Today marks 36 years since the passing of Major Sothiya, the commander of the LTTE's first female unit. 

Maria Vasanthi Michael, known by her nomme de guerre ‘Sothiya’, was born on 20 September 1963. She first joined the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in 1984.

A formidable fighter, Sothiya took part in many battles, as female cadres began to take part in combat operations from 1986 onwards.

I have only seen Douglas Devandanda in person once in my life. It was in the most unusual of places.

The Sri Lanka government has issued a new extraordinary gazette renewing and extending its long-running ban on several Tamil diaspora organisations and individuals, continuing to designate them as “terrorists”.

Devananda’s career spans decades of Sri Lanka’s genocide against Tamils, marked by close alignment with the state and repeated ministerial appointments, as he was shielded from accountability for grave human rights violations.

Former Sri Lankan minister and leader of the paramilitary Eelam People’s Democratic Party Douglas Devananda has been granted bail by the Gampaha Magistrate’s Court, following his remand in connection with an investigation into the alleged transfer of a military issued firearm to an organised criminal.

Tamil film Salliyargal has been released directly on an over-the-top streaming platform, bypassing a theatrical release, in protest against what its makers describe as systematic denial of screens for films centred on the Tamil Eelam struggle.

Journalists in Batticaloa commemorated murdered Sri Lankan journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge earlier today, marking 17 years since he was gunned down in Colombo, amid renewed outrage over the state’s refusal to deliver justice.

Lucindha Lawson, a British-Tamil deaf football player from London, who won Bronze at the 2025 Deaflympics spoke to the Tamil Guardian about her medal winning journey.

The 34-year-old brought home the medal from Tokyo last month as part of the Great Britain (GB) Deaf Women’s Football team. 

Sri Lankan police recorded the personal and vehicle details of Tamils attending the monthly protest against the military-backed Thaiyiddy vihara on Wednesday, raising fresh fears of surveillance and future crackdowns against those opposing the occupation of Tamil-owned land.