The United States announced that it has withdrawn its offer of a Rs. 89 billion Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) grant to Sri Lanka, “due to lack of partner country engagement”.

The US statement comes after months of controversy around the grant, which has seen widespread Sinhala nationalist opposition.

A newly launched archive that hosts the works of Anton Balasingham was launched this week, marking the 14^th anniversary since the passing of the chief negotiator and political strategist of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). 

The website – www.antonbalasingham.com – hosts a collection of Balasingham’s interviews and writings in both Tamil and English. 

A remembrance ceremony was held in Paris this week, as French Tamils gathered to mark 14 years since the passing of Anton Balasingham, the chief negotiator and political strategist of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

The commemoration took place at the Tamil Coordinating Committee's office, where flowers were laid before a portrait of Balasingham.

See more photographs from the event below.

Protests have taken place across the North-East today, as Tamils and Muslims across the region demonstrated against the Sri Lankan government’s policy of forcibly cremating Muslims, who it states have contracted the coronavirus.

The cremations, which continue to take place, run directly contrary to World Health Organisation (WHO) advice and Islamic practice.

The International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP) and Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka (JDS) called on the Sri Lankan government yesterday to explain in court the fate of hundreds of Tamils and Sinhalese who are missing or forcibly disappeared, according to newly released government lists.

The released data covers a range of dates, showing that more than 330 Tamils are listed as ‘missing’ from the final days of the armed struggle in 2009 and the 154 Sinhalese more from the Matale district in 1989. The ITJP however estimates that the OMP’s statistics whilst large are grossly underestimated.

A fire has broken out at Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court complex in Colombo.

At least eight fire brigade units have been dispatched.

Sri Lankan authorities have not yet given any explanation as to how the fire started.

More to follow.

England’s cricket team confirmed it will be embarking on a tour to Sri Lanka next month, where members will be spending five days at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium, amidst fears over deteriorating human rights on the island and growing calls from anti-racism campaigners for a sporting boycott. 

Amnesty International has called on the Sri Lankan government to “implement their commitments to release hundreds of detainees to ease overcrowding and improve prison conditions” amidst the growing threat of COVID-19 across prisons, and also called for an investigations into a prison fire started by Sri Lankan police officers opening fire, at the end of last month at Mahara Prison Complex.

In their statement, the human rights group stated:

“In the immediate term, there must be a thorough and impartial investigation into this incident and the use of lethal force – including firing live ammunition – by prison authorities.”

Sri Lankan police removed white cloths from the Borella Kanatte crematorium gate in Colombo last night, with the military, intelligence personnel and police also interrogating and taking photographs of those visiting the site.

The cloths were tied on Saturday, as an act of solidarity with the Muslim community.