As US Secretary of State Mike Pomepo lands in Colombo today, close attention will be paid to his meetings at Temple Trees, where he will meet with Sri Lanka’s war crimes-accused president and prime minister. The Sri Lankan government will no doubt spin this as an US attempt to court the regime in Colombo or even as international applause for how the Rajapaksa siblings have ruled since they returned to power. The Secretary of State must make clear that this is far from the case. 

The Colombo-based Defence Advisors of Australia, Bangladesh, China, India, Japan, Pakistan, Russia, United States and the United Kingdom held a meeting with the war crimes accused head of the Sri Lankan military last week, to discuss the government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Sri Lankan Opposition leader, Sajith Premadasa, has called for the reinstatement of the death penalty for “terrorists and drug dealers”.

The call for reimplementing the death penalty, which has currently been on a hiatus for the past 44 years, follows discussions between Sri Lanka’s Justice Minister, Ali Sabry and Premadasa on the removal of constitutional checks within the 20^th amendment.

Speaking in parliament, JVP MP, Vijitha Herath, claimed that the murder of Makandure Madush, a notorious drug “kingpin” who was under police custody at the Maligawatte Housing complex, was done to protect 80 politicians complicit in drug trafficking.

According to Sri Lanka’s police, Madush who had taken the police officers to the housing complex to recover a stock of heroin was killed when a shootout ensued at the complex. Two police officers were also injured during the shootout.

A biopic of Velupillai Prabhakaran, the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) is back in the works according to an announcement made by Kollywood actor Bobby Simha last week.

The actor told his fans on social media that the film titled “Seerum Puli” - 'Raging Tiger', in which Simha would play the lead role could be expected for release soon. It is expected to chronicle the early life of Prabhakaran and chart his rise as a liberation fighter.

Ahead of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s visit to Sri Lanka tomorrow, Tamils families of the disappeared in Vavuniya called on the United States to ensure that it pushes into the wherabouts of their disappeared loved ones, as roadside protests continue across the North-East.

Protests have taken place across Tamil Nadu in support of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) President Thol.Thirumavalavan and calling for a ban on an ancient Hindu text Manusmriti, which has caused controversy over segments that denigrate women.  

In an online speech delivered on ‘Periyar and Indian Politics’ to the European Union Periyar and Ambedkar Comrades’ Federation, Thirumavalavan held forth that the Hindu scripture denigrates and enslaves women.  

Sri Lanka’s High Commission in London has been busy lobbying the British government after a ruling last week found that the Home Office decision to keep the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) proscribed as a terrorist organisation was “flawed” and unlawful, reports the Sunday Times.

Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner Saroja Sirisena reportedly held a Zoom meeting with Fergus Auld, Director South Asian Department of the Foreign Office warning of the supposed dangers of delisting the LTTE, shortly after the landmark judgment.

The Mullaitivu police department has accelerated measures to crack down on illegal timber smuggling in areas across Mullaitivu, following the attack of the Tamil Guardian correspondents last month. 

US Secretary of State may be in for a fiery meeting with Sri Lankan leaders in Colombo this week, with a report claiming that the Sri Lankan officials will hit back at US calls on human rights, justice and economic policies.

US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Dean R. Thompson said earlier in the week that Mike Pompeo will raise issues of “democratic governance, human rights, reconciliation, religious freedom, and justice,” adding that Colombo is “at a point to make some choices about where they head”.