The Sri Lankan government is using the coronavirus pandemic “to whitewash military officers who face allegations of war crimes” said the International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP) this week, after the regime announced 25 military officers were to be put in charge of civilian health across the island.

Over 250 British Tamil organisations have called on the British government to sponsor a resolution at the 46^th UN Human Rights Council session, this March, which established an “International Independent Investigative Mechanism” to investigate war crimes committed by the Sri Lankan military including the charge of genocide against the Tamil people.

A Tamil journalist was assaulted and threatened by a group of unidentified people, when he went to film a protest in Batticaloa on Tuesday.

Kugarasu Subojan traveled to Eravur, Batticaloa to cover a local protest against the ‘Airtel Tower’ on Tuesday morning when he was approached and threatened by a group of unidentified persons.

Commemorating the life of Maamanithar Kumar Ponnanmbalam, a prominent Tamil human rights lawyer and leader of the All-Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC), the Tamil National People’s Front held a memorial at Kalladi, Batticaloa.

S. Jaishankar, the Indian Minister of External Affairs, has landed in Sri Lanka for a diplomatic visit aimed at strengthening bilateral relations.

During the visit, from the 5-7 January, Jaishankar is expected to “hold discussions with his counterpart and Sri Lanka’s leadership on the entire gamut of bilateral relations”.

Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) MP for the Vanni district, Charles Nirmalanathan visited the Thiruketheeswaram temple in Mannar last week, after concerns were raised from the landowners that a Buddhist monk had occupied their land.    

The land, which extends to an area of 5 acres in Manthai, was granted to the Shaivite Trust on a 99-year lease and has long-been under the maintenance of the Thiruketheeswaram temple administration.

Former Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) member Visvalingam Manivannan, was elected as Jaffna mayor, in a closely contested mayoral election, last Wednesday.  

Former mayor Emmanuel Arnold, member of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), finished second by securing one vote less than attorney Manivannan.

The New-Democratic Marxist-Leninist Party led a protest in front of the Vavuniya hospital demanding the immediate release of political prisoners and insisting they be given presidential pardons. 

(Photos by Eshan Dasanayaka)

Excavaations have begun after skeletal remains have been found in a well on private grounds in Mulliyawalai, Mullaitivu.

A woman who visited cattle in the area noticed the human remains and informed local authorties, who then informed the Sri Lankan police regarding the matter.

Sri Lanka’s reputation will take a hit after its ultranationalist government is set to scrap two multimillion dollar investment projects funded by Japan, reports NikkeiAsia, as international debts continue to mount.

Sri Lanka’s Medical Association (SLMA) has concluded that the burial of COVID-19 bodies could be permitted in Sri Lanka following intense international and domestic protests in defence of Muslim religious freedom.

Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary, Kamal Gunaratne, has denied that the military taking over state sector institutions as the army takes on responsibility for printing driving licenses.

Former chief monk of the Sri Bodhirajarama temple in Megawatt, Colombo, Uvathenne Sumana, serving life imprisonment for possession of firearms was granted presidential pardon on Sunday.

Diana Gamage, a Samagi Jana Balawegaya  MP, had requested this pardon from the Prime Minister.