A group of Sinhala monks who were escorted to the Vedukkunaari Adi Shiva temple in Vavuniya by the Sri Lankan army reiterated claims that the site was Buddhist and sent a warning to the Tamil diaspora over the future of the site.

It is learnt that the monks were escorted by the army on plough machine in what is said was a surprise visit that the temple administrators were not formally alerted of.

Vavuniya High Court Judge Manikkavasagam Ilanchelian ruled that the commanders of the Sri Lankan army's Omanthai Command should be held responsible for the disappearance of Tamil youth, Kandasamy Ilamaran, who went missing upon arriving at the Omanthai checkpoint in 2006. 

A memorial to mark the 19th death anniversary of the former ITAK MP for the Amparai District, Ariyanayagam Chandranehru, was held by the Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) on Friday.

Chandranehru hailed from Thirukkovil, Amparai. He was named after two leading Indian independence activists admired by his father – Subhas Chandra Bose and Jawaharlal Nehru. He was the son of K. A. W. Ariyanayagam (Arappor Ariyanayagam), one of the founders of the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK). 

On 2 February, Malvern Family Resource Center (MFRC) launched its #MalvernMade campaign to celebrate and recognise Malvern changemakers who have made a positive impact in the community. The event was attended by notable politicians and community leaders including Scarborough – Rouge Park MP Gary Anandasangaree and Deputy Mayor McKelvie.

In the Eastern province of Kalmunai, dozens of Sri Lankan Muslims gathered after Friday prayers to protest ongoing war in Gaza and express their support for Palestinians.

Image of UNHCR camp by UKAID

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugee (UNHCR) has announced that it will close its offices in Colombo before the end of this year, leaving hundreds of refugees uncertain over their future.

The UNHCR is the internationally mandated body that is responsible for processing refugees for resettlement to third countries and provides vital support to enable refugees to access basic essentials in their country of asylum.

In a historic court case, the Appeal Court of Sri Lanka issued a notice to the Sri Lankan army to appear before the judge on March 28th for intentionally concealing information on the number and names of the LTTE cadres who surrendered during the final phase of the war. 

The case was prompted by a Right to Information (RTI) request filed by a former journalist in 2019. The Sri Lankan army despite having the information detailing the figures, the names, the gender, and to whom these surrenders were handed over or where they were sent, has maintained silence over the details. Tamil families of the disappeared have repeatedly demanded the release of these details during their years-long protests.

The Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) Batticaloa district organiser Kanapthipillai Gukakumarajah and his son have been released on bail after they were arrested for trying to commemorate Maaveerar Naal. 

Sri Lanka is aiming to negotiate a debt restructuring with holders of its defaulted US dollar bonds within “a couple of months”, the bankrupt south Asian nation’s central bank governor said, despite complaints by private creditors that no "substantive engagements" have occurred and that there is a "lack of transparency" with government creditors.

Five Eelam Tamils including three children from the same family reached Dhanushkodi yesterday, after undertaking a journey by boat from Mannar to seek refuge in Tamil Nadu. 

The family who were sent to Mandapam Camp were originally from Vavuniya and had paid a sum of Rs.150,000 to the owners of the boat and crew so they could be taken to Tamil Nadu.