Kidnapped and Killed: Journalists in Batticaloa demand justice

Tamil journalists in Batticaloa protested in front of Batticaloa's Gandhi Park today to demand justice for abducted and assassinated journalists and to condemn the government’s continued media repression. Marking “Black January”, the protestors said that nearly 40 Tamil journalists had been abducted or disappeared and demanded to know the status of investigations into these cases. “We are calling on the government to ensure the freedom of expression and speech. We are aware that no matter how many strides we take, our freedom is further curtailed by various laws that are being enacted,”...

Message delivered? Lack of accountability underscores Sri Lankan minister’s UK visit

Sri Lanka’s foreign minister Ali Sabry undertook a tour of Britain this week, where he met with senior British politicians who have all called for justice and accountability for mass atrocities on the island, despite his government repeatedly refusing to deliver on the issue.

Stop sand mining or Mannar will go under water, warn protestors

Illegal development activities destroying the environment in Mannar must be stopped immediately, protestors demanded, as they called on the government to conserve Mannar’s natural resources. The protestors who started a march from the Mannar main bridge, made their way to the District Secretariat where they continued demonstrations, dding that livelihoods are at risk. They held placards that read 'Stop sand mining or Mannar will go underwater’, 'Mannar Island stolen in broad daylight,’ and 'If dredging is not stopped, fresh water will become polluted and salinity will increase’. They demanded...

Jaffna University student union call for boycott on Sri Lanka's Independence Day

The Jaffna University Students' Union has called for a boycott on Sri Lanka's Independence Day and to declare it as a 'black day' in protest over unmet demands of the Tamil community, including a permanent political solution. “We request everyone to halt all commercial activities and declare February 4th as a black day,” a representative of the union said at a media conference held on campus. “We saw with the passage of the Online Safety Bill, the type of laws this country is bringing forward. This not just applies to the Tamil community but the Sinhalese as well.” “The Tamil people of this...

Tamils in Jaffna demand justice for murdered and disappeared journalists

Tamils in Jaffna marked 'Black January' with a protest calling on Sri Lanka to protect media freedom across the island. Protesters held placards that read "stop media harrassment" and photographs of journalists that have been killed or forcibly disappeared by the state, as they rallied through the town. Media workers, particularly journalists from the North-East, are subject to routine harassment, surveillance and interrogations by the state's security forces. Tamil journalists face repercussions for reporting on issues such as land grabs and Sinhalisation in the North-East. Tamil journalists...

Renowned playback singer Bhavatharini Raja passes away in Colombo

Bhavatharini Raja, a renowned singer and the daughter of legendary music composer Ilayaraja, passed away on January 25, succumbing to a battle with cancer . The 47-year-old singer had been undergoing treatment in Colombo. Bhavatharini had traveled from India to Sri Lanka for her medical care. Despite a five-month-long Ayurvedic therapy regimen, her health did not witness improvement, and she passed away at 5:20 PM on January 25. Her body is slated to be transported to Chennai for the final rites. அன்பு மகளே... pic.twitter.com/GgtnKGyvQ1 — Ilaiyaraaja (@ilaiyaraaja) January 26, 2024 A...

Arrests made after Sinhala party leader shot dead

Sri Lankan police announced that arrests have been made over the murder of the leader of a right-wing Sinhala nationalist party, with reports that criminal elements involved in drug trafficking are implicated in the killing. Saman Perera, the leader of the 'Ape Janabala Pakshaya' (meaning “Our Power of People Party” in Sinhala), was confirmed to be among the five individuals shot dead in Tangalle, on Monday.

Sri Lanka’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission 'is a joke' - TNPF leader tells Tamil Guardian

Tamil Guardian caught up with Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) leader Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam to hear his thoughts on Sri Lanka's Truth and Reconcilication Commission, international accountability, the repressive environment of the North-East and Tamil political representation.

'The time to give life to Tamil nationalism is now' - Shritharan tells Mannar

The Sinhalese people have started to experience the suffering that the Tamil people have long suffered said the newly elected leader of the Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK), Sivagnanam Shritharan, claiming that with the Sri Lankan government overwhelmed with fear and panic, “it is also an opening for the Tamil people to come together and unite for our collective cause”.

Tamils demand removal of illegal Buddhist Vihara in Kankesanthurai

The Tamil National People's Front (TNPF), joined by members of the public, initiated protests on January 24 demanding the removal of the Thissa Raja Vihara, an illegally constructed Buddhist structure encroaching upon the lands of the people in Kankesanthurai. The ongoing protests, occurring every Poya (full moon) day, highlight the collective effort to address the contentious issue of the Thissa Raja Vihara, which is being built on privately owned land that is being occupied by the Sri Lankan army. The Thissa Raja Vihara, constructed without legal authorization and accused of allegedly...

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