Sinhalese residents and Buddhist monks in Trincomalee staged a protest against Sarath Fonseka and Ranjan Ramanayake on Saturday. The protestors chanted slogans condemning the ministers’ recent behaviour and accusing them of supporting war crimes investigations. The crowd also burnt effigies of both politicians.
Sri Lankan troops serving as United Nations peacekeepers in the Central African Republic received medals in a ceremony to mark their contribution this week.
The Japanese government has committed to providing US$1.2 million in aid towards demining efforts in the Northern Province.
The Sri Lankan navy received a ship from the Indian government on Saturday.
Sinhala Buddhist monks staged a rally in Colombo yesterday in support of Myanmar’s military offensive in the Rakhine state, which has displaced hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims.
The Tamil National People's Front continued its commemorations of Lt. Col. Thileepan with tributes to mark the second day of his hunger strike. Fresh flowers were laid at the destroyed monument to Thileepan in Nallur, which was cleaned and decorated ahead of commemorations on the 30th year since his fast unto death.
A sudden police operation round-up in Thunnalai on Friday morning has resulted in three arrests. Point Pedro police said they carried out the operation in the early hours following an anonymous tip-off. Thunnalai and surrounding villages in the Vadamaradchi area have been subjected to repeated operations, including deployments of Special Task Force troops. Relations between locals and security forces remain tense since police shot and killed a Thunnalai man in July.
Thileepan was remembered in Mullaitivu at an event organised by the Tamil National People’s Front in Puthukudiyiruppu.
24 Tamil civilians killed in a Sri Lankan Air Force strike on Mullaitivu in 1999 were remembered in Manthuvil, the location of the massacre, today.
Families of former LTTE cadres and members of the Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) gathered in Nallur today to remember the 30 year anniversary of Lt Col Thileepan commencing his fast unto death. The event was held at the Thileepan memorial, which was cleaned and decorated yesterday by TNPF members ahead of the commemorations.