the elections - and his friends of the TNA.”