Vanni Arasu, the legislative party leader of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), on Wednesday called on the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and the newly formed government led by Chief Minister Vijay Joseph to take steps in support of Eelam Tamils

Preparatory cleaning and maintenance work commenced on Tuesday evening at the Mullivaikkal memorial site ahead of the 17th anniversary remembrance events for the victims of the Mullivaikkal genocide, which are set to be observed across the Tamil homeland on May 18.

Mullivaikkal Kanji was served across Batticaloa today in remembrance of the Tamils that were massacred by the Sri Lankan government and its armed forces 17 years ago.

Kanji - a porridge of rice and water - was the only food available to Tamils trapped in the Sri Lankan government declared 'No Fire Zones'.

Tamil families of the disappeared distributed Mullivaikkal Kanji in Mannar today to mark the second day of Tamil Genocide Remembrance Week. 

The Association of Families of the Enforced Disappeared in Mannar district prepared and distributed kanji in the Pallimunai Perukku Maraththadi area to remember the fate of the Tamils who were trapped in No Fire Zones, denied food and subject to intense shelling by the Sri Lankan government. 

Special prayers were held at Selva Sannidhi Murugan temple in Thondaimaanaru on Tuesday, May 12, in remembrance of those who were killed in Mullivaikkal in the final stages of the armed conflict. 

Former parliamentarian M. A. Sumanthiran has accused the Sri Lankan police of attempting to prevent the implementation of the law out of fear of Sinhala Buddhist clergy, alleging that officers were acting under a “Sinhala-Buddhist supremacist mindset” in relation to the controversial Thaiyiddy Tissa Vihara issue in Jaffna.

A Mullivaikkal remembrance vehicle procession commenced on Tuesday morning from the Thiyaga Theepam Thileepan memorial site, as commemorative events marking the Tamil genocide remembrance week continued across the North-East.

The procession began at approximately 9.00 a.m. on May 12, with members of the public, civil society activists, and political representatives gathering at the memorial despite heavy rainfall in the area.

Former Sri Lankan president and accused war criminal Mahinda Rajapaksa appeared before the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) on Tuesday (May 12) to record a statement in connection with the controversial Airbus aircraft procurement deal involving SriLankan Airlines.

Rajapaksa left the Bribery Commission premises after nearly two hours, following the recording of his statement before investigators.