Former Norwegian peace envoy Erik Solheim stirred criticism after he claimed “Northern Sri Lanka is at peace,” after he returned to the Tamil homeland for the first time in 20 years.

“This is first time I am back to Jaffna and Kilinochchi,” tweeted Solhiem. “Northern Sri Lanka is at peace and that is wonderful. Security is good. Noone want to go back to the war days (sic).”

A book chronicling the struggles and unique history of Eelam Tamils was launched in Jaffna last month.

The book, titled “Ethnic Cleansing of Tamils in Sri Lanka", is authored by Selvendra Sabaratnam the former president of the Valvettithura Citizens' Committee. He handed over the first copies of his book to former High Court judge and leader of the Tamil Makkal Thesiya Kootan (TMTK), C.V. Wigneswaran at the party office last month.

Yanchan Rajmohan, professionally known as Yanchan Produced is a 29-year-old Tamil Canadian singer, mridangam player, and producer. Yanchan has gained recognition globally for his genre-bending style that brings together South Asian and Western Music, and recently became the first artist of Eelam origin to play their music for the National Basketball Association (NBA), performing at the first-ever Raptors South Asian Heritage Night.

The Tamil Guardian recently sat down with him to talk about his passion for Carnatic music, carving out a space for himself in the music industry, and Tamil resilience. 

Self-determination for the Eelam Tamil people is the “main solution” to the enduring ethnic conflict on the island, said US House Representative Wiley Nickel, after he introduced a historic resolution to the US Congress last week.

Speaking with the Tamil Guardian at his office in Washington D.C., Representative Nickel said the resolution was “an important first step” in leading US action on the island.

Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Dinesh Gunwardena rejected the notion that his government was caught in a Chinese ‘debt trap’ and instead praised Beijing for standing by Colombo “to overcome terrorism”.

“Sri Lanka, as I mentioned, has always respected, trusted, and committed to development with China. China’s help, and assistance have been for our development,” he told Chinese media last month.

Sri Lankan president Ranil Wickremesinghe’s visit to the North-East was marked by protests from Tamils who continue to demand justice for enforced disappearances and the release of military occupied land.

A “Sri Ramayana Trail” project was launched in Colombo last month, with the backing of the Indian High Commission and the chief treasurer of the controversial Sri Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

The initiative is part of an Indian government backed move to expedite connectivity and bolstering ties between India and Sri Lanka.

The Sri Lankan government is in the process of establishing a small arms ammunition manufacturing unit within the island, as the state shows no sign of stopping the rampant militarisation that has taken place over years.

Responding to a documentary, by Germany’s DW, detailing human rights abuses committed by UN peacekeeping officers from Bangaldesh and Sri Lanka, United Nations Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, noted that he was aware of the abuses and reaffired the UN's commitment to proper vetting.

The human rights crimes committed include allegations of torture and extrajudicial killings.