Writing in advance of the official state visit of Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Imran Khan, to Sri Lanka, Amnesty International has called on Pakistan’s leader to urge Sri Lanka to end its draconian policy of forced cremations and bring an end to the on-going discrimination faced by Muslims in Sri Lanka.

(Photos credit: HometoBilo)

The Australian Federal Court upheld an April 2020 ruling that the government’s handling of the visa application of the youngest Australian-born daughter of the Tamil family from Biloela, Tharnicaa, denied her procedural fairness. 

Following Sri Lanka’s withdrawal from the $500-$700 million-dollar ECT agreement, a second deal has been scrapped as Sri Lanka has reclaimed 99 World War II-era oil storage tanks leased to the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) in the eastern port district of Trincomalee.

In advance of the 46th UN Human Rights Council session, a number of former UN officials and international experts have called for Sri Lanka to be referred to the International Criminal Court; for UN member states to “to pursue justice through universal or extraterritorial jurisdiction”; and for “targeted sanctions against credibly alleged perpetrators of international crimes”.

The families of at least sixteen Tamil men that were arrested last year have expressed fears about their whereabouts and safety, after being unable to locate them following their arrest by Sri Lanka’s Terror Investigation Division (TID).

A Tamil youth has been arrested in Point Pedro, Jaffna for their participation in the Pottuvil to Polikandy (P2P) march earlier this month. 

The 26 year old who was identified by his motorbike registration number was released from Point Pedro police station after a six hour interrogation. 

Shavendra Silva seeing off Sri Lankan troops enroute UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan 

The International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP) have called on the United Nations Peacekeeping department to suspend the deployment of Sri Lankan troops following the release of the UN human rights chief's damning report last month. 

Former Northern Provincial Council member, Thurairasa Ravikaran, was summoned by Mullaitivu police on Monday over his participation in the Pottuvil to Polikandy (P2P) march earlier this month. 

Speaking to the press, Ravikaran said that the police told him that he participated in the protest despite a court order banning his participation. 

^{Photo credit: IBC Tamil}

A Tamil journalist who went to cover the Pottuvil to Polikandy (P2P) protest march earlier this month, was attacked by men in a white van.

IBC Tamil journalist, Rajinthan was injured as a result of an unprovoked assault on Friday 5^th February 2020.

India has offered a $12 million grant to Sri Lanka in an attempt to displace a contract with a Chinese company to install three renewable energy plants on islands just off the Jaffna Peninsula and around 50km from Tamil Nadu.

The Hindu notes that a number of northern Tamil political parties have voiced opposition to Chinese involvement in the project due to security concerns to Tamils and India.