Sri Lankan Prime Minister, Mahinda Rajapaksa, said it was “the responsibility of journalists to make the government aware of the real issues endured by the people of the North,” as he met with Tamil Journalists earlier this week at Temple Trees.

During the meeting, Rajapaksa told the journalists that he had implemented “development projects” and the previous regime “failed to provide such a service for the people of the North and East”.

The Uthayan in Jaffna marked 33 years since the first ever assault by the LTTE’s elite Black Tiger unit, with a feature spread in the newspaper on Sunday.

Sri Lanka’s Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) arrested Tamil woman in Kilinochchi, accusing her of involvement with an explosion that occurred earlier in the week and of possessing an allegedly home-made banner to mark Black Tigers Day.

The arrest occurred after a reported explosion in the area which injured a family member who is a former LTTE cadre.

The arrested woman is reported to be a teacher in the local area.

UK Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said the UK have "noted with concern the rise in anti-Muslim sentiment in Sri Lanka" following the outbreak of COVID-19, in response to a question on Sri Lanka last week. 

Nigel Adams answered a written question posed by Ruth Jones, MP for Newport West, who asked "what recent assessment he has made of the political situation in Sri Lanka," to which the minister responded: 

Over 60 human rights organisations and 180 individuals have signed a letter in support of International Truth and Justice Project's (ITJP) Executive Director, Yasmin Sooka, who is facing threats from the Sri Lankan government. 

Last month, Sri Lanka's State Intelligence Services (SIS) Major General Suresh Sallay, who stands accused of human rights abuses, filed a formal complaint with the United Nations and the European Union, claiming that Ms Sooka had made "defamatory remarks" in a press release outlining his role in detaining a Tamil doctor. 

On July 5, Eelam Tamils across the world remember and mourn the sacrifices made by the LTTE's elite women and men, the Black Tigers. “Karumpuli Naal” marks the sacrifice made by the first Black Tiger, Captain Miller, or Vallipuram Vasanthan, 33 years ago.

Despite threats and warnings issued by army and police officials in the North-East, a clay candle tribute to honour and mark Black Tigers Day was held at Jaffna University today. Students of Jaffna University went to the university premises today to pay their tributes for the fallen.

The families of the disappeared in Vavuniya were issued a court order that prevented them from staging their scheduled protest today afternoon.

They have been demonstrating outside the post office on the Vavuniya A9 road for over 1,000 consecutive days of protest.

The court order was granted following a request from Vavuniya police officials that were concerns today’s scheduled protest would commemorate and mark the Black Tigers Day on top of their other requests and demands.

On July 5, Eelam Tamils across the world remember and mourn the sacrifices made by the LTTE's elite women and men, the Black Tigers. “Karumpuli Naal” marks the sacrifice made by the first Black Tiger, Captain Miller, or Vallipuram Vasanthan, 33 years ago.

In 1987, he attacked a Sri Lankan Army garrison in Nelliyadi in the Jaffna district, by driving a small truck with explosives into it. Forty Sri Lankan soldiers were killed in the attack.

Sri Lankan police have threatened Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) leader, Gajen Ponnambalam, with arrest if Black Tigers Day is commemorated today.