Japan’s Foreign Minister, Toshimitsu Motegi, met with Sri Lankan President, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, to reaffirm their bilateral relationships and commitment to key areas of cooperation despite human rights concerns.

Toshimitsu Motegi greeted the newly appointed President during his three-day visit, congratulating him on his victory and stating that Sri Lanka is a “special friend of Japan”. He further stated, Japan will be hosting a conferenced called “Friends of Asia” to which President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has been invited.

A Muslim councillor who was shot in the head just weeks before the Easter Sunday attacks, described how his warnings to the Sri Lankan police were ignored, adding to evidence that the security forces received intelligence that an attack was due to take place, but may have allowed it to proceed.

In his first interview with journalists, Mohammad Taslim described how he had tried to warn authorities about two brothers, Sadiq and Shaheed Abdul-Haq, and rumours that they had been stockpiling weapons.

However, Sri Lankan authorities took no action.

<p>DMK leader, M K Stalin, and son of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M. Karunanidhi, has said that he would maintain his support for Malaysian Tamils.&nbsp;</p> <p>Stalin’s statement was addressed to a group of Malaysian Tamil representatives at Anna Arivalayam on Friday.&nbsp;&nbsp;"The DMK will be the first voice to speak in your support should you face any problem,” he said.</p>

<p>The European Union (EU) has launched seven new projects to support civil society organisations and human rights in Sri Lanka.&nbsp;</p> <p>The EU will be providing&nbsp;EUR 4 million&nbsp;to seven&nbsp;civil society organisations&nbsp;"who will work jointly with their local partners to promote social rights, women's empowerment, and freedom of expression in Sri Lanka. These projects will also help build the capacities of local communities and stakeholders, including the media, lawyers, and women's rights organisations," an EU statement&nbsp;said.&nbsp;</p>

Despite having lived in the country for decades, Eelam Tamils residing in India have been denied citizenship status by the new Citizenship Amendment Bill, which was passed by parliament last week.

Hundreds of thousands of Eelam Tamils remain refugees in India despite residing in the country for over three decades. The citizenship bill’s amendment gives Indian citizenship to non-Muslim migrants from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh yet excludes Eelam Tamils, in the midst of a number of other refugees. 

India has pledged to grant a sum of 300 million rupees for the expansion of Palaly airport in Jaffna, just weeks after the airport was ceremoniously opened by receiving a flight from Chennai.

Tranjith Singh, Indian High commissioner had made this announcement when he met with Prasanna Ratnunga, Sri Lanka’s Minister of Industrial Export Investment Promotion and Civil Aviation. 

The funding will largely focus on the expansion of the passenger terminal at the Palaly Airport, as well as the luggage inspection area.

Sri Lanka’s new president Gotabaya Rajapaksa issued a gazette that the defence ministry which he heads, control over state institutions that govern for non-governmental organisations, as well as the telecommunications and media agencies.

According to the gazette, a total of 31 institutions will come under Sri Lanka’s defence ministry. This includes not only the three branches of the military, but also the National Media Centre, Secretariat for Non- Governmental Organisations, the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka and Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka.

Today marks 13 years since the passing of the chief negotiator and political strategist of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Anton Balasingham. 

Balasingham, or as he was fondly known among Tamils - Bala Anna, was widely respected and adored by the nation. His charismatic addresses in venues around the world drew tens of thousands, as he provided political analysis with sharp wit. Leading LTTE delegations through numerous negotiations, Bala Anna eloquently and forcefully articulated the rights of the nation. His intellectual prowess and political acumen earned him respect from all sides of the negotiating table.

He remains an extraordinary theoretician and a formidable figure within the Tamil struggle.

Bala anna's special relationship with the Tamil Guardian is a bond that we remain deeply proud of to this day.

Just weeks into his tenure, journalists, activists and human rights defenders are increasingly fearful of Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s government following incidents of journalist harassment; intimidation, interrogations and abductions across the island. 

Colombo has denied reports linked to many of these incidents, with government spokesperson Ramesh Pathirana denying state involvement in any intimidation of media personnel. "There is no reason for the government to carry out such activities,” he said. “These are baseless allegations.”

A Tamil woman who survived the Mullivaikkal genocide is pleading to return home, alleging that she has been abused by her employers in Oman.

Selvakumar Priyadarshini sought employment in the Gulf state to relieve her family’s extreme poverty.

The 36-year-old from Alampil, Mullaitivu, has told her family that she has been subjected to various abuses and harassment since her arrival in September this year and that she needs help to return home.