The son of Chamal Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka’s former speaker and minister, Shasheendra has been appointed by Ranil Wickremesinghe as the State Minister for Irrigation and Water Resources Management, in a move that sees a member of the Rajapaksa family back in government, after the former president was ousted by protests in 2022.

Sri Lanka's preparations to mark its 76th Independence Day have already been marred, after two paratrooper mishaps resulted in four military officers being hospitalised, whilst the ongoing economic crisis has angry citizens in the south taking to the streets in protest. 

File photograph: Tamil protest for justice after Nagarasa Alex was tortured to death in November 2023

Kanesh Nishanthan who was recently released from Jaffna prison, died yesterday, sparking suspicion over the cause of his death.

The 28 year old, who hails from Nallur was detained and held at the Jaffna prison and was released on the 26th of this month. 

An attempt to acquire 500 acres of land that had been handed to its rightful owners in Jaffna's Valikamam North has been exposed by locals who are questioning the Sri Lankan government’s intention for re-surveying the land. 

Five individuals have been arrested on Tuesday over an alleged assault on two Sri Lankan police officers in Jaffna.

Both Pakistan and India have conducted naval exercises with Sri Lanka despite ongoing concerns over the ill treatment of Tamil fishermen.

On Thursday, Pakistan concluded its visit having conducted training exercises with the Sri Lankan Navy and enabling a formal visit for members of the Sri Lankan navy to see the Pakistan Naval Ship (PNS) SAIF, which was docked in Colombo. Pakistan’s Navy reported that officials discussed matters of mutual interest signalling closer collaboration.

In the nation-state identified as Sri Lanka, police and other security forces either committed atrocities toward Tamil citizens or stood by and allowed Tamil homes and communities to be pillaged and bombed. It is outrageous that the Peel Regional Police Chief would plan for a collaboration to strengthen the Sri Lankan police force that is currently led by Deshabandu Tennakoon, who has been deemed guilty by the Sri Lankan Supreme Court of violating many constitutional rights of citizens, police officers, and journalists alike and also personally tortured many while in the custody of the police force.

Sri Lanka has slipped further down places in Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index, from a rank of 38 in 2018 to 34 this year.

Transparency cites that the weak scores reflect the lack of delivery by elected officials on anti-corruption agendas, together with crackdowns on civil society and attacks on freedoms of press, assembly, and association. 

Batticaloa district organiser of the Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF), Kanapathipillai Gukakumararajah, and his son face extended remand until February 7, for attempting to commemorate Maaveerar Naal.

The Magistrate Court issued the order on January 24 under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). The arrests occurred when Gukakumararajah and his son were en route to the Thandiyadi Thuyilum Illam to commemorate Maaveerar Naal on November 27, 2023.

Eighteen years have passed since seven Tamil Rehabilitation Organizations (TRO) humanitarian workers were abducted by Sri Lankan government-backed paramilitaries in Batticaloa.