Speaking in parliament yesterday, Tamil Makkal Thesiya Kootani (TMTK) leader C.V. Wigneswaran criticised the government’s handling of the economic crisis and highlighted how Tamil communities in the North-East have suffered due to their policies and the military occupation of their land.

Sri Lankan debt

Commenting on Sri Lanka’s mounting debt, Wigneswaran warns that the country errs towards a financial default which would “trigger cross-defaults across all our loans”.

^{Petition sent to the Mannar Divisional Secretary}

Hundreds of locals in the village of Uppukulam in Mannar have been left without their state-designated COVID-19 relief items after they were handed out to a select few favoured personnel instead.  

Image courtesy of Action Contre la Faim (ACF)

On this day 15 years ago, Sri Lankan security forces summarily executed 17 aid workers from the French NGO, Action la Contre Faim (ACF), in Muttur, Trincomalee. 

A collection of organisations representing the interests of university education protested against the controversial Kotelawala National Defence University (KNDU) Bill in front of Jaffna University earlier today. 

The organisations included, among others, Universities’ Lecturers Association, Universities’ Trade Union Joint Committee and People’s Movement Against Militarisation of Education. 

Families of the disappeared in Amparai protested on Tuesday, demanding international justice for their forcibly disappeared family members.

Sri Lanka’s Attorney General has announced that it will not proceed with charges against Sri Lankan Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda over the abduction and disappearance of 11 youths including Tamils.

The decision follows the President’s Commission on “Political Victimisation” call for pardoning 25 former military officials who have been implicated in serious human rights violations as well as the prosecution of those involved in these investigations.

Image courtesy of Action Contre la Faim (ACF) 

Today, French NGO, Action Contre la Faim (ACF) called for those responsible for the massacre of 17 aid workers to be prosecuted as "justice has still not been served" despite 15 years passing since their murder.  

An online rally, organised by the Tamil Refugee Council, against the Australian government’s handling of Tamil asylum seekers took place in Sydney on Monday. 

Speaking to the media, Government spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella maintained that Sri Lanka does not legally recognise the rights of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community.

“As far as the Constitution of Sri Lanka goes it is not permitted. But there are discussions ongoing. This subject has been discussed over and over again. But right now it is not legalized,” he said. He further claimed that Sri Lanka’s police did not prosecute any LGBT activities.

ICRA Lanka, a credit rating agency and a subsidiary of Moody's Investors Service, has downgraded its GDP growth projection for Sri Lanka to 3.4% and for state revenue to weaken to 9.1% of the GDP as the country struggles in response to a third wave of the pandemic.

The report further warns that Sri Lanka’s trade would continue to deteriorate despite import restrictions due to rising commodity prices. The ICRA notes: