Jaffna University music lecturer and former LTTE cadre Kanesasundaram Kannadasan, has been remanded under the heavily disputed Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), despite the Court of Appeal (CoA) overturning a life sentence last year. Kannadasan was charged for allegedly recruiting "child soldiers" and facilitating forced abductions and awaits a retrial hearing next week.

Sri Lanka’s cabinet has approved a new constitutional amendment that will see the presidential office of Gotabaya Rajapaksa expand its role and the scaling back of constitutional checks and balances on executive power.

Canadian Tamils gathered in Brampton’s City Hall to begin the “Walk for Justice,” where 5 dedicated men began their walk to Ottawa’s parliament hill to call for an international investigation into Tamil disappearances in Sri Lanka.

This is in solidarity with families of the disappeared who are making the same demand of the UN Human Right’s Commissioner.

 

Speaking with People for Equality and Relief in Lanka (PEARL), both Sivakami Rajamanoharan, PEARL’s senior Advocacy Officer and former Tamil Guardian Editor-in-Chief, as well as Roshni Raveenthiran, a Tamil educator and community organiser, delivered an enlightening discussion on the role of female Tamil activists; the difficulties they face; and the means of by which the Tamil community can empower women.

 

A demonstration over the shortage of doctors was held outside Vavuniya Chettikulam Base hospital yesterday. 

Protesters held placards which called for patient hostels to be reopened and stated that there were currently more patients than doctors in the hospital. 

US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Alaina B. Teplitz has opened a new school, the Khoonethivu Navalar school, in Sampur, Trincomalee, with the assistance of Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Education.

The new facility includes a two-story classroom building with 8 classrooms, a rainwater harvesting system and washrooms for both men and women, as well as teachers and those with disabilities. The building will also serve as an emergency shelter for up to 400 evacuees from the local community which is especially beneficial as the region is vulnerable to natural disasters.

Norwegian Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Trine Eskedal, congratulated Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa on his recent election victory, and told him that she is looking forward to working with the new government.

In their meeting, the Ambassador emphasised that Norway is looking forward to a continued positive relationship with Sri Lanka, and discussed areas of collaboration such as development and renewable energy.

<p>Residents of Mullaitivu have raised concern over the increased activity of illlegal logging occurring near the town of Thunukkai.</p> <p>The rate of deforestation within the area is increasing as residents have <em><a href="https://www.virakesari.lk/article/88671">reported </a></em>that the illegal logging takes place on a daily basis, including the logging of trees which have existed for centuries.&nbsp; The local population explained that the fallen trees are being illegally transported out of the area.</p>

Tamil mother at a rally in Vavuniya marking 1289 days of roadside protest

Global Tamil diaspora groups expressed solidarity with the families of the disappeared in a press release, marking the International Day  of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances.