TNA MP Thavarasa Kalaiarasan slammed the Sri Lankan government’s plans to issue death certificates and compensation to families of the disappeared, echoing the campaigning families themselves who have stated that the plans are a cynical attempt to break up their protests.

The Sri Lankan military has been surveilling and harassing families of fallen LTTE cadres in Kilinochchi and Thirunagar ahead of Maaveerar Naal, locals report.

In Mullaitivu, the Sri Lankan military questioned Tamils who were marking Karthikai Vilakkeedu, the Tamil Hindu festival of lights, due to its proximity to Maaveerar Naal, the Tamil national remembrance day for fallen Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) cadres.

A court in Vavuniya has banned 8 Tamil civil society members from attending commemorations events for Maaveerar Naal, following a request from Sri Lankan security forces.

The banning restricts the individuals from attending events between the 20-29 of November after an injunction seeking the banning was filed by the Vavuniya Chief of Police. Former MPs Sivashakthi Anandan and S.Sivamohan, Secretary of the Vavuniya families of the disappeared K.Rajkumar, former provincial councillors P.Sathiyalingham, Kayendrakumar,  S.Thavapalsingam and S. Aravindan are some of the names listed on the court order. 

The court order states the named individuals must stop any commemorative activities related to Maaveerar Naal between the 20 and 29 and have been told to appear in court on the 6 of December. 

The former head of Sri Lanka’s army has been inducted into the US Army Command and General Staff College’s “International Hall of Fame” this week, an appointment that has led to widespread outcry from Tamil victims around the world.

Mahesh Senanayake, who has had a long Sri Lankan military career and once ran for president, was awarded in a ceremony held in the US this week.

Sri Lankan police, army, and public health inspectors conducted raids in banks, businesses, private clinics and restaurants in Vavuniya this week, reportedly to control the recurrence of coronavirus infections in Vavuniya. 

Details of those who were not wearing masks and who did not observe “health practices” were recorded and warned.

Writing in the Diplomat, Madura Rasaratnam and Mario Arulthas, maintain that the current policy of appeasement, and of soft-pedalling on demands for "accountability and political reform", adopted by the US and India  "comes with considerable costs and uncertain gains".

^{File photo: Sri Lankan police officers intimidate Tamils who were preparing to mark Maaveerar Naal in 2018.}

A court in Mullaitivu has banned the commemoration of Maaveerar Naal – an annual day of remembrance to mark the lives lost during the Tamil armed struggle – following a request from the Sri Lankan security forces.

Locals in Mullaitivu have demanded the removal of several Sri Lankan military checkpoints, which were reportedly set up to enforce coronavirus related lockdowns but have persisted for months afterwards without any explanation.

A racist Sinhala Buddhist monk threatened officials in Batticaloa this week, as he staged an impromptu protest at the Divisional Secretariat office demanding land be allocated for the construction of a Buddhist shrine.

After 18 months of detention under Sri Lanka's draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act, Muslim poet Ahnaf Jazeem, was brought before the High Court in Puttalam on Monday.

The Colombo District Court reissued summons against International Truth and Justice Project's (ITJP) executive director, Yasmin Sooka to be present in court in February 2022, for a civil defamation case filed by State Intelligence Chief Suresh Sallay.

A memorial service was held for the victims of the St James’ Church bombings who were killed by Sri Lankan government airstrikes in the early hours of 13 November 1993. The commemorative event took place at the Church in Gurunagar, Jaffna.

The commander of the Sri Lankan Air Force, Sudarshana Pathirana observed the fall out parade of the No 7 Contingent of the aviation unit before their deployment to the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) at the end of this month, despite ongoing human rights concerns.