The Sri Lankan police have arrested the chairman and secretary of the Nachimar Temple, Jaffna based on allegations that the celebration of the annual chariot festival that took place on Sunday violated the COVID-19 restrictions in place in the country.        

An explosion near the Vadduvakal bridge in Mullaitivu killed one Tamil teenager and severely injured another young man yesterday. 

Kumarasamy Chandramohan, aged 19, died on the spot while Selvakumar Sayantharoopan, aged 20, wad sent to Jaffna Teaching hospital for intensive care treatment. 

The Sri Lankan army has erected sign boards claiming ownership of private lands in Kankesanthurai (KKS) which were released to the owners in 2018 after 27 years of occupation as a 'high security zone' (HSZ).

Tamils across the North-East remembered S.J.V Chelvanayakam, also fondly referred to as 'Thanthai Chelva' and the father of Tamil nationalism, to mark 44 years since his death. 

Chelvanayakam was responsible for spear heading the Vaddukoddai resolution, which was overwhelmingly ratified by the Tamil votes in the 1977 parliamentary elections.

Trincomalee

The annual Nachimar Kovil chariot festival took place today in Vannarpannai, Jaffna as devotees flocked to worship goddess Kamatchi Ambal, ensconced in her iconic chariot.  

State celebrations of the Buddhist festival of Wesak, a national holiday in Sri Lanka, will go ahead on the Jaffna island of Nainathivu as planned, despite rising coronavirus infections and restrictions across the North-East.

At a press meet about the increasing risks of COVID-19 Jaffna District Secretary K. Mahesan said that he had not been instructed to cancel the festivities.

Gajan Ponnambalam, leader of the Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF), has condemned the arrest of Rishad Bathiudeen, Sri Lanka’s former Industry Minister and leader of the All Ceylon Makkal Party (ACMC), under the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).

The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) has called on Sri Lanka to reject a proposed resolution that seeks to stop trials against military and high-ranking government officials accused of war crimes and corruption.

“Parliament should categorically reject this ‘impunity resolution’ that interferes with the ongoing work of the judiciary and the Attorney General’s office in their efforts to provide for at least a modicum of accountability for serious violations,” said Ian Seiderman, ICJ’s Legal and Policy Director.

Former Australian prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, has urged the new Home Affairs Minister, Karen Andrews, to release a Tamil asylum-seeking family from immigration detention on Christmas Island, during a Q&A session on ABC. 

Turnbull was the prime minister when Priya and Nades Murugappan, who moved to Australia with separate asylum claims in 2012 and 2013, were first detained alongside their daughters Kopica and Tharnicca after their four-year bridging visa expired in March 2018. 

A tree planting ceremony was held in Vavuniya last week in tribute to legendary Tamil actor and comedian Vivek.