• TNPF office blocked off by army

    May 17
    09:43 BST
    Photograph @Uthayarasashali


    Sri Lankan army soldiers surrounded the offices of the Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) ahead of the party's planned remembrance event for those that died at the end of the armed conflict.

  • Nallur temple surrounded by troops
    10:27 GMT
    Photograph @mayurappriyan

    Heavily armed troops have surrounded Nallur temple, in Jaffna, since this morning.

    Over 100 soldiers, wearing helmets, are stationed in the temple area, with over 50 soldiers by the entrance.

    Military vehicles are parked along the roads leading up to the temple entrance. The tolling of temple bells has been prohibited.

  • Access to TNA office blocked by army

    10:29 BST

    Armed troops have blocked roads leading up to the TNA office on Martin Road in Jaffna around 1pm local time.

    People attempting to enter the office were turned away by soldiers, a source within the TNA, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Tamil Guardian.

  • Sri Lankan president hails reclamation of land at 'Victory Day' celebrations
    The Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, celebrated the reclamation of Sri Lankan land at a military 'Victory Day' parade in the southern town of Matara today.

    The Sri Lankan government today held ‘Victory Day’ celebrations  with a parade of 3,734 army, 1,189 navy, 1,100 air-force, 643 police and 578 civil defence personnel walked through the southern town of Matara, reports Colombo Page.

  • Bus travelling to Jaffna attacked by Sinhalese mob
    A bus, taking people from the eastern district of Ampara to Jaffna, was attacked by a Sinhalese mob yesterday evening reports the Uthayan.

    A group of 25 Sinhalese attacked the passengers travelling to Jaffna, after surrounding the bus when it stopped for service. One passenger was severely injured, whilst others had minor injuries reported the Uthayan.
  • Jaffna blood donation centre blocked off by army
    The military has blocked off access to the blood donation centre at Jaffna teaching hospital in an attempt to stop people from donating blood as an act of remembrance for those that died in Mullivaikkal in 2009, the Uthayan, reported.
  • Troops outside Thinakkural newspaper office in Jaffna
    11:25 BST

    Armed troops have surrounded the Jaffna office of the Thinakkural newspaper, one of the paper's journalists tweeted within the past hour.

    The incident comes amidst heavy military presence outside the Uthayan newspaper's office earlier today, with over 50 armed soldiers surrounding the building.

     
  • Mullivaikal massacres remembered in Batticaloa
    Photo: uthayan

    A Mullivaikal remembrance event for those that died was carried out amidst military intimidation in the TNA’s office in Batticaloa, reports Uthayan.

  • Sri Lankan military restricts access to Keerimalai

    The Sri Lankan military has restricted access to Keerimalai, blocking Tamils from entering the town on the Jaffna peninsula, famous for its temple.

    Events to commemorate the 5 year anniversary of Mullivaikkal at the temple were cancelled as the army blocked all main roads leading to the town, reported GTN.

  • Profiles of May 2009: Ainkaran
    Illustration Keera Ratnam


    The following account written by Paul M.M. Cooper is based on survivor interviews to Tamils Against Genocide (TAG). Personal details of Ainkaran (not his real name), place names and dates have been changed to protect his identity.

    Ainkaran volunteered in a hospital in the contested North East of Sri Lanka when the government began its final offensive on the Tamil separatists. It was 2009, and the outlook was grim for the LTTE. The cadres had set up fortified settlements far behind the frontline in order to escape the artillery of the Sri Lankan Army, but there were some shells, with a range of 3-5km, that could still reach even these safe havens.

  • Mullivaikal remembered in Kilinochchi amidst military surveillance
  • TNPF defy military to remember Mullivaikal genocide
    TNPF General Secretary S. Kajendran lights candle of remembrance

    Mullivaikal was remembered by the TNPF in an undisclosed location today after Sri Lankan military troops surrounded the party office, and prevented people from entering a planned remembrance event, to commemorate those that died at the final stages of the armed conflict.  
  • TNA Shivajilingham, Sritharan mark May 18 at Nallur, defying military ban
    Photographs @Uthayarasashali


    M.K. Shivajilingham, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Councillor to the Northern Province, and TNA MP, S. Sritharan, defied the military's ban against Mullivaikal commemorative events at temples holding a memorial event at Nallur temple late this afternoon.

  • Peace has not yet been settled – Canada’s Liberal Party leader

    The leader of the Canadian Liberal Party Justin Trudeau, said that it must be acknowledged that peace has not been settled in Sri Lanka, although the armed conflict ended 5 years ago.

    A statement, released by Mr Trudeau’s office, further said that he would remain committed to achieving accountability and justice for those who had suffered the consequences of the war.

  • Canadian Tamils commemorate Mullivaikkal in parliament

    An event to commemorate the anniversary of the end of the armed conflict was marked by Canadian Tamils and politicians at an event in the Canadian parliament.

    Several MPs and senators spoke at the event on Thursday, hosted by the Canadian Tamil Congress.

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