Demonstrators in Kilinochchi

Kilinochchi locals voiced their discontent concerning Sri Lanka’s policy of compulsory cremations, as campaigns against the moved continued across the North-East.

The state’s policy opposes Islamic practices and concerns raised by the UN as well as World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines whic notes that cremations for COVID-19 related deaths are not compulsory.

Politicians, religious leaders and locals in Mannar took part in a protest on Thursday (31^st December) against the Sri Lankan government’s continued insistence to forcibly cremate Muslim victims of COVID-19.

The demonstration commenced at 9:00 AM local time and took place in front of the Mannar district secretariat, with politicians such as Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) MP for the Vanni district, Charles Nirmalanathan among those in attendance.

24 high ranking military personnel have been appointed to oversee COVID-19 responses and quarantine procedures in districts across Sri Lanka.

The newly-appointed officers include 18 Major Generals, 5 Brigadiers and 2 Colonels.

Marking 1414 days of protest, Families of the Disappeared (FOD) took the streets in Vavuniya demanding that the international community and UN refer Sri Lanka to the International Criminal Court.

Their demands come in advance of the 46th UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session in Geneva this March. They have written to ambassadors to the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada, and Australia.

Tamil Heritage Month began in Canada this week as politicians from across the political spectrum paid tribute to the Tamil community.

An online event with cultural performances was held on New Year’s day to mark the start of the month, which will see events held virtually throughout January.

Commemorating the 13th anniversary of Tamil MP, Thiyagaraja Maheswaran's murder, members of the UNP and supporters gathered in Vaddukoddai constituency office on New Year's Day.

On this day 15 years ago, five Tamil students were summarily executed by Sri Lanka's Special Task Force, whilst they spent an afternoon on the beach in Trincomalee.

To date no one has been held accountable for the murder.

Sri Lankan police burned approximately 532 kg of turmeric which they alleged was smuggled from India last week, as an import ban on the spice has sent prices soaring.

The 65 Infantry division of the Sri Lankan army, which is stationed in Kilinochchi, marked their twelfth anniversary by seeking blessings from Sinhala Buddhist monks in an elaborate religious ceremony last month.

The troops took part in a Buddhist ceremony called the Bodhi Pooja Pinkama, organized to invoke blessings to all Officers, other ranks and civil servants of 65 Infantry Division. Soldiers dressed in all white and knelt before Buddhist monks as part of the ceremony.

Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary, and accused war criminal Kamal Gunaratne, denied that Sri Lanka’s military committed war crimes, during his New Years address, insisting that they had launched a “humanitarian operation”.