Sri Lanka’s ‘Independence Day’ parade has drawn attention after it emerged that a military float carrying ‘War Heroes of Sri Lanka’ was adorned with a photograph of LTTE fighters.

The float, which was carrying seated fighters from the Sri Lankan military, was given a prominent place in the parade, reportedly carrying “War Heroes”.

It has since emerged that the second photograph on the float, seen in the photograph above, is of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) commandos on the battlefield.

Tamil families of the disappeared and activists rallied in Mullivaikkal this morning, to mark Sri Lanka's 74th Independence Day, which is regarded as a 'black day' for the Tamil nation. 

Sri Lanka’s finance minister Basil Rajapaksa revealed how his government illegally purchased weapons from North Korea during the height of the armed conflict, using money sourced from the “black market”. 

Rajapaksa, who holds US citizenship, told The Sunday Divayina this week that during the peak of Sri Lanka’s military offensive, he and other Sri Lankan officials would personally visit the ‘Pettah’ Business District in Colombo to speak with traders and obtain dollars in the black market. 

The money would then be used to purchase arms from North Korea, he continued.

In a massive rally this morning, Eelam Tamils in Jaffna have come out to protest against the 13^th amendment and have demanded recognition of Tamil nationhood and sovereignty through a federal structure.

British South Asia Minister, Lord Tariq Ahmad, has been on a whirlwind 3-day tour of Sri Lanka landing in Colombo and making trips to Jaffna and Trincomalee where he stressed the importance of human rights and accountability.

This was the first time the minister visited Jaffna.

A host of British parliamentarians and other politicians joined the British Tamil community in Westminster on Monday to celebrate Thai Pongal in London.

Lawmakers took to the stage and praised the British Tamil community, paying tribute to their contributions in several fields and pledging solidarity with their struggle for justice and accountability in the homeland.

Thai Pongal was celebrated across the Tamil homeland this morning, with festivities taking place despite concerns about rising food prcies, food shortages and the plight of farmers caused by the coronavirus pandemic. 

Last month, anti-apartheid leader Archbishop Desmond Tutu passed away aged 90.

We take a look at his association with the Tamil liberation struggle and calls for justice, equality and accountability in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Defence has declared that all marriages between Sri Lankan citizens and foreigners will now require military approval, sparking fears across the more than million-strong Tamil diaspora over its ties to the homeland.

The new law, which came into effect from January 1, 2022, requires all foreign nationals who are seeking to marry Sri Lankan citizens to obtain a “Security Clearance Report”.  An in-depth health declaration must also be submitted to the military, with details ranging from HIV status to any history of kidney disease.

The Sri Lankan military insists that the new measures are for “national security” purposes.

Today marks 32 years since the passing of Major Sothiya, the commander of the LTTE's first female unit. 

Maria Vasanthi Michael, known by her nomme de guerre ‘Sothiya’, was born on 20 September 1963. She first joined the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in 1984.

A formidable fighter, Sothiya took part in many battles, as female cadres began to take part in combat operations from 1986 onwards.