A Buddhist faith school was opened in Batticaloa town last week, with local Tamils and Muslims questioning the intention behind building a grand faith school in a town with a negligible Sinhala Buddhist population.

The Sri Lankan government rejected reports that India would be involved in redeveloping the Palaly airport in Jaffna and said the airport would be developed domestically instead.

Indian press reports had claimed that India’s airport development authority was preparing a proposal to internationalise the Jaffna airport, which currently remains under military occupation, and develop connectivity between the Northern Province and South India, Malaysia, Thailand etc, in line with consistent requests from Tamil leaders in the North.

The head of Sri Lanka’s army was invited to speak at a military seminar in Australia this month, despite Sri Lankan troops standing accused of committing war crimes and continued human rights abuses.

A Tamil political prisoner who is on hunger strike, protesting against his continued detention has been admitted to hospital after his health rapidly deteriorated.

S Thillairaj, one of eight Tamil political prisoners who have been on hunger strike at Anuradhapura prison and a known diabetic, was moved to Welikada Prison hospital.  The group have been protesting since for at least five days and met with Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP M A Sumanthiran earlier this week.

They are part of a number of Tamil political prisoners remain in prison for years without charge under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).

Sexual violence against Tamil men by the Sri Lankan state was ‘widespread’ and ‘egregious’ both during and after the war, the International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP) concluded in its latest report, launched at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva today. 

The report analyses testimonies collected by the organisation over four years, which show Tamils have been disproportionately affected by sexual violence by state security forces, both during the war and in the post-war context, and that sexual violence has been committed to a large extent by those in Sri Lanka’s “extensive security apparatus who profit from a culture of impunity.”

The testimonies used in the report were from Tamil men in ages ranging from the youngest aged 14 at the time of the violations to the oldest victim in his late forties.

An armed robbery took place at a finance company in Chavakachcheri this morning, with the suspect stealing approximately Rs 1.7 million in cash.

The suspect, who was wearing a full face helmet, was reportedly armed with a large knife. Adaderana states that he threatened employees as the safe was being emptied and then proceeding to steal the cash before fleeing on a motorcycle.

Chavakachcheri has suffered from rising crime, with local Tamils alleging the Sri Lankan police have failed to tackle the situation.

There was a tense situation in Vadamarachchi on Monday after Sri Lankan police threatened local fishermen, who had apprehended eight Sinhala fishermen engaged in illegal fishing activities, that the Special Task Force (STF) would be called unless the men were handed over. 

The local fishermen demanded that authorities find a solution to stop illegal fishing before the men were handed over. 

Last month there were prolonged protests in Mullaitivu after local fishermen accused police of releasing sinhala fishermen without charge despite clear evidence presented to them of their illegal fishing activities.

Mullaitivu fishermen have also protested over government officials accepting bribes to turn a blind eye to illegal activities. 

Sri Lankan police were caught taking photographs of a Tamil lawyer inside Jaffna court on Friday, who they had sought to arrest two days previously, apparently for wearing a saree with a Buddha face print on it. 

On Wednesday police officers reportedly waited outside the court to arrest her and only abandoned the attempt when her colleague's intervened. 

On Friday a female police officer was seen taking photographs of the lawyer. When the lawyer initially confronted her, the officer denied it until senior lawyers intervened and the officer's phone was checked, revealing photographs of the lawyer. 

Marking the fourth day of Lt. Col. Thileepan's hunger strike 31 years ago, residents in Kiraan, Batticaloa yesterday held an awareness event, condemning the genocide of the Tamil people by the Sri Lankan state. 

On Saturday Tamils across the North-East held events marking the 31 years since Thileepan commenced his fast unto death, demanding that the Indian government upheld its promises to the Tamil people. 

Over 100,000 people gathered at the Nallur temple in Jaffna on September 15, 1987 to hear his words as he began the hunger strike. 

Two Sri Lankan army officials were caught showing their genitals to two Tamil schoolgirls on Monday in the Karaichchi residential area of Mullaitivu. 

The officials, both from 59th Division, were seen flashing at the schoolgirls by locals who apprehended the individuals and called the police. 

Both men were taken to the police station.