The Sri Lankan military continued with its militarisation of the East, by opening a children’s park in Trincomalee earlier this year, despite calls from locals for the region to be demilitarised.
 

The Sri Lankan military stationed in Jaffna held a series of events on May18, where it commemorated what it termed “the capitulation of ruthless terrorism”, whilst Tamils across the world mourned the deaths of tens of thousands killed by security forces.

The Sri Lankan prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe arrived in Jaffna yesterday and visited Rio's ice cream parlour surrounded by armed personnel. 

Students at the University of Jaffna held a demonstration in fron of the university today condemning the shooting of Tamil Nadu protesters in Thoothukudi last week. 

A regional journalist with the newspaper, Kaalai Kathir was attacked in Kolumputhurai by masked men on motorbikes carrying swords.

The attack took place around 4am this morning. 

Selvarajah Rajendram, a 56 year old father of three children, also works as the ciruclation manager for the paper, 

He has been taken to Jaffna Teaching Hospital for treatment of his injuries. 

The police are reportedly investigating the matter. 

Ceylon Teachers Union today said it "strongly condemned" the decision by Hatton National Bank to suspend two employees over the commemoration of the Mullivaikkal massacre on May 18. 

"The bank needs to understand that this issue is related to the Tamil people's sentiments," the CTU's general secretary, Joseph Stalin said in a statement. 

"The bank suspending employees for remembering their loved ones who were killed is like the bank punishing the employees," he said, adding that the bank's decision had deeply hurt the Tamil people.

On Saturday, May 26^th the Human Rights Advocacy (HRA) council of the Canadian Tamil Youth Alliance (CTYA) launched the official website for Thazhambakam: Tamil Genocide during an event titled, The Macabre of the Silenced, in Toronto.

Increasing its reach within Hindu temples in the North-East, the Sri Lankan military on Saturday planted and coconut trees to devotees. 

At an event at Valipuram Aalvar temple, Major General Darshana Hettiarachchi presided over the planting of 50 coconut trees. 

Thirty-six families were then given 5 trees each. 

Major General Darshana Hettiarachchi said he plans to plant 1 lakh coconut trees across the district. 

Displaced families in Maampirai and Mangkolai, Valikaamam North returned to their homes after 30 years of military occupation to find their houses destroyed beyong recognition. 

The military released 35 acres of land in the two villages to 85 families. Whilst all the land in Maampirai has been released, the military continues to hold onto several acres of land in Mangkolai, including the land where the Narasimba Vairavar temple is situated.

Two former LTTE cadres who are now members of the political party, Crusaders for Democracy, have been called for questioning by Sri Lanka's Terrorism Investigation Division (TID). 

The party's secretary, Kathir was called to the TID's 4th floor office in Colombo on May 14 where he was questioned from dawn till dusk. He was released on the condition that he should be able to respond to a summons at any time in future. 

The party leader, Venthan has since received a summons, ordering him to attend an inquiry at the 4th floor on May 28.