Sri Lanka’s president Gotabaya Rajapaksa has agreed to ‘take steps’ towards creating an all-party interim government, according to a release from his office earlier today, with reports that his elder brother Mahinda Rajapaksa may be removed from his post as prime minister.

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian S Sritharan told Sri Lanka’s parliament last week that the words of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) leader V Prabhakaran have “become a reality in Sri Lanka,” as he spoke on the murder of a Sinhala protestor by police.

Memorial events were held across the North-East to mark the 17th anniversary of murdered Tamil journalist, Dharmeratnam Sivaram. 

Despite widespread unrest and anti-government protests in the South of the island Sri Lankan authorities continued to suppress Tamil remembrance activities in the North-East, said Tamil National People’s Front parliamentarian Selvarajah Kajendran in parliament last week.

The Tamil lawmaker was commenting on how Sri Lankan authorities had blocked the children of Annai Poopathy, a Tamil women who undertook a hunger strike until death in 1988 as she protested against atrocities committed by the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF). 

Amidst Sri Lanka’s political and economic tumult, US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Julie Chung, made a historic visit to Jaffna where she met with Tamil families of the disappeared, major Tamil political parties, civil society actors, religious groups, and business communities to discuss the impact of the crisis.

A Sri Lankan court has reportedly barred a Tamil parliamentarian from joining protests, after an order from Sri Lankan police was approved earlier today.

Kaluwanchikudy police in Batticaloa reportedly received approval for their order blocking Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian R Shanakiyan  from joining protests.

A Sri Lankan court has rejected a request from police that sought to prevent protestors gathering outside Temple Trees in Colombo this week, just days after another Sri Lankan court granted a police order to ban commemoration events for a Tamil hunger striker.

The Tamil Civil Society Forum (TCSF) called on Sri Lanka’s protestors in the South to go beyond ‘skin deep’ gestures and incorporate the addressing of “Tamils’ historic grievances” in a statement that expressed solidarity this week.

The detailed statement began by stating “your government leaders who have slaughtered us over the years have today turned their weapons towards you”.  

^{Photographs: @JDSLanka}

Today marks the 17th anniversary since the abduction and murder of Tamil journalist Dharmeratnam Sivaram.

Sivaram, popularly known under his nom-de-plume Taraki, was abducted in front of Bambalipitiya police station in Colombo on April 28 and was found dead several hours later in a high security zone in Sri Lanka's capital, which at the time had a heavy police and military presence due to the ongoing conflict. His killers, highly suspected to be linked to the government of then-president Chandrika Kumaratunga, were never caught.

Long-time Rajapaksa ally, Ali Sabry, who has recently been appointed as Sri Lanka’s finance minister has also secured the position of Justice minister.

Sabry was appointed yesterday upon arriving in Sri Lanka following discussions with the International Monetary Fund in Washington DC.

"No, I will not resign, don't worry. I can be sacked but I won't resign" Prime Minister @PresRajapaksa pic.twitter.com/6TEB31jgYL

United States Congressman Steven Horsford has expressed his intent to begin a congressional investigation of 'foreign asset' fleecing committed by US citizens who sit in the Sri Lankan administration. 

Pope Francis has urged Sri Lankan authorities to reveal the identity of those responsible for the 2019 Easter Sunday bombing. 

Catholic leaders from the island allege the bombings was a plot to influence the election outcome in favour of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.