A collection of Tamil parliamentarians recently wrote a letter addressed to Chamal Rajapaksa, the Sri Lankan Internal Security Minister, asking him to put a stop to the “artificial alteration of the demographic pattern” of the Northern Province. 

Referring to a putative attempt by the government to redraw the borders of the Vanni district, the letter stated,

Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) General Secretary and MP, Selvarasa Kajendran, has tested positive for COVID-19 and has been instructed to self-isolate.

The announcement of his positive results follows his arbitrary arrest for commemorating the death of Lt Col Thileepan. Kajendran has also attended a parliamentary session this week.
 

The body of an Indian fisherman, Rajkiran, who was killed in an alleged collision with a Sri Lankan naval vessel on 18 October 2021 in the waters off Karainagar was recovered and sent to Tamil Nadu, India through Kankesanthurai (KKS) on Saturday. 

Following the alleged collision, the deceased went missing while two other Indian fishermen were rescued. Rajkiran's body was recovered on the afternoon of 20 October. 

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has provided clarifications and updates on the 'Sri Lanka accountability project' which was established by the UN Human Rights Council through Resolution 46/1 on 23 March 2021. 

For four days villagers in Kottaipattinam, Tamil Nadu, have been staging a sit-in protest to demand the return of two Tamil fishermen captured by the Sri Lankan navy, as well as the corpse of Rajkiran.

The protests come days after the fishermen were captured by Sri Lankan authorities with Kottaipattinam’s Fishermen Association’s Leader, Chinnaadaikalam, maintaining that Rajkiran was murdered by the Sri Lankan navy.

“We have seen pictures of the body. This is not what a person looks like if they drown. The Sri Lankans have given him acid and tortured him. That’s why his body has swelled up. We want answers from the government”.

A Sri Lankan police officer has reportedly carried out another assault on a Tamil youth in Batticaloa, less than 24 hours after a video of a different officer kicking and punching two youths emerged.

The latest incident is reported by Virakesari to have taken place in Karuvapankeni in Batticaloa.

Sri Lankan Terrorism Investigation Division has summoned Tamil journalists including U.L.Mabruk, a BBC Tamil journalist, for investigation. 

Mabruk has been asked to report to the Division’s office in Colombo on November 8. 

Julie Chung, the US nominee ambassador to Sri Lanka, testified before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations earlier this week.

See the full video of her hearing and read the full text of her testimony below.

Also see more on her testimony in our piece: 'Committed and consistent in support of human rights' - Julie Chung nominee US Ambassador for Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan security forces administered COVID-19 vaccines for Mannar students preparing for the GCE Advanced Level on Thursday.

Military personnel facilitated and administered Pfizer vaccines alongside Mannar Regional Health Services Director Dr. R. Vinodan and hospital staff in select schools in Mannar, Nanattan, Musali, Manthai West and Madu.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has announced that it will provide an additional US$2.5 million dollars in "urgent COVID-19 assistance" for Sri Lanka. 

The $US2.5 million in American Rescue plan funds will "accelerate equitable access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccinations and strengthen the ability of health workers to address COVID-19," explained USAID in a statement.