Sri Lanka's upcoming presidential election may bring a new face to power, but concerns remain from Tamils on the island and around the world that their plight may remain unchanged.

Updated

Five Tamil political parties signed a memorandum today, highlighting key demands of Tamils, which are to be presented to all of Sri Lanka's leading presidential candidates.

The demands have been formulated in order to help decide the position of Tamils in the upcoming Presidential election. 

The key demands include:

As thousands of Kurds marched through London during a mass demonstration against the Turkish invasion of the Kurdish regions of Northern Syria, Eelam Tamils joined the rally to express solidarity in their struggle for freedom.

Former UN staffer Benjamin Dix released his first graphic novel this month, exploring the story of Tamil families trapped in the Vanni in 2009, as the Sri Lankan military launches an ominous offensive that kills tens of thousands civilians.

Today marks thirty-two years since the death of 2nd Lt. Maalathy, the first female fighter of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to lose her life in the Tamil armed struggle.

Marking 32 years since the death of Lt Col Thileepan, thousands of Tamils across the North-East attended commemoration events held throughout the day.

Today marks 32 years since the death of Lt Col Thileepan, a political wing leader of the LTTE who fasted to death, in a protest appealing to the Indian government to honour pledges made to the Tamil people.

Thileepan began his fast on the September 15, 1987, with 100,000 people gathered around the historic Nallur Kandwaswamy Temple in Jaffna. As he began his strike he put forward 5 demands to the Indian government.

Thirty-two years on, Tamils continue to call for the demands made by Thileepan. 

A new report from the International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP) has identified at least 58 alleged torturers in the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) of the Sri Lankan police, including those who personally participated in violence and those who bear command responsibility.

Thousands of Tamils joined the ‘Ezhuka Tamil’ rally in Jaffna this morning, demanding justice for the Tamil people and an end to Sri Lankan oppression of the North-East. 

Despite widespread criticism of the appointment of Shavendra Silva to second-in-command of the Sri Lankan army earlier this year, the war crimes-accused general was promoted to army commander by the Sri Lankan president on Monday.