Sri Lankan military involvement in civilian life across the Tamil homeland has continued this week, with the armed forces continuing to entrench themselves in events across the North-East.

Pottuvil, Amparai: Military embedded in civilian and ecological spaces

^{File photograph: Gunaratne on the far fight, at the war front in 2009.}

The International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP) has submitted a dossier to the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office calling for targeted sanctions against retired Sri Lankan General Kamal Gunaratne, citing his direct involvement in war crimes, torture, and systemic human rights abuses.

File photograph

Today marks 40 years since 36 Tamils were massacred by Sri Lankan Navy officers on board the Kumuthini boat on May 15, 1985. 

Eye witnesses reported seeing six plain clothed Navy officers boarding the Kumuthini boat and pointing a gun at passengers before ordering them to come up to the main deck one by one and shout their name and destination. 

Namal Rajapaksa, parliamentarian and son of accused war criminal Mahinda Rajapaksa, has called on the Sri Lankan government to summon the Canadian High Commissioner to formally protest the unveiling of a Tamil Genocide Monument in Brampton, Canada, claiming it promotes a “false genocide narrative” and “distorts history.”