Approximately 1,000 people participated in a rally in Chennai earlier today, as political parties across the board rallied against the Sri Lankan government, condemning the demolition of the Mullivaikal monument at Jaffna University. 

A hartal is underway today across the North-East with businesses, shops and schools across the region shutting down in protest over the recent demolition of the Mullivaikkal memorial monument in the University of Jaffna. 

The Jaffna University Vice Chancellor has given assurances that the destroyed Mullivaikkal memorial monument will be rebuilt “with proper approval” in its previous place and placed a foundation stone today morning, to symbolise that he has “accepted the demands” of the students.

Tamil Canadians organized a socially distanced car rally, condemning the recent destruction of the Mullivaikkal monument at Jaffna University.

The protestors took part in a car rally starting at Brampton City Hall with a final destination of Toronto City Hall in Queen’s Park.

Sri Lanka has launched a medical insurance program exclusively for Buddhist monks and their family members which will provide hospitalization and diagnostic testing cover. 

The insurance will include an annual premium of 2,000 rupees, a cover of 1,000 rupees a day up to a maximum of 15,000 rupees for hospitalization in a private or state hospital. 
For diagnostic tests or medicine, another 25,000 rupees will be afforded and a 2,000 rupee policy can be gifted by devotees to a Buddhist monk. 

India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said it is “in Sri Lanka’s own interest that the expectations of the Tamil people for equality, justice, peace and dignity” are met, as he concluded a visit to the island last week.

In Jaishankar’s address to a joint press conference with Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, he went on to state “that applies equally to commitments made by the Sri Lankan government on meaningful devolution, including the 13th Amendment”. 

Retired Rear Admiral and Minister of Public Security, Sarath Weerasekara has attacked Jaffna protesters claiming that no-one has a right to commemorate "dead terrorists".

Art by Sagi Thilipkumar

A new wave of protest has erupted in the Tamil homeland as a monument dedicated to the tens of thousands massacred in Mullivaikkal was razed from the Jaffna University campus under the cover of night. Students and locals gathered outside the campus gates while Sri Lankan Special Task Force (STF) troops stood guard, blocking their entry and allowing the destruction to take place unhindered. 

Marking the 30^th anniversary of the UN Human Development Report, over a dozen human rights organisations have signed a joint statement calling on Sri Lanka to recentre its development approach, noting a history of development which has “exacerbated existing inter-community tensions” and contributed to ethnic conflict.

The destruction of a monument constructed to commemorate the victims of the Mullivaikkal massacres is “an act of denial of a people’s right to memory” said the University of Jaffna Students’ Union, in a statement released this morning.