Tamil families of the disappeared protested in Jaffna earlier today as they continue to seek answers on the fate of their relatives who were forcibly disappeared by Sri Lanka’s security forces.

“Where are they? Where are the families that surrendered to the Sri Lankan military? Where are all the people who were taken for investigation by Sri Lanka’s security forces?” the families asked as they gathered in Jaffna. 

A massive protest was held by fishermen from Rameshwaram and neighboring districts in Tamil Nadu last week over the arrests of Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan navy.

The protestors condemned the Indian central government for not looking into these arrests, with several political parties also joining the protests to show their solidarity with the cause. 

Nava Sama Samaja Party (NSSP) leader Dr. Wickramabahu Karunaratne who called for the international recognition of the “ongoing” genocide of Tamils and the recognition of Tamil Eelam as a state has passed away in Colombo. He was 81 at the time of this death. 

The family members of the enforced disappeared gathered in Batticaloa in protest, demanding that the Sri Lankan government allow foreign experts to conduct a thorough judicial investigation. Young children and women were seen at the Gandhi Park in Batticaloa carrying placards and demanding the government deliver justice. "We don't want a death certificate or compensation, we want a judicial investigation,"  they demanded. 

Sri Lanka's former army commander and accused war criminal Sarath Fonseka has announced his bid for the presidential elections which are to be held later this year.

Taking to Twitter to make the announcement, he claimed that for the last 76 years, Sri Lanka has "been led by an inept political group that has led us to bankruptcy. ". He went on to state that for Sri Lanka to grow it needs to "crush corruption" and "leverage our natural resources". 

Construction workers in Colombo who were at a site near the Old Secretariat in Colombo - Fort discovered human skeletal remains last week.

The workers who are attached to a private construction firm said the remains were found nearly 6 feet underground. 

Former Sri Lankan army commander Sarath Fonseka claimed that allegations of war crimes and the number of casualties from the final phase of the armed conflict are grossly exaggerated, ahead of elections later this year. 

Fonseka has split from the Opposition party Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and is tipped to make his own presidential bid later this month, according to sources. 

Speaking at a recent event, he dismissed allegations of war crimes adding that the figures are exaggerated.

Sri Lanka's Inspector General of Police Deshabandu Tennakoon, whose appointment was tainted with controversy, has been forced to step away from performing his duties as the Inspector General of Police, following a Supreme Court decision to hear nine Fundamental Petitions that have been filed against him and his appointment to the post. 

Today marks 23 years since a team of 14 LTTE commandos infiltrated and attacked the Sri Lankan Air Force Base in Katunayake, destroying several aircraft and causing over US$500 million worth of damage without a single civilian fatality.