A new book examining the role of British mercenaries in Sri Lanka and other conflicts around the world was launched at Garden Court Chambers this week.

The Sri Lankan government has reportedly approved new laws that will grant the intelligence services “impunity”, as it ramps up its policy of protecting those accused of rights abuses.

The Tamil Civil Society Forum (TCSF) has called on the United Nations to respond to claims made by Sri Lanka’s president that thousands of forcibly disappeared and missing Tamils “are actually dead”.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa made the remarks to the United Nations’ resident co-ordinator Hanaa Singer, during a meeting earlier this month, sparking condemnation from Tamil families of the disappeared who have spent years searching for their loved ones.

Sri Lanka's Criminal Investigations Department (CID) has questioned former health minister MP Rajitha Senaratne for a second time following revelations made about abductions made through white vans at a press conference last year.

Tamils in Batticaloa commemorated the 87 people killed by Sri Lankan security forces in the Kokkadichcholai massacre 33 years ago, amidst revelations that British mercenaries may have been directly implicated in the atrocity.

The Norwegian government announced that it helped to fund the first floating solar plant in Sri Lanka earlier this month, as it launched the project in Kilinochchi.

European Union election observers found that Sri Lanka’s traditional and social media platforms had shared “divisive rhetoric, hate speech and disinformation” during the 2019 presidential election, labelling the coverage “biased”.

A museum showcasing and celebrating Tamil history and culture has been opened in Navatkuli, Jaffna – making it the first time in history that a museum of its kind has been built on the island.  

Britain’s Royal Military Academy Sandhurst conducted a training session for the Sri Lankan military this week, despite the long standing reports of human rights abuses and massacres committed by Sri Lankan soldiers.

Tamil families of the disappeared reacted angrily to the Sri Lankan president’s assertion that the thousands of forcibly disappeared and missing Tamils “are actually dead,” stating that as defence secretary at the time of the abductions he should be fully aware of their fate.

Tamil families of the missing held demonstrations in Vavuniya yesterday, demanding that the Sri Lankan government assurance the security of Tamil journalists, who have recently faced increased harrassment and intimdiation from the security forces

A court in Mullativu has issued an arrest warrant for former Northern Provincial Council (NPC) member M K Shivajilingam, after he failed to appear before a hearing in a case regarding a land grab protest in the district last year.

The US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Alice Wells said that both Sri Lanka and the United States have “compelling shared interests” as she spoke to reporters on her return from the island.

The Sri Lanka army has held several events in Tamil schools across the North-East this month, as uniformed soldiers were seen giving handouts to Tamil schoolchildren.

The events, where senior military commanders are invited as chief guests and garlanded, before being photographed handing out schools upplies to tamil children, have come under fire as part of the state’s extensive miltiarisation of civilian life in the region.