Tamils from the Polikandy area of Jaffna who continue to live in a refugee camp in Mannar have slammed the ongoing Sri Lankan military occupation of their land.

As they attended an event where dry rations were being distributed to the displaced, the families called for their land to be released.

“We are displaced since the war and been living here as orphans,” said one representative. “Our lands are occupied by the army and they are harvesting fruits.”

Bangladesh remains hopeful that Sri Lanka will repay a debt of US$200 million that it owes to the country by March 2023, even as the economic crisis on the island continues and Colombo defaults on other loans.

The Governor of the Bangladesh Central Bank Abdur Rouf Talukder said he was “assured” by Central Bank of Sri Lanka Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe that the debt would be repaid after the pair met in Washington.

In a rare catch on Sunday evening, fishermen in Jaffna caught a group of 14 sharks.

The total weight of the catch was estimated to be over 2,000kg, with the fish being valued at several thousands dollars.

Several people have been arrested in recent weeks having found to be in possession of illegal drugs, as illicit drug usage continues to plague the North-East.  

Last week, at least two persons were arrested by Sri Lankan police for possessing 2 grams of ice (methamphetamine), one gram of heroin and several syringes.

Earlier today a further four people were arrested with 2 grams of heroin.

British authorities have come under fire for placing the lives of Tamil refugees, including children, at risk by enabling those stranded in Diego Garcia to travel onward in vessels that lacked basic safety equipment.

More than 150 relatives of men, women and children who have been forcibly disappeared by the Sri Lankan state came to Colombo today, where they demonstrated outside the United Nations office in the capital and continued to call for justice.

Over a dozen protesters have been detained by heavily armed Sri Lanka police as they demonstrated against a Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) rally featuring disgraced former Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Despite the unrest earlier, the former prime minister reassured the crowd of his confidence that his party could win a general election.

With staggering levels of inflation, shortages of basic necessities, and record levels of people living below the poverty line, Sri Lankan bakers have called on the government for a reprieve through price controls on wheat flour.

As Sri Lanka continues discussions with the International Monetary Fund and its creditors, Sri Lankan opposition MP Patali Champika Ranawaka has warned of social unrest in response to proposed tax increases.

Colombo’s Chief Magistrate Court has issued an arrest warrant for former convict and extremist monk Galagodaaththe Gnanasara after he ignored a court summon over charges of hate speech he directed towards Muslims.