Despite repeat concerns over Sri Lanka’s war crimes accused army, Britain’s Defence attaché met with Sri Lanka’s current army commander Vikum Liyanage to discuss “enhancing training programmes for Sri Lankan Army personnel” and potential “exchange programmes”.

The meeting follows repeated warnings over deepening military impunity in Sri Lanka. In January 2021, the United Nation’s High Commissioner for Human Rights reported:

^{File photo: Sri Lankan army athletes}

At least ten athletes who were contesting in the Commonwealth Games for Sri Lanka have gone missing, with reports indicating that they may try to claim asylum in Britain.

The 9 athletes and a manager are reported to have vanished after completing their events.

Amongst those competing in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham are 37 Sri Lanka Army athletes. It has not yet been confirmed if any of the missing athletes are from the military.

Sri Lankan President, Ranil Wickremesinghe, is facing stiff opposition to his calls for an all-party government, with Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna rejecting any cabinet positions whilst the Samagi Jana Balawegaya remained divided.

Following continued opposition from Indian officials, Sri Lanka has requested an indefinite delay to a Chinese military ship that had planned to dock in Hambantota port.

The public U-turn follows the president’s inaugural speech in which heaped praise upon the Indian government for giving us “a breath of life” and slammed previous decisions to withdraw from Indian-led investment projects unilaterally. Sri Lankan President, Ranil Wickremesinghe, also spoke on the need to put “ineffective” state enterprises into private hands.

The National Forum of Tamil Culture launched a petition in Jaffna yesterday, demanding the arrest of former President and war criminal Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Rajapaksa is accused of overseeing the military offensive which saw the massacre of tens of thousands of Tamils in 2009. At the time, Rajapaksa was serving as defence secretary and oversaw the bombing of makeshift hospitals, widespsread sexual violence and the execution of surrendering Tamils. 

All images courtesy of Thaarakam

Tamils in France held a memorial event to mark the 16th anniversary of the Muttur massacre, where 17 aid workers from the French NGO, Action la Contre Faim (ACF), were summarily executed by the Sri Lankan security forces. 

^{File photo: Sri Lankan army athletes}

Sri Lankan athletes who are currently competing in the Commonwealth Games in the UK have had been forced to turn in their passports after their team mates absconded from the athletes' village earlier this week. 

Image courtesy of Action Contre la Faim (ACF)

On August 4 2006, Sri Lankan security forces summarily executed 17 aid workers from the French NGO, Action la Contre Faim (ACF), in Muttur, Trincomalee. 

The killings, which have since been dubbed as the 'Muttur massacre', took place at the organisation's compund where the ACF team were based as they provided humanitarian assistance to the survivors of the catastrophic tsunami in 2004. 

Australian authorities have finally granted permanent residency to the Nadesalingams, an Eelam Tamil family of asylum seekers who have faced years of legal battles to avoid deportation to Sri Lanka.

The family – Priya, Nades, Tharni and Kopi – were removed by Australian authorities from their home in Biloela almost four years ago. This week, Australia’s Immigration Minister Andrew Giles announced they had been granted permanent residency.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa won the 2019 presidential election. It is no secret that it has succeeded in instilling Islamophobia among the Sinhalese population. 6.9 million voters – mostly Sinhalese Buddhists – elected him. They celebrated the victory with loud cheers and by serving milk rice, saying that they have got a solid leader for the country.