The Sri Lankan army continued with its militarisation of Tamil schools in the North-East, by teaming up with university students from Moratuwa and handing out school accessories to Tamil schoolchildren in Jaffna last week.

Uniformed Sri Lankan troops accompanied students from the Rio Club of the University of Moratuwa, to the Uduththurai Maha Vidyalaya in Jaffna where the event took place.

The Philippine president’s campaign against illegal drugs, which has been internationally condemned for its brutality, was praised by the Sri Lankan president yesterday.

Sri Lankan president Maithripala Sirisena who is on a state visit to the Philippines this week said, “the war against crime and drugs carried out by you [President Duterte] is an example to the whole world, and personally to me. Drug menace is rampant in my country and I feel that we should follow your footsteps to control this hazard.”

Sirisena’s intentions to reinstate the death penalty for drug offences were heavily condemned by human rights groups and the international community last year.

Students and staff at the University of Jaffna today remembered the 18th anniversary of the 'Pongu Thamil' uprising. 

Gathering by the Pongu Thamil declaration monument on the university campus grounds, students and staff remembered the widespread uprising calling for Tamil self-determination. 

Residents from a border village in Vavuniya, Iranai Iluppaikkulam, protested yesterday against the authorities' failure to ensure a permanent doctor at the local hospital.  

Demanding that a permanent doctor be appointed, residents protested outside the Primary Medical Health Care Hospital in the village. 

^{British Tamils at the Houses of Parliament this week, celebrating Thai Pongal}

Thai Pongal celebrations took place across Britain this week, with parliamentarians and other politicians from across the political spectrum praising the contribution of the British Tamil community and pledging to continue work towards justice in the Tamil homeland.

<p>A Tamil man has been arrested in Germany over accusations he was involved in the 2005 assassination of Sri Lanka's foreign minister, Lakshman Kadirgamar, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2019/01/17/world/europe/ap-eu-germany-…">AP </a>reports.&nbsp;</p> <p>The man, 39-year-old Navanithan G, was also allegedly a member of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).&nbsp;</p> <p>He was arrested on Wednesday in southwestern Germany.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sri Lanka's senior Buddhist clergy, known as the Maha Sangha, have urged the government to make sure it seeks their blessings and approval prior to make any constitutional changes.&nbsp;</p> <p>Despite the UNP led government's repeated assurances to the Buddhist clergy that Buddhism would continue to hold the foremost position in the constitution, clergy members cast doubt over the government's intentions in making any alterations. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The international community must “press the government” in Colombo to ensure action is taken on justice for abuses, said Human Rights Watch (HRW), stating that stalling reforms had been further threatened by political instability on the island.</p> <p>“The many victims of Sri Lanka’s three-decade long civil war have seen their diminishing hopes for justice further delayed by presidential politics,” said&nbsp;Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director at Human Rights Watch, commenting on the turmoil that Colombo was plunged into with the appointment of Mahinda Rajapaksa as prime minister in October.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami announced his decision at a Tamil Nadu legislative assembly earlier this month to carve the Kallakurichi district out of the Villupuram district, effectively creating the 33rd district of the state.</p>

The Sri Lankan president signed a series of deals including on military exchange with the Philippines on Wednesday.

The deals were signed during bilateral talks in Manila with the president of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte.