Tamil civil society groups and local politicians have criticised the Sri Lankan health ministry’s declaration of May 18 and 19 as National Dengue Eradication Week, claiming the move is an attempt to disrupt Mullivaikkaal remembrance activities.

The sudden announcement which was passed via the directors of the Northern and Eastern Provincial Health Services included instructions for health officials to search homes in the North-East for dengue mosquito breeding habitats.

Organisers of Tamil genocide remembrance week commemorated the passing of the Vaddukoddai resolution 41 years ago on Sunday.

The Commander of the Security Forces in Kilinochchi, Major General Ajith Kariyakarawanan  distributed 20 dairy cattle amongst families in Visuwamadu and Poonakaryan.

The distribution event was attended by the Government Agent, Mr Suntharam Arumainayaham, General Jariyakarawanana and a prominent Buddhist monk.

The third day of Tamil genocide remembrance week was marked in Navaly on Sunday.

A Sri Lankan army commander laid the foundation stone for a controversial new Buddhist stupa in Jaffna this week.

A vigil was held in Oorani on Saturday to mark the second day in the week leading up to the anniversary of Mullivaikkaal, which is being observed in the North-East as Tamil genocide remembrance week.

Meeting with the Indian premier on Friday during his two day visit of Sri Lanka the Tamil National Alliance made clear "our expectation is of meaningful power sharing in a merged North-East". 

India's prime minister Narendra Modi called for increased economic and developmental connectivity with Sri Lanka whilst on a two day visit to the island. 

"I believe we are at a moment of great opportunity in our ties with Sri Lanka. An opportunity to achieve a quantum jump in our partnership across different fields. And, for us, the most relevant benchmark for the success of our friendship is your progress and success," said Mr Modi speaking as the chief guest for Vesak Day celebrations in Colombo. 

A demonstration took place in Pungudutivu on Thursday, with dozens of Tamils protesting against a move to transfer the case of the rape and murder of a Tamil schoolgirl to a court in Colombo, in front of three Sinhala speaking judges.

Mullivaikkaal remembrance week commenced on Friday with a vigil held at Chemmani, Jaffna.

Militarisation is the primary cause of Mullaitivu’s deprivation, Northern Provincial Councillor T. Ravikaran has said.

Identified as the poorest district on the island, Ravikaran said ongoing occupation of Mullaitivu’s land and sea by the tri-forces is the main reason poverty persists.

The councillor said that without demilitarisation and returning lands and coastal areas to civilians, any poverty eradication schemes would be pointless.

The Northern Provincial Council has called for the reconstruction of the Palaly airport into a regional airport.

Passing a resolution at its 92nd sitting, the council voted unanimously in favour of developing the airport into one with regional international flights.

The resolution however stipulated that the airport development should be carried out without any land grabs of Tamil civilian properties.

Jaffna-based think-tank, the Adayaalam Centre for Policy Research, today released a brief examining whether there was a path forward for addressing the issue of disappearances and the Office of Missing Persons (OMP). 

The people of Marichukatty suspended their protest against a gazette notification, which declared their lands as nature reserve, after 44 days of protest on Monday evening.

The residents of the Muslim village in Mannar agreed to suspend the protest after their political representatives, including ministers Rishad Bathiudeen and Faiszer Musthapha, stated an understanding had been reached in talks with President Sirisena to find ways to fairly amend the gazette notification.