Jaffna University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sivakolundu Srisatkunarajah claims that the demolition of the Mullivaikkal memorial in the university campus ensured protection of older monuments. 

Last night, dozens of Tamils demonstrated in front of the university premises as authorities bulldozed a memorial monument erected in 2019 by the University Students Union, dedicated to the tens of thousands of Tamils killed in Mullivaikkal by the Sri Lankan state. 

Responding to the protests at Jaffna University,  Canada's Minister for Foreign Affairs and several MPs have condemned the destruction of a Mullivaikkal memorial, commemorating the lives lost during the Tamil liberation struggle.  

As protests continue outside the University of Jaffna over the destruction of a remembrance monument, the Vice-Chancellor responded by claiming the memorials must be taken down and slammed the demonstrations at the gates.

"They have come because they are over-enthusiastic," said Vice-Chancellor S Srisatkunarajah, as protests took place outside the campus gates. "It is illegal for them to threaten us. If they do not go by themselves we will deal with them.”

Dozens of Tamils staged a demonstration outside the University of Jaffna into the early hours of the morning, as armed Sri Lankan troops have blocked off the entrance to the campus after authorities bulldozed a memorial monument.

At least two Tamil students have been arrested so far, as the security forces rushed to the scene and crowds grew.

The 36th anniversary of the assassination of Tamil human rights activist and local Catholic parish priest Reverend Father Mary Bastian was commemorated through a blood donation camp on Wednesday.

Mannar Diocesan Bishop Emmanuel Fernando officiated at the consecration ceremony in the evening at the Vankalai Holy Temple and a memorial service was held in front of the statue of Rev.Fr. Mary Bastian at the temple premises.

After several months of infighting and reports of abductions and assaults, an extremist Sinhala Buddhist monk accused of hate speech has been sworn in to Sri Lanka’s parliament this week.

Athuraliye Rathana was sworn in after his Our Power of People Party (OPPP) was allocated one National List seat in parliament, as they secured 67,758 votes in the 2020 election.

English cricket player Moeen Ali tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, after the team arrived for a controversial tour of Sri Lanka which has faced opposition from rights activists calling for a sporting boycott.

The tour, which is taking place despite the global coronavirus pandemic, saw players arrive in Sri Lanka last week. After arriving, however, Ali tested positive for coronavirus and is now isolating in a hotel in Hambantota.

US Senator Rand Paul has hit out at the recently passed US coronavirus relief bill for a “bunch of socialist spending”, as he slammed the stimulus package’s international spending – highlighting how US$15 million has allegedly been allocated to “buy high speed boats for Sri Lanka”.

The bill, passed last month, is technically as part of a US$1.4 trillion omnibus spending bill with foreign aid.

The Sri Lankan government is using the coronavirus pandemic “to whitewash military officers who face allegations of war crimes” said the International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP) this week, after the regime announced 25 military officers were to be put in charge of civilian health across the island.

Many of the officers had “frontline combat experience in the final phase of the war in Sri Lanka in 2009” when tens of thousands of Tamil civilians were killed by Sri Lankan forces.

Over 250 British Tamil organisations have called on the British government to sponsor a resolution at the 46^th UN Human Rights Council session, this March, which established an “International Independent Investigative Mechanism” to investigate war crimes committed by the Sri Lankan military including the charge of genocide against the Tamil people.