The Sri Lankan police officer accused of beating a Tamil youth to death has boasted of at least 9 different murders claimed the murdered man’s parents, as a second autopsy revealed that there were at least 31 different injuries on their son’s body.

The Chavakachcheri, Mallakam and Point Pedro Magistrates Courts have dismissed applications filed by Sri Lankan police seeking bans on the Maaveerar Naal events within their respective jurisdictions.

Police attempted to use both the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and current Covid-19 regulations to clamp down on commemorations of Maaveerar Naal in the Jaffna district.

The applications were submitted by the officers in charge of 2 police stations within the boundaries of Chavakachcheri Magistrate Court, 8 stations within the boundaries of Mallakam Magistrate Court and 3 stations within the boundaries of Point Pedro Magistrate Court.

Sri Lanka’s Office of Missing Persons (OMP) called for 20 documents from Tamil families of the disappeared last month, stating it was apparently required “to search” for their disappeared loves ones, despite having been in operation for several years.

The call for documents comes after many Tamil families co-operated with the government mechanism despite their wariness that this was to be another façade by the state and a move to obfuscate accountability for the enforced disappearances.

Mallakam District Court has summoned Valikamam East Pradeshiya Sabha chairman Thiyagaraja Nirosh and deputy chairman Kapilan over Maaveerar Naal commemorations as Sri Lankan police push for more bans across the North-East. 

The Valikamam East Pradeshiya Sabha chairman and his deputy have been ordered to appear in court on Monday 22nd November after the police sough a court order to ban any memorial events from taking place. 

Kokkadichcholai police officer hands court order to former TNA MP  P Ariyenthran. Photograph courtesy of Pathivu.

Seven individuals, including Tamil MPs, have been banned from participating in any commemoration events to mark Maaveerar Naal. 

Members of the Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) have launched a palmyrah tree planting programme to commemorate Maaveerar week, with the aim of planting 100,000 Palmyra seeds in Jaffna. 

The environmental branch of the TNPF launched the programme today amidst an intensifying crackdown in the North-East. 

Sri Lanka's security forces have set up a series of new checkpoints in Mullaitivu ahead of Maaveerar Naal, as the state ramps up it's crackdown on Tamil memorialisation of LTTE cadres. 

The state's forces have beefed up their presence across Mullaitivu district, particularly in the areas surrounding Thuyilum Illams - LTTE martyr resting homes. 

The Tamil Rights Group filed a Communication to the International Criminal Court (ICC) last week, seeking a preliminary examination into crimes against humanity of deportation and persecution committed against Eelam Tamils within the territories of state parties to the ICC.

The Tamil National Green Organization (TNGO) opened 'Karthika Vaasam' flower garden at Nallur Kittu Park in Jaffna on Saturday, as karthigaipoo flowers were pinned on participants including the Indian Deputy High Commissioner, ahead of Northern Tree Planting Month.

Shanakiyan Rasamanickam, a parliamentarian from the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), addressed an audience of Tamil diaspora in Toronto, Canada, stating that the party was progressing towards a "permanent solution" to the ongoing ethnic conflict.

His speech comes following the meeting between a TNA delegation with the US State Department earlier this week.