Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin, has met with India’s Prime Minister and the leader of the main opposition party, Sonia Gandhi, to put forwards the demands of Tamil Nadu.

A key demand of which is for:

“Eelam Tamils to have equal civil and political rights”

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP, Vino Noharathalingam signed a letter on Wednesday (June 16th), urging Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa to provide relief assistance to COVID-19 affected families in the North East.

The body of a man, who was quarantined in his home in Vavuniya, was recovered from a well last Tuesday.

Ganesan Ilankumaran, and his family were in isolation, due to the current COVID-19 measures in effect, when he went missing. His family had been searching for him until the body was discovered the next day. Police rushed to the place of the incident and are conducting investigations. 

Tributes were paid across Canada, UK and Jaffna following the death of the mother of slain Tamil journalist Mylvaganam Nimalarajan, last Sunday.

80-year-old, Lily Theres Mylvaganam, who fought relentlessly seeking justice for her son, passed away in Canada, last Sunday (June 13^th). Known as “Mother Courage”, she received tributes from Tamils and journalists across the world.

India’s High Commissioner for Sri Lanka, Gopal Baglay, met with the Tamil National Alliance and pledged support for the right to self-governance through the 13^th Amendment.

On Twitter the High Commission tweeted:

Eelam Tamil refugees are on their 9-consecutive day of protest against continued detention in a state-run camp situated in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu.

78 Eelam Tamils were present at the protest, calling upon Tamil Nadu’s recent elected Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin to meet their demands.

Demonstrators were seen chanting:

"Freedom , freedom is needed!" and "Stalin sir recognise us.... and issue amnesty".

Speaking in parliament, MP for Carshalton and Wallington raised concerns over the deterioration of human rights in Sri Lanka.

He asked Nigel Adams, Minister for Asia at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department for International Development: 

Yesterday US President, Joe Biden announced that Julie Chung as Ambassador to Sri Lanka and Maldives alongside 8 other nominees for crucial diplomatic roles.

Chung is currently serving as the Acting Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs and has previously served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary. She has served in a variety of roles including Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Colombia, and Iraq.

The Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry claimed that the resolution passed by European Union (EU) parliament "contains factual inaccuracies" and fails to take into consideration the apparent "multifaceted progress" in terms of reconciliation and development.