The UNDP in Sri Lanka released its Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI) in Sri Lanka which shows a large percentage of individuals in North-East live below the poverty line and have several vulnerabilities, with some of the districts being the worst affected on the whole island.

<p>China’s embassy in Colombo has objected to a decision by Sri Lanka authorities to permit a German research vessel to dock on the island amidst a one year ban on foreign research vessels.</p>

India’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka detailed how his government was “taking the first steps” to construct a land corridor between the two regions, calling it a “game-changing initiative”.

The Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) commemorated Annai Poopathy today to mark 36 years since she began her fast unto death to protest the atrocities committed by the Indian Peace Keeping Forces (IPKF). 

Sri Lanka’s former finance minister Basil Rajapaksa received a warm welcome on his return to the island from the USA earlier this month, as he called for elections to be held.

The Jaffna regional office of the Human Rights Commission (HRC) has initiated an investigation over the murder of a youth in Karainagar, in which the Sri Lankan Navy have been accused of being complicit in. 

Sri Lanka’s fisheries minister and government-aligned paramilitary leader Douglas Devananda has faced backlash over a cabinet paper that proposes Tamil civilians in the North-East being recruited to a force that patrols the sea alongside the Sri Lankan navy and wards off Tamil Nadu fishermen.

Tamil lawmakers launched an impromptu protest during a parliamentary session in Colombo earlier today, calling on the Speaker to summon the Inspector General of Police and seek redress over the arrest of eight Tamil devotees who were attempting to pray at Vedukkunaari earlier this month.

The parliamentarians brought out placards as proceedings came to a standstill. MP Charles Nirmalanathan said “police have filed fabricated charges against these individuals”.

Sri Lanka’s president Ranil Wickremesinghe claimed there was “no evidence” to prosecute many who were accused of corruption during his predecessors’ regime, stating that cases were only “filed against a few”.

India’s newly appointed Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Santhosh Jha confirmed the his government would provide a grant of US $61.5 million to “fully develop” the Kankesanthurai (KKS) Port.

The Jaffna District Federation of Fisheries Co-operative Unions has launched a hunger strike today demanding that the Sri Lankan government offer a lasting solution to the protracted Indian fisherfolk poaching issue. 

A group of eight Tamil devotees who were assaulted and arrested by Sri Lankan police officers at the Vedukkunaari temple earlier this month, have had the case filed against them dismissed, after being detained for more than a week in custody.

Sri Lanka’s Public Security Minister and Inspector General of Police, Tiran Alles, declared, during a programme in Jaffna, that Sri Lanka’s notorious anti-drug operation “Yukthiya” will continue with a focus on the Tamil regions in the North-East, despite outcry from human rights defenders.